If you were wondering how to make a dreamcatcher, here we are to your rescue. Dream catchers are a piece of art that fills your home with a serene and pleasant vibe thanks to their exquisite feathers and distinctive patterns. Few people know that these lovely decorative pieces also have significant symbolic connotations. They balance the energies and improve the aesthetic feel of your space. Everyone thinks that a dream catcher has magical powers.
Although most people only link dream catcher with sleep, good dreams and bad dreams, they have deeper meanings. If you want stability, you should pay attention to the colours. It’s also thought that once the purpose of hanging a dream catcher has been fulfilled, it will dry out or disintegrate.
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1. Importance of Dreamcatchers
Dream catchers contain a wide variety of dreams. Dream catchers of various colours are hung to achieve various objectives. Many choose red or pink for passion access, while others choose white to balance in their energies and enjoy a pleasant night’s sleep. Mothers frequently hang dream catches in their kids’ rooms to enhance quality sleep and lovely dreams and to keep away bad dreams. To avoid unfavourable, frightful and bad dreams, hang the dream catcher in the east or south. Never turn it toward the North, as this can cause terrible vibrations to be attracted.
Every dream catcher has a magnificent web pattern and a hole in the middle. It is believed that all the negative energy is caught in this web while the beneficial energies are released. The feathers assist in spreading good vibes around your house. However, according to one idea, the feathers gather all the bad energies, whereas the centre is the focus of positive forces.
No matter what philosophy you relate to, dream catchers have no negative effects. The dream catcher is still hung for the same symbolic reasons, to draw in positive energy. Feathers hung from the eight points that make up the traditional dream catchers’ centre. It represents the spider’s web; the eight legs stand for wisdom, knowledge, enlightenment, and other things.
2. Origin of Dream Catcher
A sacred Native American component known as a dreamcatcher is made of a ring of red willow or another common and malleable bark held together by a web of sinew or fibre that connects to the ring in seven or eight different places. There are numerous feathers at the dreamcatcher’s base.
Although the origin of the dreamcatcher is unknown because of the harm that European colonisers caused to Native American culture, it is believed that the Ojibwe tribe of Native Americans were where it first appeared. However, as various Native American tribes came together in the 1960s and 1970s (known as the Pan-Indian Movement), the tradition spread.
Native Americans held sincere beliefs in the spiritual world and the power of dreams—beliefs that contemporary academics are still perplexed by and researching. Of dreams, catchers facilitate good dreams. According to Ojibwe and Lakota folklore, dream catchers can collect either happy or bad dreams, but the feathers nearly always guide the happy dreams to the dreamcatcher’s sleeping owner.
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A long time ago, Asibikaashi (Spider-Woman), according to Ojibwe myth, restored the light to the sky every day. Spider-Woman, however, found it increasingly difficult to travel for all of her people as the Ojibwe Nation expanded to the farthest reaches of the planet. Instead, she instructed grandmothers, sisters, and mothers to make hoops from willow twigs to weave magical webs for newborns. They were called dreamcatchers, and when the children slept, they would allow only good dreams and not bad dreams to enter their minds.
According to Chippewa legend, dreamcatchers were created to keep kids from waking up with the horror of their horrible dreams still lingering in their eyes. Mothers prayed and had positive thoughts while wove a web on a willow hoop. For the happy dreams to find their way to the centre, drift down the feathers, and sprinkle over the sleepers, they would hang the sacred feathers from the centre. Girls’ beds were adorned with an owl feather for intelligence, while boys’ beds were adorned with an eagle feather for daring.
Lakota Legend: A senior spiritual figure experiences a vision in this tale. The legendary teacher and conjurer Iktomi made an appearance as a spider. As the elder lectured about the circle of life from infancy to old age, Iktomi took the elder’s willow hoop and started to spin a web. He advised the elder that the forces at play would guide him in the right direction if he paid attention to the good ideas.
If you listen to the negative, the forces will direct you in the wrong way. The elder watched as he demonstrated how the web was a perfect circle with a hole in the middle. The positive thoughts will be captured on the web, but the negative ones will slip through the crack, Iktomi informed him.
3. How to Make a DreamCatcher
One of the most often topics is how to make a dreamcatcher. People also wonder how to DIY dreamcatchers out of different patterns or make one out of materials that are easily accessible. You can have so much fun DIY dreamcatchers alone or with friends. Making a dream catcher is quite a fun activity for children also.
