This beautiful dream catcher is such a sweet accessory to adorn the walls of a child’s room. The macramé pattern is made from the centre of the design spiralling outwards, starting from a tiny split ring in the middle, and adding cords as you work your way to the outer ring. The tabby weave section can be adapted as you choose, to personalise the piece. After all, there is no right or wrong when it comes to creativity.
*Note: Quantities include an extra four lengths for filling if necessary.
1. Wrap the 35cm (133⁄4in) metal ring with the 5.5m (18ft) length of 5mm (3⁄16in) natural cotton rope and set aside.
2. Take the four 1.5m (5ft) lengths of 5mm (3⁄16in) natural cotton rope and mount each onto the 1.5cm (5⁄8in) split ring using reverse lark’s head knots.
3. Secure the middle of the split ring to a project board using T-pins. This will now become your holding cord.
4. Separate the cords on the split ring into four groups of two cords. Each group will now become your filler cords.
5. Take one of the 1.2m (4ft) lengths of 5mm (3⁄16in) natural cotton rope and fold it in half. Place the folded rope behind one group of two filler cords so that there is one strand on either side of your filler cords, and these become your working cords. Make sure the ends of your working cords are even.
6. Push the working cords directly beneath the reverse lark’s head knot and tie a half knot over the two filler cords, keeping the split ring flat and the cords radiating outwards.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the remaining three groups of filler cords. You should now have a total of sixteen cords.
8. Alternate the cords (see Essential Terminology) and tie four half knots.
9. Repeat step 8 for five more rows being careful not to pull the cords too tight as you work around the circle design.
10. On each of the cords directly beside each half knot, attach a 1.2m (4ft) length of 5mm (3⁄16in) natural cotton rope using a reverse lark’s head knot (mounting in total eight cords to give you a total of thirty-two cords).
11. Take two of the just attached cords and two cords from the half knot and tie a square knot.
12. Repeat step 11 around the circle a further seven times to give a total of eight square knots.
13. Remove your work from the project board and lay the macramé on a flat surface. Take your set-aside 35cm (133⁄4in) wrapped ring and place it on top of your macramé so that the design is centred within it. The wrapped ring now becomes the holding cord.
14. Under each square knot, bring the four cords out straight and mount each onto the wrapped ring using a double reverse lark’s head knot, allowing for a space of approx. 10cm (4in) from the square knot to the ring. Note: it is best to mount your first four cords at the top halfway mark of the ring and then mount your next four cords in line at the bottom halfway mark, so that the distance between the macramé and the ring is equal at both ends. Ensure the cord groups are evenly spaced at approx. 6cm (23⁄8in) around the ring. This creates a negative space that will be used as the warp for your weave in steps 19–22.
15. Tie a firm square knot at the end of each group of cords
16. Your ring is now clearly divided into eight sections. Working on the bottom five sections only, fill them by mounting six 1m (31⁄4ft) lengths of 5mm (3⁄16in) cotton rope in each section, starting with coloured rope and using natural rope in alternating sections. Fill any gaps by mounting extra pieces of the relevant cord where needed.
17. Working on the top three sections, trim cords 1cm (3⁄8in) from each square knot and tuck behind the back of the dream catcher.
18. Weave in ends, trim cords and fray if desired.
19. Take the 5.5m (18ft) length of 5mm (3⁄16in) coloured cotton rope (to be used as your weft thread) and starting directly beneath one of the last row of square knots, begin weaving a tabby weave for approx. six rows or 3.5cm (13⁄8in). Note: due to the nature of the design there may be times that you have to weave over when you should be going under or vice versa; this is not a problem and just adds to the rustic character of the design.
20. Take the four 3m (10ft) lengths of 3mm (1⁄8in) sisal (to be used as your weft thread) and begin weaving a tabby weave for approx. three rows or 3cm (11⁄8in). Once a complete row is woven, you will need to weave either over two warp threads or under two so that the second row is sitting in the opposite way to the first row.
21. Take the 2.5m (81⁄4ft) length of 5mm (3⁄16in) coloured cotton rope (to be used as your weft thread) and begin weaving a tabby weave for approx. two rows or 1cm.
22. The final section is woven using the 3m (10ft) lengths of 5mm (3⁄16in) natural cotton rope as your weft thread, working with one piece of rope at a time. Begin weaving a tabby weave until there is approx. 15cm (6in) of cord left, then take your next 3m (10ft) length and begin weaving again. Continue until all four lengths have been used and you have filled as close to the outer ring as possible.
23. Use a weaving finishing technique to weave in cord ends through the back of the design.
