By Leslie King
- CC Design Team Member
For this project you will need:
Crafter’s Companion Stitch Edge Circle Dies (I’ve used #8 and #9 in this tutorial.)
Heavy Watercolour Cardstock, Construction Cardstock, etc. (I’ve used Spectrum Noir Watercolour Card.)
Thread of your choice: hand quilting thread, embroidery cotton, etc.
Sewing Needle
Tape Runner or Quick Dry Glue
• To download a printable Word version of this tutorial, Click Here!
• See the companion video to this tutorial on my Moonlight Crafting Facebook Page - Click Here!
Step One: Nest your #9 circle die inside of your #8 die onto your cardstock, tape down, and run through your Gemini to cut. You will only be using the narrow frame section for this project, but be sure to save your inner circle for future use!
Step Two: Using a pencil, count out the stitch impressions on your die cut and mark at #1, #12, and #23. These three points will set the pattern for your entire dreamcatcher, so make sure to get them placed properly.
Step Three: Thread your needle with the longest length of thread that you are comfortable working with. *Note: It is impossible to create these dreamcatchers without having to re-thread multiple times, so keep your thread at a manageable length – otherwise you will spend more time working out knots than it would have taken to just re-thread another needle. LOL.
Step Four: Take your first stitch! Starting with your #1 marked point, bring your needle up through the center of the embossed stitch from back to front. Pull thread taut, and stitch down into #12 *Note: your #1 stitch is the only one on the entire dreamcatcher that will be a back to front stitch. ALL other stitches will go into the top and out the back.
Step Five: Carefully pull your needle and thread from #12 up through the center of your die cut. Stitch down into your final marked point: #23.
Step Six: Your pattern is now set. For every consecutive stitch you will follow this same “1,2,3” stitch order. For example: on your fourth stitch, go down through what is essentially the #33 embossed stitch. (The stitch directly behind your #1 stitch mark.) Your fifth stitch will go into the #11 embossed stitch – directly behind your marked #12, and your sixth stitch will go down through #22.
Step Seven: Continue stitching your way around your circle, always placing each stitch one mark behind the last in the pattern, until you run out of thread. (For the first time.)
Step Eight: Using a tape runner or quick dry glue, secure your thread to the back of your project and snip free from the needle.
Step Nine: Thread up another needle, and secure its loose end with tape runner adhesive or glue in the same location where your previous thread ended. *Note: It is very important that you secure your new thread as close as you possibly can to the exact spot where your previous thread ran out in order to maintain your stitch pattern.
Step Ten: Finish it off! Hop right back into your stitch pattern and continue sewing until your entire mini dreamcatcher is complete! *Note: be sure to double and triple check that every single embossed stitch on your die cut has a stitch in it before you secure your thread for the last time and snip it off.
That’s all there is to it! You now have the general idea of this concept down and can continue to practice and expand your creativity in any number of ways!
Additional Thoughts:
• I created this tutorial using a very basic three-point pattern. This is by far the easiest pattern to follow, and will work on any of your stitched dies which have a number of embossed stitches divisible by three. However, because it has the fewest pattern points, it will also leave the largest center hole, so you will likely want to use this pattern on layering pieces of your dreamcatcher, or do some creative internal weaving to close up the opening a bit.
Examples of Three-Point Pattern:
• It’s all about the numbers! There are dies in the Crafter’s Companion Stitch Edge Circle Set which offer a multitude of different pattern possibilities. Any of the dies which contain a number of embossed stitches divisible by five make a beautiful – though slightly more complicated – five-point pattern with a much smaller center opening.
Examples of Five-Point Pattern:
• Complex or simple, meticulously structured or completely random, anyone can design their own pattern for a dreamcatcher – but it DOES help to know the number of stitch points you’re starting with. Here’s a little cheat sheet for the CC Stitch Edge Circle Dies to give you a helping hand:
Die 1 - 87 stitches
Die 2 - 79 stitches
Die 3 - 70 stitches
Die 4 - 61 stitches
Die 5 - 54 stitches
Die 6 - 47 stitches
Die 7 - 40 stitches
Die 8 - 33 stitches
Die 9 - 26 stitches
Die 10 - 19 stitches
Die 11 - 12 stitches
I really hope that someone out there finds this tutorial helpful and decides to try this project! Please let me know if you do!
Happy crafting! Leslie King
- CC Design Team Member
SEE THE COMPANION VIDEO TO THIS TUTORIAL ON MY MOONLIGHT CRAFTING FACEBOOK PAGE FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT THE STITCHING IN ACTION - CLICK HERE!
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