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Description

Dream catchers are arts and crafts of the Native American people.

Resources

paper plate
yarn, any color
hole puncher
craft beads
craft feathers
color markers
scissors

Instructions

The original web dream catcher of the Ojibwa was intended to teach natural wisdom. Nature is a profound teacher. Dream catchers of twigs, sinew, and feathers have been woven since ancient times by Ojibwa people. They were woven by the grandfathers and grandmothers for newborn children and hung above the cradleboard to give the infants peaceful, beautiful dreams. The night air is filled with dreams. Good dreams are clear and know the way to the dreamer, descending through the feathers. The slightest movement of the feathers indicated the passage of yet another beautiful dream. Bad dreams, however, are confused and confusing. They cannot find their way through the web and are trapped there until the sun rises and evaporates them like the morning dew.

Originally the Native American dream catcher was woven on twigs of the red willow using thread from the stalk of the stinging nettle. The red willow and twigs from other trees of the willow family, as well as red twig dogwood can be found in many parts of the United States. These twigs are gathered fresh and dried in a circle or pulled into a spiral shape depending upon their intended use. They used natural feathers and semi-precious gemstone, one gemstone to each web because there is only one creator in the web of life.

[edited to add badge links - activity credit Nick Haines]
http://www.motherbird.com/dreams.htm - story that you could tell

1. Begin by cutting in the centre of the paper plate. Leave a rim of 2 inches all around the paper plate

2. Take your hole punch and punch hole in the rim of the paper plate, about ½ inch apart each.

3. Measure out your yarn 5-6 ft long. Tie one end of the yarn to any one of the holes on the rim of the paper plate.

4. Weave the yarn up, over, and all around the paper plate from one hole to the next one. You can make your pattern any way you like. Make sure to loop through each of the punched holes.

5. You can add the craft beads to the middle of the dream catcher with the yarn as you go through the holes. Simply slip them onto the yarn and continue with the next hole. They will appear to be in the middle of the dream catcher.

6. Once all of the holes are threaded with the yarn, tie a knot at the end of the yarn with the plate and the last hole.

7. Now, take your hole punch and punch 3 more holes in the paper plate at the bottom of the plate.

8. Cut 3 more pieces of yarn, about 5 inches long each.

9. Take each piece of yarn and tie them to the 3 punched holes at the bottom of the dream catcher.

10. Choose some beads to thread onto each of the 3 yarn pieces and then tie one feather to the end each of the hanging yarn pieces.

11. Take your markers and decorate the edges of the paper plate.

12. Lastly, make a piece of yarn the length you need to hang it on the wall. Punch one more hole to the top of your paper plate dream catcher and tie the yarn to it.

13. Hang your new Dream Catcher in a place where sweet dreams are welcome.

Tags

• Dream catchers
• Native Americans

Badge Links

• Skills - Creative
• World - Festival