How to Make a Dream Catcher by Deborah Reasbeck
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to you or order the supplies for you. If you need any clarification, please feel
free to e-mail me at crystaldream@earthlink.net
You will need the following materials:
- Hoop/Ring. We have found that it is much easier to work with the metal hoops. You can find these in most craft shops or Tandy leather stores.
- Suede Lace Make sure it is strong or it will break on you as your working with it.
- Artificial Sinew Small quarter sized spool is easier to work with. We smash it flat for an easier fit.
Knots to Know:
There are several ways to make dream catchers.
You can use branches for your hoop, it looks beautiful but is hard to work with. May turn out
very uneven. The branches bend as you are working with the sinew and it gets a warped look
to it.
Some put the lace around the hoop after the sinew web is complete.
We like to cover our ring with Suede first. Gluing one end of the suede to the ring and wrapping it around the hoop, holding the wrapped part down as you go, or it will unwind. Every so many inches, pull the suede tight and push it together to give it a smoother look. We use glue every so many
inches to ensure the tightness of the wrap.
Tie one end of the sinew to the ring. We use our finger as a good spacer in between each half hitch. The more even the spacing is the more uniform your web will be. You can also use chalk to mark even spots around the ring before you begin to make sure. **This is good to do in the beginning, until you learn good spacing distances for each ring/hoop size.** It is really disappointing to get done with the web and then you notice it doesn't look right because of the spacing.
Make sure that the spacing between the last half hitch and the fist knot is smaller than the rest.
One you complete your first ring in the web, you do the same thing again, except you use the center of each web spacing as your tie spot for the second ring in your web. You do this again and again until you are at the center of your web. You may want a little hole or a big hole in the center. It is up to you.
To describe a half-hitch better:
- - You have your ring in hand/lap
- - You tie your first knot at the top - (1)
- - At your fist chalked spot you are going to lay the sinew over the top of the ring, then wrap it around the ring (2)
- - When it is under, pull the sinew over the (2) piece and pull tight