Our simple step-by-step instructions for how to make dream catchers will show you that Native Indian crafts can be both easy and beautiful.
You'll also see how to draw a mandala.
This is one of those homeschool crafts for any age up to and including adults; younger kids will need more help.
Indian 13' Dream Catcher Leather Mandella Shield Moose Native American Feather. Brown Dream Catcher With Feathers Wall Hanging Decoration Decor Ornament Wolf US. 5 out of 5 stars (1) Total Ratings 1, $5.64 New. Handmade Dream Catcher Net W Feathers Wall Hanging Decoration Ornament Gift BLK.
I think dream catchers have something magical about them and it's even nicer when you can make one which is personal to you.
These instructions on how to make a dream catcher will walk you through and prove how easy it is to make something irresistible!
- Dreamcatchers became popular during the pan-Indian movement of the 1960s and 1970s as a symbol of renewed Native American pride. They can now be found at almost every reservation in the United.
- Native American Indian dreamcatcher items make great gifts. Southwest home decor products also sell very well. We at Akron Novelty can supply you with the wholesale dreamcatcher merchandise you need. These dreamcatcher products are just some of what we have. You will find more Native American merchandise in the figurine catagory to the left.
There's a video at the bottom of this page which will show you anything else you need to know.
I'm going to start by giving a quick run through of the stages so you can see our homeschool design is basically very straightforward.
I'm hoping that will tempt you to have a go!
MATERIALS
- Ball of wool to wrap round the hoop of your dream catcher.
- Two clothes pins.
- Something to make the hoop - we used homeschool cane but you could use pipe cleaners or buy a metal hoop.
- You can make the web of your dream catcher from wool too - but we much prefer using the artificial sinew* you can see in the pictures as it is a lovely golden color. You need about 9 meters in length.
- Feathers.
- A few beads.
Indian Dream Catchers Club Rules
*N.B. I'll show you where you can get this with a few links to Amazon. If you decide to use my links you'll be helping me, so thank you - but do find something else if you prefer.
How To Make Dream Catchers INSTRUCTIONS
STAGE ONE
Indian Dream Catchers History
- Make a hoop 8-10 inches in diameter. We used three cane sticks wrapped round each other. You can use anything - it'll be covered over so you won't see it. At one homeschool group we used thick craft pipe cleaners.
- Wrap wool tightly in circles round and round the hoop. You can hold it in place using clothes pins. Leave a long tail of wool at the start of your hoop - you can use this to hang your dream catcher.
STAGE TWO
- Cut off a 9 meter length of sinew (or some wool of your choice) for the web and wrap it round a very narrow piece of card (see photo). The card needs to be narrow because you will 'knit' the web by pushing the sinew through the loops you make.
- Attach sinew onto the hoop with any sort of knot. This will form the web.
- Take the sinew around the outside of the hoop and, about an inch and a half later, bring it into the middle (as shown.)
STAGE THREE
- Bring the sinew up inside the loop you have made so that it forms a simple knot on the hoop (see picture).
- Continue round the hoop. Leave the same inch and a half interval between each knot. You can make the intervals longer or shorter - it will simply make the web more or less complex. But the gaps need to be even.
STAGE FOUR
- When you arrive at where you started, begin to make the web.
- This is very simple. Just push the sinew into the loop as shown.
- N.B. This is slightly scary the first time you do it because you have to push inside the gap between the sinew and the hoop and nothing seems to happen. But as you keep going pushing through the loops above you'll see the web begin to form.
- The wonderful part about learning how to make dream catchers is that the web looks very complex - but actually it's really simple to make.
- Keep going round and round your dream catcher. Push the sinew inside the loop above and move on from one loop to the next.
- As you get further on, the loops get quite tight. Just keep going.
STAGE FIVE
- Eventually it gets really hard to push through the loops above and it's time to finish off.
STAGE SIX
- This is the final stage in learning how to make dream catchers where you get to personalize your dreams! Collect some feathers to hang from your dream catcher.
- Place a few beads on the quill. You will use these to hang the feather off the web of your dream catcher.
'Hi Sonya we are very interested in making the dream catchers but couldn't find instructions for how to attach the feathers?'
~ Maria
Maria if you look at the end of the feather you'll see the beads.
Just hook the bead buttons onto one of the pieces of sinew and your feather will hang!
Occasionally the feather does drop off but I just put them back on again!
This video uses a very similar method for how to make dream catchers if you need some help:
Mandalas
You can also learn how to draw a Mandala with my easy step-by-step guide full of simple drawing tips. You’ll also find free Mandala coloring sheets, amazing sand circles on the beach and wonderful coloring books.
I had to include these lovely nature mandalas made by Cathy's family as somehow they seem to fit with the dream catcher theme.
'This week we made nature mandalas as part of our 30dayswild. We had been reading about making mandalas so were just basing any creation on a circular pattern and trying to be symmetrical!
A few of my prettiest garden flowers were sacrificed for art!'
~ Cathy, Courageous Homeschooling Facebook group
They would be great fun to make and give you a quick and easy project for everyone to enjoy.
Native Indian Crafts
Learning how to make dream catchers is a fabulous way to enjoy Native Indian crafts.
It's worth checking out Wikipedia to see the meaning behind dream catchers. Apparently the Ojibw believe that the feathers act as a soft ladder allowing good dreams to slide down to the sleeper - so maybe you should choose especially long feathers to decorate yours!
More Homeschool Crafts
I hope you enjoy learning how to make dream catchers and that they bring you dreams of happiness and joy.
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According to the Native American people, dreams are messages that come from the sacred spirits. There are different stories pertaining to Native American dream catchers and these are variations of the legend as seen by different Native American tribes. One version states that the hole in the middle of Native American dream catchers allows the good dreams to be passed on to the sleeper, while the web traps all of the bad dreams, and then at the first light of morning the bad dreams would disappear.
Another version of the story about Native American dream catchers says that the web will capture all of the good dreams and let the bad dreams go out through the hole. Dream catchers were thought to have originated with the Ojibwe tribe, also known to many as the Chippewa Indians. And there are many stories about how the dream catcher came to be. The Ojibwe tribes used to tie strands of sinew in webs around a tear-shaped frame and then they would hang the dream catcher above a sleeping Native American child’s bed to help protect them from nightmares.
Normally Native American dream catchers are fairly small and are made by bending wood (originally birch) and sinew string tied together. A feather was usually seen hanging from the webbing. Today it is very common to see Native American dream catchers in many places. You can see them hanging from car mirrors, on people’s walls as decorations, and even in many modern day tattoo designs. Many are mass produced and sold as decoration but it is still possible to find real authentic hand made Native American dream catchers. There are thousand of Native Americans that live on reservations and others that live on their own that are still Native American traditionalists, and among these Native people you can find these authentic dreamcatchers. Over time the dreamcatcher was also adopted by many other Native American tribes’ throughout the land and they gained a lot of popularity as beautiful decorations in the 1960’s and 70’s. When you find somewhere to obtain an authentic dream catcher nowadays it will usually come with a certificate of authenticity with the name of the Native American artist who made the dreamcatcher on it, this will help ensure you it is a real Native American dreamcatcher.