The roadshow also affords opportunities for the public to get making, through fun and accessible workshops that give hands-on experience of a range of contemporary crafts. I have been invited to offer one of these with a focus of weaving. Here's the children's weaving project I've devised. It will not feature my naturally dyed yarns as these a very precious to me and in any case the children will probably appreciate a bit of 'bling'. Yesterday and today, I'm putting together 20 kits for the workshop, which is set to take place on Saturday 8th April at the Oxfam shop in nearby Olney, from 11.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Do go along to participate in this weave-in!
Dream Catcher
This project is based on the idea of a ‘dream catcher’. Dream catchers are a tradition of First Nation Americans. A dream catcher was made to protect a sleeping person from bad dreams, while sending good dreams to the sleeper. The good dreams would slip through the hole in the middle of the dream catcher, and slide down the fringes at the base to protect the sleeper below. The bad dreams would get caught up in the circle’s web, and die with the first rays of the rising sun.
Your dream catcher kit contains:
- a 17 cm card circle loom with a hole at the centre and 15 notches around the perimeter
- a length of strong, thin black yarn to string (warp) the loom
- a large plastic needle
- a small metal needle (for those who can sew)
- various coloured yarns in different textures and thicknesses
- colourful wooden beads, pom-poms and feathers for decoration
- thread to attach the decorations (for those who can sew)
Tip: Be very careful when you unpack the kit. Lay the two sets of yarn, the plain yarns and the fancy ones, out flat so that the threads are kept straight and will be less likely to tangle. Separate each strand very carefully, for the same reason. The glittery yarn has been rolled into a ball. Cut off lengths as you need them.
You may also need:
- a small piece of sticky tape to secure the beginning of the warp string
- if you cannot sew, craft glue to fix your decorations
- scissors to trim away excess yarn
Tip: If you would like to make more than one Dream Catcher, trace around your cardboard circle onto another firm piece of card, before you begin to thread your loom, so that you have a copy of the pattern.
Preparing your loom for weaving.
Tape the piece of strong, thin black yarn to the back of your circle loom. Thread the other end onto your needle, and pop the threaded needle through the centre of the circle to the front of your loom.
Bring your yarn across the loom to the edge, and pop it back through one of the notches and then forward to the front again, at the next notch. Take the yarn all the way across the circle to a notch on the opposite side and pull it through to the back of the circle. Bring the yarn back again through the neighbouring notch to the front of your circle. Take the yarn back across the circle to the other side, and pull it through the notch that is next to your starting point, to take the yarn to the back of the circle.
Repeat this process until you have a string in every notch, making a spider’s web across the circle loom. The very last string will follow the line of your first string, back to the centre of the circle. You will notice that the strings intersect a little to one side of the circle.
Pop the needle through to the back of the loom, and bring it through to the front again to catch the strings and draw them into the centre above the hole. Take the needle in and out until all the strings rest over the central hole. Un-tape the tail of your starting yarn and tie in in a firm knot, several times, with the finishing end at the back of the circle loom. Trim the ends so that they do not get in your way.
Instructions for Weaving
To weave on your loom, choose a length of plain coloured, thin yarn to start with. Tie the yarn you want to start weaving with through the centre of your yarn spokes at the back of the loom. To make the weaving grow faster, double your yarn when you thread your needle to begin to weave. You can add thicker, fancy yarns further out from the centre.. Thread your needle and begin weaving your yarn in and out of the yarn spokes. Go around the circle over and under, as shown in the picture.
Add new colour of yarn by simply tying it to the one already on the loom and re-threading your needle. Push the ends underneath your weaving as you go. Add beads as you weave if you like, using the metal needle and fine thread provided. Carry on weaving until you reach the outside edge of the loom, or just stop when you have done enough weaving if you prefer. When you're done, simply tuck the end in behind your weaving, or tape the yarn to the back of your circle.
Tip: Save a good length of the sparkly ‘eyelash yarn’ to finish weaving around the outside edge of your dream catcher if you would like to hide the cardboard.
Decorating your dream catcher.
You can add a fringe to the bottom of your weaving, or glue or sew beads, pom-poms and feathers around the edge if you like. Be creative and use your imagination! Use a length of yarn to make a hanger for your finished work of art and attach it to the back of the loom with sticky tape or by attaching it to the black warp thread, at the top edge as shown in the photo.
To add a fringe to your dream catcher, tie a doubled length of yarn across the back of your loom, from one side to the other, as shown in the photo, and knot the ends together. Loop several doubled lengths of spare thread round this line, as shown in the close-up, so that the threads dangle down to direct good dreams to a sleeping person. Plait or trim the fringe as you prefer. Hang your dream catcher where it can be admired.
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