Ojos de Dios/ God's Eyes

Difficulty: Medium

Ojos de Dios, meaning God's Eyes in Mexican, are yarn and stick creations traditionally made by the Huichoi Indians, who live in the southern mountains of Mexico's Sierra Madre Occidental Range. The design, created by yarn wrapped around the intersections of sticks at two right angles, forms the shape of a cross that is meant to symbolize the four elements: earth, air, water, and fire. When a child is born, the father makes an Ojos de Dios, and on the child's birthday, another one is made, until the child reaches the age of five. The creations are bound together and kept throughout that person's life as a good luck charm.

But enough about the history, let's make one!

YOU WILL NEED:

• A ball of yarn
• A gluestick, tape, or hot glue gun
• Two popsicle sticks, toothpicks, or any two sticks of the same size

First, you'll need to put the two sticks, (I prefer popsicle sticks), together at right angles from each other, and glue/tape them together. A gluestick or hot glue gun works best, but tape works in a pinch. Now, if you're using glue, wait until it is fully dry before going on, or else your finished product may be crooked.

Next, pull about 5-8 feet of yarn, (depending on the size of the sticks), from the ball and tie it across the corners, like so. Don't cut the yarn yet, you may need more. You can cut it at the end.

Now, bring your longer piece of yarn under the top popsicle stick, then around, so that you can see one band around it, then under again.

 Do the same thing with the next one. From where you left off, bring the yarn under, around, under.

Keep going! Do the next one. And the next. Remember, under, around, under!

Keep going.

 Annnd... going.

 And going... (it's getting bigger!)

 And when it seems big enough, you can stop.

Now, flip it over. Doesn't it look cool? You can keep it whichever way you like it. Now, cut the yarn, leaving a few inches to tie around the last popsicle stick. If you want to make it into a Christmas tree ornament, simply leave a longer string at the end and tie a loop. Or you can just cut off the extra string and give it to someone as a present. Also, you can make them tiny, with toothpicks, or huge, with broom handles, (although that takes a while.) There are so many possibilities!