You’ll need a hoop, thread or yarn, suede lace, and decorative details like feathers, pom poms, beads etc., to craft a dreamcatcher. Start the dreamcatcher by wrapping the ring in suede lace. Then, create the web by weaving the string along the hoop’s frame. Add your preferred finishing touches to complete it.
3.1 Take a Metal Hoop or Hoop Made of Wood
Use pre-made metal or wooden hoops to do dreamcatcher. The size of the ring completely depends on how big you want your dreamcatcher to be. If you’ve never made a dreamcatcher, start with a 5-8 inch (13-20 cm) hoop. These hoops are just right for beginners, neither too big nor too small. These hoops can be available at any nearby craft store, and you can also create your own using embroidery hoops. The embroidery hoop looks very creative and magnificent if one chooses to make it.
3.2 Wrap the Hoop in Suede Lace or Ribbon
Pick a lace made of leather or buckskin suede that is no wider than a shoelace. The length of the lace should be 18 times the diameter of the hoops you’re using. Use 2.5 yards (2.3 metres) of lace for a 5-inch (13-cm) hoop. In addition, a ribbon can be used in place of suede lace.
3.3 Pick a Good Quality String for the Web
To create the dreamcatcher’s web, use a sturdy but flexible string. Excellent options include synthetic sinew, hemp cord, waxed nylon string, and silk thread. The string’s length must be at least ten times the hoop’s diameter. Although the natural-coloured thread is typically used, any colour could be selected. You will require 50 inches, or 2 yards (1.8 metres), of string for a 5-inch (13-cm) hoop.
3.4 Ornamental Elements
Your dreamcatcher can be customised however you like. You can embellish your dreamcatcher with feathers, beads, gemstones, fabric strips, and shells. Pick up items that have personal meaning for you.
3.5 Wrapping the Hoop
You can use a hot glue gun or normal craft glue. Apply glue along the top of the hoop in a half-inch line. Holding the end of the lace against the hoop, wrap around the adhesive line. Continue wrapping the lace and ensure no spaces between the pieces. Use a tiny binder clip to hold the lace in place after covering the bonded area for around five minutes while the glue dries.
Under the suede lace, the hoop’s frame should not be visible.
Also, instead of using glue to attach a traditional ribbon, you can tie a double or triple knot at the beginning.
Apply additional adhesive to the hoop in the critical areas before wrapping the lace around it again. A minimum of 4 evenly spaced spots on the hoop should be glued. It guarantees that the lace will stay in place.
Use binder clips to keep the lace where the glue is.
The lace should be tightly knotted around the hoop, touching but not overlapping the adjacent lace loop.
3.6 Web Weave Your DreamCatcher
Use a 2-yard (1.8-metre) string, and knot it firmly to the hoop’s top. The hoop must be appropriately wrapped in the string. To secure the string, tie a double or triple knot.
About 2 inches (5 cm) above the hoop, extend the string in a clockwise direction. Make a hitch by wrapping it twice—once around the hoops and once back over. Before adding the next loop, ensure it is tightly wrapped. Don’t pull too hard, then continue wrapping.
Loop the string halfway through the first line of the thread to create a second layer of the web. Make a hitch by looping it around the string and over itself using the same technique. This method of weaving the thread should be continued until you reach the top. Continue to weave until a small circle appears in the middle.
The circle in the centre will continue to get smaller as you make the web. Once a small circle is visible in the centre, finish wrapping the string around the hoop. To keep the web in place, make sure to tighten the string. Knot the following thread once the circle is small enough. Snip the extra thread using scissors.
Make a hanging loop with a piece of lace 5 inches (13 cm) long. By knotting the loose ends together, you may create a circle. Pull the knot through the loop to fasten the lace around the top of the hoop. Pull enough to make the hanging loop.
3.7 Decorate the Dreamcatcher
One can slide beads into the strings while creating the web and looping it. Hook the bead to the subsequent string after inserting it into the string.
Buy fabric in several hues or patterns, then cut the fabric into strips. Fold the strips in half to create a loop. Put the loop beneath the bottom rim of the dreamcatcher. To fasten it, pass the ends of the fabric through the loop and pull firmly. You may also use suede lace, leather strips, or different thread shapes to make a gorgeous hanging effect.
One of the most attractive things about dreamcatchers is to attach feathers. This makes the dream catcher look so beautiful. You can attach it using a glue gun or any other craft glue. One can also use small pom poms to decorate.
