How to make dreamcatchers
by Francis Jock
A dreamcatcher is a spiritual gift from the North American culture of Eastern Woodland Indian tribes. According to legend, dreamcatchers are given as gifts to children experiencing troubling dreams or nightmares. A child's bad dreams are captured and held by the intricate pattern of the dreamcatcher's web, and then travel to the feathers purposely arranged on the dreamcatchers perimeter where they are burned off by the rising sun. An authentic dream catcher is handmade with only natural materials by a Native American woman, usually a relative or member of the child's extended family.
These days, dreamcatchers have become far more decorative in design and style. Additionally, the meaning and spirit behind the gift of a dream catcher has become lost in the mundane and nearly mindless world we live in. For example, where authentic dream catchers are made from certain plant parts and bird feathers, today we see dreamcatchers made using gold, silver and precious stones. Dreamcatchers are being worn as an item of self-adornment, or tribal ethnic jewelry, and are frequently seen hanging from the rearview mirror of a car or truck.
Making an authentic dreamcatcher is not difficult and the intricacy of design is left up to the dream catchers maker. There are five basic materials required for making a dreamcatcher.
- A natural object that will form the perimeter of the dreamcatcher. The small branch of a cedar tree or a wooden or metal hoop will do nicely if necessary.
- A thread or chord to weave around the form in the desired pattern. Dreamcatcher patterns resemble intricate spider webs when completed. More on this later.
- Three or more feathers from a bird. If feathers are not available, some other natural material of spiritual significance and connection to the natural world may be used. Naturally, this depends upon the intended use of the dreamcatcher.
- Strips of rawhide, leather, or lace.
- Glass or drilled stone beads.
How to Construct a Dreamcatcher
Once you have all these materials on hand, you can begin to make your dreamcatcher by first making a circle, or something close to it, with a flexible branch or whatever object you choose to form the outside. Tie the ends of the flexible branch firmly together using a small piece of the thread or chord.
Next, wrap the outside of the dream catcher using the thread completely from one end to another. The wrap may be close or loose, but should not be slack at any point.
Now using the tread, begin forming the interior of the dreamcatcher. Tie off one end of a long thread to the point where the ends of the branch are tied together. Then make several (the number is left to your imagination) connections to the outside wrap. The thread should be pulled tightly and connected with a simple loop and knot.
Once you have gone completely around the dreamcatcher once, extend the pattern again by looping and tying the thread on to the pattern you have just made. Repeat this pattern over and over until the inside of the dream catcher is completely filled with its characteristic spider web pattern. The loops will become smaller and smaller and move towards a center point as you go. You can insert beads or other decorative elements, such as fetish symbols, anywhere you like around the spider web pattern.
Once you have reached the center point of the spider web pattern, simply tie the tread off or finish it off with a decorative item, such as a silver feather or a string of beads.
Next, locate the feathers or finishing materials that you wish to use to complete your dreamcatcher. These will be attached to the outside edge in any fashion you choose. They may be of varying lengths and placed practically anywhere. Some dreamcatchers are finished with bundles of sage, sweetgrass, or other natural fibers such as wool. Colorful strings of glass beads are also popular finishing touches. The choice is left entirely to your imagination. Commercially made dreamcatchers are usually festooned with colorful items, such as pony beads and dyed feathers.
Your handiwork is now complete. Dreamcatchers are placed above the child's bed and the legend of the power of the dreamcatcher is told to the child before going to sleep. If the dreamcatcher is only for decorative purposes, it can be displayed anywhere throughout the home or office. Frequently, dreamcatchers are placed in a window in order to catch the morning sun.