Broken Pot and Doily Air Plant Holder Dreamcatcher

Do you know how to crochet? When the ladies at the IBC suggested we do a crochet challenge, my heart sank. You see I can knit almost anything, but I’ve never learned how to use that hook. I’m all thumbs. So I cheated and went to my favorite thrift store to find what I needed to make this gorgeous dreamcatcher that doubles up air plant holder. It’s without a doubt one of the easiest I’ve ever made.  

Doesn’t the doily kinda remind you of a spider’s web?  It’s going to take me a loooong time to master the art of making one of those. I did crochet the cord for the little swing that supports the air plant though. So that’s not full-on cheating right?!! 

And after watching this video I managed to make some flowers too. 

They’re not perfect, but I’m super proud of myself for trying.

I think this crochet thing could become a little addictive once I figure that hook out. 

And the doily air plant holder looks so good with the linen-covered books we made a while back.

Can you tell I’m a little besotted with air plants? Finding unique ways to put the epiphytes on display always gets my creative juices flowing.  

If I didn’t have to crochet anything for this challenge my double duty dreamcatcher and air plant holder would have been done in 2 hours flat. Oh well, I learned something new and I got to repurpose a broken terra-cotta pot too.

Okay, before I show you how to made this dreamcatcher (coz I’m not even going to attempt to show you how to use a hook), be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll never miss a post!

What you need

• A crochet doily
• Air plant
• Broken terra cotta pot
• An assortment of scrap fabric and ribbons
• Fishing line and yarn needle
• An embroidery hoop or metal ring
• Fabric hardener (optional). I used a local product from A.Shak.

How to make a doily dreamcatcher and air plant holder

One of my terra cotta pots shattered and I’ve been saving the pieces to recycle one day. With the crochet challenge looming, I could finally use one of the broken bits.

I figured it would make the perfect holder if I incorporated it into the dreamcatcher. All I needed to do was cut it to the right size and drill two holes for hanging. If you don’t have a piece of terra cotta lying around you can adapt this teddy bear swing tutorial and use a piece of wood instead. Or you make one of these easy clay tubes.

To see how I cut and drilled my terra cotta pieces, watch the action-packed video below 😉

The broken bit was a little too terra-cotta-ish (I never thought I’d say that) for my liking so I applied some of our homemade gesso to tone it down. 

Just make sure to clean the holes out before the gesso dries.

With the terra cotta done, it was just a question of attaching the doily to a hoop of some sort. When the Ojibwe people first made dreamcatchers they used willow branches and sinew to craft theirs. I don’t have either of those in my stash. But I did find a metal hoop, which clashed horribly with the color of the doily.  An embroidery hoop would have been so much better.  That wasn’t in my stash either. 

Nothing that a little paint won’t cure. To sew the doily onto the hoop I used a clear fishing line.

Once the doily is secured, add a long crochet chain or some twine to the top for hanging later.

Tie a whole bunch of ribbons, lace, and scrap fabric to bottom of the hoop.

Those scraps might look familiar. I used similar ones when I made this t-shirt yarn dreamcatcher.

And because I was so terribly proud of myself, I added my crochet flowers on too. Feel free to add whatever bits make you happy. Don’t forget the feathers. They help the good dreams filter down to comfort the sleeper. 

Just have fun and don’t worry about being perfect.

Stiffening the doily up a little

This step is optional but since my hoop was a bit smaller than the doily and the top of the doily kept flopping down, I used fabric stiffener to make it stay up. I recently discovered this awesome mixture that’s made here in South Africa called A.shak Cameo, (not an affiliate link I just really like the stuff). Unlike traditional fabric stiffeners, A.shak Cameo makes fabric rock hard. So if you’re using something similar it’s important to only stiffen the doily after it’s attached otherwise the needle will never go through. I did thin mine down a little bit before applying it to the top and sides with a sponge.

That’s so much better. 

Wait for the stiffener to dry completely before hanging the broken terra cotta bit on the hoop using another crocheted chain or some twine.

Pop the air plant on the little terra cotta swing, hang and enjoy.

My Tillandsia caput-medusae with her curly leaves has no problem resting on the terra cotta swing. 

If you find yours keeps falling off, you can secure it with some wire. Don’t use hot glue since you need to be able to take the air plant off for her weekly water dip.

So what do you think? Would you repurpose a crochet doily and a broken terra cotta pot to make a dreamcatcher and air plant holder?

If you like the idea of making using a doily to make a dreamcatcher, don’t forget to pin it for later.

Sharing is caring 😀

Wanna see what my fellow bloggers did with their “Hooked on Crochet” challenge?

1. Sara, who BTW knows a thing or two about crochet, designed this stunning crocheted wall hanging.
2. Marianne didn’t want to waste some leftover plaster and made this gorgeous crochet bowl.
3. Anita did something truly special with her challenge and created a dementia sensory mat.
4. Doily air plant holder by yours truly.

Oh and if you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered. Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us come up with more amazing craft ideas to share with you 😉

Or if you prefer to buy rather than DIY, then one of these beauties may appeal.

And as always, wishing you a wonderful, crafty week filled with lots of love. Thank you for popping in for a visit.