How to make an Ojo de Dios

For doweling, I use, 1/4" for up to 16", 5/16" for up 22", and 3/8" for up to 36"

For an eight-sided ojo, consider the overall pattern to be two four-sided ojos joined together. Each set of sticks for these two parts are notched in the middle, about 1/4 the thickness of the sticks, so the two sticks fit and stack closely together.

Keeping yarn tight is a problem, so I make a notch with a file and or pocket knife every inch (closer on a smaller than 12 inch ojo) all along the doweling. Also the notches act as guides for keeping the pattern even.

Some people, instead of notching the sticks, put glue all over the sticks and roll them in sand to make a rough surface to hold the yarn from slipping. Others use glue every so often to hold the yarn in place. At any rate, its a good idea to use a bit of glue at the very ends.

Oh yeah, the ends of the sticks. I file them down so they are slightly rounded off. Some people add pom-poms or fringes or feathers. Usually these days I paint the stick ends a dark brown. Some ojo makers leave one or more inches of tapered painted stick as their outermost design.

Start with the two sticks that will be the top two of the eventual 8-sided pattern.

The way of making the central diamond is exactly the same from the very start, and the pattern that makes that central diamond also holds the first two sticks together.

Holding your first two sticks as illustrated above, cross over the central joining of the sticks, wrap around one stick two times, bringing your yarn to a new starting place, then cross over again, wrap around the next stick, and so on, to build up your central diamond pattern.

IMPORTANT: Wrap the yarn around the dowel *twice*. With two wraps, the diamond design has straighter yarn, making a more perfect diamond. With one wrap, the diamond's yarn tends to bunch up, and get rounded off somewhat.

Very quickly the two sticks will be strongly enough held together that you will be able to spin the sticks to wrap the yarn, rather than holding the two sticks while more awkwardly wrapping the yarn around each stick.

From the very beginning, watch to keep the pattern even, both the space between strands of yarn, and the amount the diamond pattern has expanded along each stick. If you're not satisfied, start over. Errors are easy enough to correct when caught early.

To add new colors, cut the old color to where about one extra inch, a *tail*, is left, and simply twist the new color to the old, leaving the tails running along the stick.

After a couple wraps have securely held the new color in place, you can snip the tails shorter, so they won't get in the way later.

I used to use the Sheepbent knot (also known as the *weavers knot*) but the twist method is easier. Also, with the sheetbend, there is a knot sticking up, that sometimes interferes with keeping the yarn evenly spaced later in the pattern, as yarn is added crossing underneath the ojo, where the knots are. Still, there is some places where the sheetbend is easier than the twist method, and some may want to use it totally, as I used to do.

Here I'm adding, again by the twist method, the third and final color to the central diamond pattern.

When you are finished with your central diamond, cut the color yarn you are working with, leaving enough tail to tuck under itself to hold it temporarily in place. Prepare your second set of sticks in the same manner. I usually make the second diamond or pattern one wrap of the yarns larger, to make sure it shows up well from behind the original diamond pattern.

This is the trickiest part.

Most commonly I use a *dagger* pattern at this point to hold the two sets of sticks together. Choosing my next color yarn, I start the new color by securing it over the tails of the last color one twist under itself, leaving a tail running down beside the earlier color. Now, holding the sets of sticks together with thumb and forefinger, I use my other hand to bring the yarn underneath both sets, and up again to wrap twice around the opposite side of the finished diamond from where I started, as illustrated below.

Surprisingly, with just one strand of yarn running underneath, and wrapped twice around the opposite end of your starting stick, your ojo is already sturdy enough you can now twirl the ojo to continue wrapping. In this case I went back and forth four times, then did the same temporary tie as when ending the diamond, by tucking the cut end underneath itself once, leaving a tail long enough to start a new color later.

Be sure to keep adjusting the sticks to be evenly distanced from each other, and evenly balanced on top of each other as well.

Checking for that balance of the stacked sticks.

