Dreamcatchers are said to stop nightmares for children.
According to Native American lore, dream catchers catch bad dreams in their webbing while allowing good dreams to pass through to the person who is sleeping near where it hangs. While dream catchers can take on many shapes and styles, they almost always contain a ring, webbing and feathers. It is not difficult to make a homemade dream catcher, and you can customize yours to match your own style or to reflect traditional Native American designs.
Hoop
The outer structure or hoop of the dream catcher can be made of a variety of materials. If you prefer a natural look for your dream catcher, bend a flexible branch, such as a willow branch, into a circle and secure the ends with wire or string. You can also make a hoop out of sturdy wire or a wire clothes hanger. You can opt to buy a pre-made foam hoop or even use an embroidery hoop for your circle. Wrap leather strips or twine around the loop to cover it and give it an authentic look.
Webbing
Create the webbing on the inside of the circle using string, thread or yarn. To create the webbing, make several very loose loops all the way around the hoop. Once you have created one complete circle of loops, begin making new loops through the first row of loose loops. Continue making loops through the previous row's loops until you have as many rows as you want. Adjust the tension as you go so that you end up with a taut web with a hole in the center.
Feathers and beads
In some Native American tribes, feathers were added only to dream catchers intended for children. Other tribes believe the feathers are important for all dream catchers because they catch the good dreams and direct them to the person sleeping under it. Feathers can be attached to the center of the dream catcher or suspended from string or leather strips hanging from the bottom. To add feathers to your dream catcher, tie lengths of leather or string along the bottom edge of your hoop. Slide beads onto the string and then tie the string in a knot around the base of a feather so that the bead cannot slide off. You can use a single feather or several for your dream catcher. Remember that it is illegal to collect and use feathers from certain birds like owls and eagles.
Variations
Traditionally, dream catchers are round to symbolize the shape of the earth, sun and moon, as well as the circle of life. But you can be creative with the shape of your dream catcher and choose to use a heart or teardrop shape instead. Dream catchers can be also be decorated with a variety of embellishments. If you want to add beads to your webbing, string several beads onto the yarn before you begin making loops. Move the beads into place while you are creating the webbing. Rocks and leaves are also common embellishments. Finally, if you want a colorful dream catcher, use different colored string to wrap the hoop and to create the webbing on your dream catcher.
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