The Lazy Hobbyhopper: Dreamcatcher

A traditional Native American dreamcatcher is supposed to filter out your bad dreams but my son doesn't seem to agree. He said he had a bad dream last night and blames the dreamcatcher for it. I read that a dreamcatcher should be able to swing freely in the air so that it can let the good dreams pass through the holes and the bad dreams to get tangled in it. May be it didn't work because it is not authentic and traditional enough and it was hung on a wall not providing space for the good dreams to pass through. Whether it works or not it makes a beautiful wall decoration.

If you too wish to make one here is the pattern for the mandala. For the hoop I used the rubber gasket of a pressure cooker. You can use an embroidery hoop. Mine measures about 9 inches in diameter. I used sport weight yarns in 7 colours and size 3.5 mm crochet hook. For decorations I used feathers, beads and ribbons.

Instruction for the mandala

As usual the pattern is written using standard American terms.

While joining new colours at the beginning of each round join at the same stitch where you fastened off the previous colour.

Stitches/abbreviations used:

ch - chain

sl st - slip stitch (UK - single crochet)

sc - single crochet (UK - double crochet)

dc - double crochet (UK - treble)

tr - treble (double treble)

puff stitch - dc 5 sts worked together in same stitch

dc3tog (dc decrease) - dc worked together in 3 consecutive stitches

You can purchase the PDF version of the pattern for $0.99 from here.

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Instruction:

Using colour A, ch 6, join the last ch to the first ch with a sl st to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 5 (counts as 1st tr + ch 1), **treble into the ring, ch 1** Repeat from ** to ** 14 more times. Join with a sl st to the 4th ch (16 sts). Fasten off colour A.

Round 2: Join colour B and ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), 2 dc in next ch-1 space, ** dc in next tr, 2 dc in next space** Repeat from ** to ** around. Join with a sl st to the 3rd ch (48 sts). Fasten off yarn.

Round 3: Join colour C and ch 6, dc in same st, **skip 2 dc, (dc, ch 3, dc) in next dc** Repeat from ** to ** around. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch. Fasten off yarn.

Round 4: Join colour D in next ch-3 space, **puff stitch in ch-3 space, ch 4** Repeat from ** to ** around. Join to the top of 1st puff stitch.

Round 5: Ch 3, **5 dc in next ch-4 space, dc in next puff stitch** Repeat from ** to ** around. Join with a sl st to the 3rd ch (96 sts). Fasten off yarn.

Round 6: Join colour E, ch 2, dc2tog (counts as 1st dc3tog), ch 3, **dc3tog, ch 3** Repeat from ** to ** around. Join with a sl st to the 1st dc3tog. Fasten off yarn.

Round 7: Join colour F in next ch-3 space, ch 1 and sc in same space, **ch 5, sc in next ch-3 space** Repeat from ** to ** around but instead of the last ch-5 make ch 2 and dc in the sc at the beginning of round.

Round 8: Ch 1, sc in same space, **ch 6, sc in next ch-5 space** Repeat from ** to ** around and instead of the last ch-6 make ch 3 and dc in the sc at the beginning of round.

Round 9: Ch 1, sc in same space, **ch 7, sc in next ch-6 space** Repeat from ** to ** around and instead of the last ch-7 make ch 4 and dc in the sc at the beginning of round.

Round 10: Join colour G in the same st, ch 1 and sc in same st, **9 dc in next ch-7 space, sc in next ch-7 space** Repeat from ** to ** around. Fasten off yarn and weave in all the loose ends.

Your mandala is now ready and if you are going to make the dreamcatcher get your hoop ready. Wrapping yarn around the hoop was the most annoying part for me. Sew the middle stitch of each shell to the hoop. Then tie all your decorative items to the bottom of the hoop. Also make a loop at the top for hanging your dreamcatcher.

Ta-dah!