Dream catchers originated from a variety of Native American beliefs. One is that a spiderweb-like craft adorned with charms and hung over a baby’s cradle would catch any harm and protect the baby. Another was the dream catcher's use for tribe identification. They're also used as symbols of hope and healing. And in the modern home we like to believe the dream catcher will “catch” our beloved dreams and help them to come true.
This simplified version of a dream catcher uses the beautiful crocheted doily instead of a woven “web.” There are many creative possibilities with this project and ways you can make it not only lovely but personally relevant. Feel free to add personal items to the bead adornments, or sew onto the doily itself. Things like feathers or shells or small clay or metal symbols would work nicely to customize this piece, which would be dreamy above a bed or in any window.
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Materials
- Cotton craft cord
- Thread scissors
- Embroidery needle
- Beads: wooden, glass or plastic, ½ inch or larger, about 40
- Accent beads: woolen balls or other, 6
- Lace doily, 6 inches or 8 inches
- Crafter’s hoop, 6 inches or 8 inches
- Cotton craft cord
- Thread scissors
- Embroidery needle
- Beads: wooden, glass or plastic, ½ inch or larger, about 40
- Accent beads: woolen balls or other, 6
- Lace doily, 6 inches or 8 inches
- Crafter’s hoop, 6 inches or 8 inches
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Start by making the tassels. Wrap the cord around your four fingers about 30 times (full revolutions). Do more for a fuller look.
2. To hold the thread tight, you can loop the two middle fingers under and through the back of the loop.
3. Cut off the end of the thread.
4. Slide the cord off your hand, and maintain the large loop.
5. Cut a piece of cord about 12 inches.
6. Wrap one end of the cord around the loop about 1/4 of the way down from the top.
7. Tie it off.
8. Wrap the cord around the tied area about six more times.
9. Tie it off twice.
10. Thread the embroidery needle with both ends of the cord.
11. Slide the needle up and down through the knot. Pull the cords through.
12. Smooth the knot and the threads below it.
13. Holding the tassel firmly at the knot, pull the bottom loop down, and cut the ends.
14. Trim the ends of the cords to make them even.
15. Cut a piece of cord about 18 inches.
16. Thread the cord through the top loop of a tassel.
17. Tie it off twice, leaving about 4 inches on one side.
18. Using the embroidery needle, thread both ends of the cord through a bead.
19. Create a pattern alternating sizes and shapes of beads. Here, we started with three wooden beads and one woolen ball, then added beads and balls with a modified pattern.
20. Create two more tassels with bead adornments. Make one about 2 inches longer.
21. Taking the crafter’s hoop, smooth the doily inside.
22. Using some cord on the embroidery needle, pierce one end of the lace, and tie it around the hoop.
23. Repeat at intervals consistent with the doily’s pattern.
24. Continue securing the doily to the hoop about ¾ of the way around the circle.
25. For the bottom portion of the hoop, secure the doily to the hoop with the cord from the bead adornments, spacing them apart by one other securement. Use the longer one in the middle.
26. Trim off all extra cord ends.
27. Cut one length of cord, about 6 inches.
28. Use this last length of cord to loop through the top of the hoop. Tie the ends of the cord to itself, forming a loop to hang the dream catcher.
1. Start by making the tassels. Wrap the cord around your four fingers about 30 times (full revolutions). Do more for a fuller look.
2. To hold the thread tight, you can loop the two middle fingers under and through the back of the loop.
3. Cut off the end of the thread.
4. Slide the cord off your hand, and maintain the large loop.
5. Cut a piece of cord about 12 inches.
6. Wrap one end of the cord around the loop about 1/4 of the way down from the top.
7. Tie it off.
8. Wrap the cord around the tied area about six more times.
9. Tie it off twice.
10. Thread the embroidery needle with both ends of the cord.
11. Slide the needle up and down through the knot. Pull the cords through.
12. Smooth the knot and the threads below it.
13. Holding the tassel firmly at the knot, pull the bottom loop down, and cut the ends.
14. Trim the ends of the cords to make them even.
15. Cut a piece of cord about 18 inches.
16. Thread the cord through the top loop of a tassel.
17. Tie it off twice, leaving about 4 inches on one side.
18. Using the embroidery needle, thread both ends of the cord through a bead.
19. Create a pattern alternating sizes and shapes of beads. Here, we started with three wooden beads and one woolen ball, then added beads and balls with a modified pattern.
20. Create two more tassels with bead adornments. Make one about 2 inches longer.
21. Taking the crafter’s hoop, smooth the doily inside.
22. Using some cord on the embroidery needle, pierce one end of the lace, and tie it around the hoop.
23. Repeat at intervals consistent with the doily’s pattern.
24. Continue securing the doily to the hoop about ¾ of the way around the circle.
25. For the bottom portion of the hoop, secure the doily to the hoop with the cord from the bead adornments, spacing them apart by one other securement. Use the longer one in the middle.
26. Trim off all extra cord ends.
27. Cut one length of cord, about 6 inches.
28. Use this last length of cord to loop through the top of the hoop. Tie the ends of the cord to itself, forming a loop to hang the dream catcher.
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