Weave In the Sun: How to Make a “God’s Eye” Sun

June is here and summer is on its way!

We are welcoming the reign of the sun with this modified “God’s Eye” or Ojo de Dios. A “God’s Eye”, as former summer-campers know, is a weaving done with yarn on sticks. Thought to have originated with the Huichol Indians of Jalisco, Mexico, who call it Sikuli, the traditional God’s Eye represents “the power to see and understand things unknown”.

Instead of four branches, which represent the four elements of earth, water, air, and fire, we created a sun with eight rays.

Materials

• four sticks (we used craft sticks / Popsicle sticks but you could also use twigs)
• yarn (yellow, orange)
• glue
• orange and/or yellow paint (optional)

Directions

1. Glue two of the sticks into the shape of a cross.

2. Glue the other two sticks to form a second cross at 45 degree angles to the first cross.

3. Paint the sticks, if you wish. Of course, if you give a five year-old the option to paint and use glitter, that’s a given.

4. Criss-cross the yarn across the center to start. Here is a diagram with the sticks each numbered.

Leaving about an inch of yarn in the back, bring the yarn between #1 (the top stick) and #8 and then down between #4 and #5 (the bottom stick). Bring the yarn around the back and then up through #1 and #2 and down between #5 and #6.

Next, bring the yarn up between #2 and #3 across to go down between #6 and #7. Go around the back and up between #3 and #4 and down between #7 and 8.

This is much harder to explain than to do…I promise!

5. Now you are ready to weave. Bring the yarn up and over the first two sticks (#1 and #2) and then back under and around #2. Then you go over #2 and #3 and back under and around #3.  This is the same pattern you will follow throughout. Basically, you go two steps forward, one step back. Once you get the hang of it, it is very simple and relaxing. My 5 year old was able to do this.

6. When you reach the end of a strand of yarn, you just knot it off in the back and tuck it underneath and continue.

7. Continue weaving until you are done.

8. Make a loop and hang the sun in a window or outside in a tree.

Educational Connections

• Science / Astronomy: How does the rotation of the Earth create day and night? How does the orbit of the Earth around the sun create the seasons? With some friends, role play the earth’s journey around the sun.
• Science / Astronomy: If the sun is a medium-sized star, how come it seems so much larger than other stars? Why can you only see the sun during the day and not other stars?
• History / Culture: How have ancient cultures explained the sun? Read myths and legends about the sun.
• Arts: Watch the sunset and paint it.