On larger ojos it's more apparent than with a small ojo like this one, but as you work the pattern to the outside, the top sticks bend downwards, and the bottom sticks bend up, so that by the time you get to the border, the pattern is much flatter than the middle, beginning part of the ojo. If you use too thin sticks, or especially bendable sticks, the top will even bend to BELOW the bottom sticks. This might well happen, if, say you used 1/4 inch sticks on an 18 inch twelve sided ojo. In fact, I've broken a few sticks in the process of making ojos, solely by the bend the yarn puts on the sticks.

Here I've decided to do what I call a *kaleidescope* pattern, where I switch colors frequently, alternating between the two original sets of sticks with interwoven diamonds. First I did the orange, then the gold added with the yarn, in the way I almost invariably add onto a pattern, running underneath the earlier color. These beginning diamonds have three rows of yarn each, wrapping twice around each stick, unless I adjust how far along the stick the pattern is growing, by either wrapping once, or perhaps even three times. Occasionally I'll use my thumbnail to gently push a pattern into a more agreeable looking place.

A challenge for me with this type of ojo, is to try and avoid any part of the pattern looking like a boring square, or box, sitting flat. We see all too much of that kind of shape in our lives: walls, buildings, TV's, and so much more!

Here I'm making my final decision about what colors I want in this ojo.

I've added two more sets of diamonds, all evenly matched wrapped with three rows of yarn, wrapped on average twice around each stick. I'm concerned that my design will get too *busy* if I continue with changes this frequently.

After a bit of contemplation, I definitely decide to add a bold, simple pattern to balance out the quick changes I've woven so far.

I add 4 rows of green to each of the two sets of sticks, and a single row of bronze.

In the photo above, I'm again checking how evenly the sticks are stacked on top of one another. I continue the pattern with more green, and snip short one tail, planning on next weaving a pattern that goes to all the sticks.

Continually I'm using the notches I made every inch along the sticks to see that my pattern is progressing evenly, making adjustments by wrapping more, or less, times around the sticks as needed.

Going to every third stick, and wrapping around the sticks twice on average, I make an eight pointed star pattern.

Finally I add the border, wrapping on average once per stick. On the last time around, I might give some extra wraps to the stick ends; the last chance to make the pattern come out even. When I get back to the starting stick for the last time, I cut a tail two or three inches long, and wrap three or four times around the stick, tucking the end of the yarn underneath itself once on each turn around the stick. The tail left at the very end I cut to about one inch in length, and tuck it in between the wrapped stick and ojo border, on the back side.

The ojo could be declared finished right here, but I usually add some embroidery to the border.

Adding a bit of white glue to where the end of the yarn meets the sticks.

Now I do a tentative measurement of yarn for the border design. I find that a lot of the designs I do use twice across the ojo worth of yarn. If I'm doing a two element design, once across may be just right for each of two elements. On the first time I'll cut a little extra, then adjust as I go along.

Here I'm playing around a bit, looping just once through the border for each element I have in mind, to see how my conceived pattern will place within the border.

Now I'm ready to stitch for real, four stitches for each parts of a circular design I plan to make.

Here I'm running the yarn needle up into the border, one row of yarn back from where the first design element ended, to start the next phase of the planned circular design.

When I curve back at the two ends of such a design, I find its best to run the yarn underneath the back strands of that section of the design, to hold the last stitch properly in place.

I skipped doing this at the other end of this design however, and am not worried about it. There is one other thing unique about the two end elements of this design. Each passes over four strands of yarn, where all the other elements are stitched over three strands. This helps assure enough background showing up in the design interior. Experiment a bit as you make this type of design, and I think you'll agree.

Finishing this design, I see I left just barely enough yarn to tie the two ends together. Next time I'll measure out a bit more before cutting. I use a square knot to tie the two ends together, and snip the ends short.

The finished Ojo de Dios from the back

And from the front

If you enjoyed this presentation, and actually use the directions to make your own ojo, please e-mail me and let me know. If you're happy with your work, send me a photo, and I'll start a gallery of ojos made by various people following these directions.

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