4. Variety of Dreamcatchers
A dream catcher can be found or made using a variety of materials. The one with the five fundamental elements of nature—earth, water, fire, wood, and metal—is among the most acceptable. Always choose dream catchers made of natural materials over those manufactured. Catchers are supposed to be gifted rather than intentionally taken.
Dream catchers come in various styles, with the sacred hoop, which symbolises the circle of life, being made of wood or metal and using feathers from birds like the peacock, hawk, owl, or eagle. As important chains and accessories, dream catchers have developed into pendants, anklets, earrings, and bracelets.
5. Dream Catcher Today
The main reasons dream catchers are becoming increasingly popular are their bohemian aesthetic and the upbeat energy they emit. Dream catchers are adorned with favourite cartoon or movie characters, such as headbands, earrings, neck pendants, anklets, key chains, bracelets, or decorations for kids’ birthday parties.
The idea of transforming dream catchers into lovely bookmarks is becoming increasingly popular. Customers frequently request custom designs for their dream catchers, including owls, Mickey Mouse, Deathly Hallows, football teams, superheroes, and football players. They are made in different shapes and patterns. They are available in long pieces and also small pieces.
Dreams profoundly impact our emotions, in addition to some sleeping brain functions. A cheerful, optimistic dream that just ended leaves you full of optimism and desire for the future. Good dreams are priceless experiences that we want to keep to ourselves.
A dream catcher is a great object in traditional Feng Shui because it attracts good dreams while warding off unfavourable ones or nightmares. They also give the house a rustic yet contemporary flavour. To benefit from a dreamcatcher, learn how to construct and hang one in your home.
6. Places to Hang Dream Catcher
6.1 Bedroom Window
According to conventional teaching, hanging a dreamcatcher is the most common location. Any size and type of dreamcatcher can be hung, and it will also enhance the interior design.
6.2 Rear View Vehicle Mirror
It’s also one of the ideal locations to hang or see dreamcatchers, rare view vehicle mirrors. A tiny dreamcatcher that won’t obstruct your view while driving is a great place for one in your rearview mirror.
6.3 ArtWork:
When enormous dream catchers are hung on a bare wall in your house, they transform into breathtaking art pieces. If you already have other wall art, the three-dimensionality of a dreamcatcher may add a lot of character to the room.
6.4 Above the Bed Headboard
If you want to hang a dream catcher over the headboard of your bed to catch good dreams but don’t want to hang it on the window, this is a great alternative.
6.5 Jewellery
Due to their cultural significance and aesthetic appeal as works of art, dream catchers are incredibly popular. They are worn as necklaces and earrings is therefore not surprising. What better way to achieve it than to decorate your face if you want to bring happy feelings wherever you go?
6.6 Deck or Front Porch
The porch or outside deck is another great spot to hang a dream catcher of any size. Dreamcatchers, like another outdoor décor, look wonderful when kept indoors.
6.7 Attic
Using a dreamcatcher is one method to ward off negative energies if you hear unusual noises from your attic. To gather any lingering spiritual energy in the attic, hang the dreamcatcher in the middle of the room or a window.
7. Interesting Facts About Dreamcatchers
7.1 They Are Designed to Capture Nightmares Exclusively
Dreamcatchers are designed to catch bad dreams while letting the good ones through, helping you eliminate any unfavourable or frightful dreams. This may already be obvious to you from the name.
7.2 Its Shape Has Significance
The centre hole of the dreamcatcher represents how good dreams pass through to reach you, while the main strings of the dreamcatcher represent a spider’s web that traps negative dreams. The strings are attached at various locations around the circle, and the number of points a dreamcatcher has affects its meaning; for instance, 6 points represent courage, while 8 points represent the legs of the spider whose “web” the dreamcatcher is said to have been made of.
7.3 Originally, They Weren’t Intended to Last
Dreamcatchers were once constructed from willow and sinew, which eventually dried up and fell apart. It was done to show kids that nothing is designed to remain forever and that they should value everything they encounter.
7.4 The Sun Purifies Them
Put a dreamcatcher in your bedroom to help you eliminate any bad dreams. It will work better if you put it somewhere that gets sunlight so the bad dreams it captures can be driven off. Modern dreamcatchers are built to last, yet they should still be respected similarly.
7.5 The Specifics are Essential
The feathers linked to the bottom of the primary circle, a key component of dreamcatchers, serve as a gentle slide for your pleasant dreams, assisting their descent to you. As a charm to keep good dreams from getting caught in the web—these dreams you wish to come true—the beads strung into a dreamcatcher represent the spider, the web weaver itself.
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Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
