Have you ever worked with T-shirt yarn? It’s like ordinary yarn or wool just thicker and there are so many things you can do with it. You can buy it at any self-respecting haberdashery or wool shop or you can make your own. I bought three balls a while back on sale and with all the rain we’ve been having it seemed to be the perfect opportunity to make something. If you follow our blog you may know that I have a deep fascination with the Tree of Life. So with that in mind, I decided to make this Tree of Life dreamcatcher using the T-shirt yarn and other bits and pieces.
We’ve shared a few dream catcher tutorials on the blog before, like this half-moon beauty and this silky bohemian creation. You can even use a paper napkin to make one.
Since I already had 3 balls of t-shirt yarn in my craft stash, all I needed to find to complete the project, was a large ring or embroidery hoop and some fabric scraps. The ring we used is from an old lampshade and measures 38.5 cm across.
Making the Tree of Life
Start by cutting the yarn into strips that are 2 and a bit times the diameter of the ring. You don’t have to measure the bits exactly as long as they are twice the length of the diameter.
Take three of the strips and knot them together, then slip them over the ring.
Plait, or braid the strips together to form a twig and then add another group of strips to form a new twig. Join the twigs together to form a branch.
The only thing to remember is to try and make each twig and branch a little different. Trees in nature are not uniform, some branches are thinner than others and branches often cross over each other. To create thinner branches I used a single strand of T-shirt yarn tied to the ring.
Carry on adding twigs and braiding them together to form branches until you’re happy with the look. I usually divide my circle into thirds so I know when to stop making branches.
Once you have enough branches, braid them all together to form the trunk of the tree. When I make the trunk I braid it a little further than the 2/3 mark. I prefer a longer trunk, but it’s entirely up to you.
There are many branches of learning, but only the one solid tree trunk of wisdom
As long as you leave enough space for the roots. To make the roots simply split the “trunk” T-shirt strips into 3 to 5 groups and then braid and split, braid and split until you can tie them to the “bottom” of the ring. Leave the loose strands.
The tree of life should look something like this, but with your own unique touch ;-)
Finishing the Dreamcatcher Off
To finish off the Tree of Life dreamcatcher, wrap a strip of the T-shirt yarn around the ring. It helps to separate the roots and branches. Finally add bits of fabric, beads, or anything else that makes your dreamcatcher special. I used lace, ribbon, bits from an old pillowcase, and some feathers and just tied them to the “bottom” of the ring.
Try creating lots of layers and textures by braiding bits together or tying knots at different intervals. The possibilities are endless and should be as unique as what you are!
Use a small piece of the yarn to hang the dreamcatcher on the wall.
Traditionally, dreamcatchers are hung above the bed and help capture bad dreams while passing good dreams onto the dreamer.
Ours hangs in our bedroom so it can take both the hubby and me to the land where dreams come true.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you believe in dreamcatchers and have you tried making your own?
Please share in the comments below and if you have any ideas what I can make with the T-shirt yarn I have leftover, I love to hear them too.
If you like the idea of using t-shirt yarn to make a dream catcher, on’t forget to pin it for later.
Sharing is caring ;-)
And if you’d like to make one and don’t want to go to all that trouble of finding the materials, I’ve got you covered ;-) Disclosure: If you click on the links below, 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 unique DIY and craft tutorials to share with you ;-)
Wishing you lots of love for the week ahead. May your dreams be bigger than your fears and your actions louder than words.
Last update on 2026-04-15 / Source Amazon Affiliates
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