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Jay Mohler’s Ojos de Dios are layered yarn-and-stick mandalas, built from wooden dowels and woven yarn. His 2011 tutorial explains the materials and construction choices behind a complex design—and encourages makers to experiment rather than reproduce one fixed pattern.
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What is an Ojo de Dios?
“Ojo de Dios” means “Eye of God” in Spanish. In Mohler’s work, it refers to a woven form made by wrapping yarn around crossed wooden sticks. By layering and joining additional sticks, he developed designs beyond a simple four-armed cross, including eight- and twelve-sided forms.
Mohler described his own influences in a 2011 Make: feature. He said he had seen yarn-and-stick mandalas in Mexico and later saw similar creations woven by Tibetans. He also recalled making Navajo eight-sided designs when Ojos were popular folk art in the American Southwest during the 1970s. These are Mohler’s recollections, not a comprehensive account of the traditions or meanings associated with the form in those communities.
#1 Best Overall
- Complete Craft Kit: The yarn kit includes everything you need to make 10 handmade God's Eyes: 20pcs 5.9" craft sticks, 24-color embroidery thread (2 packs per color, 1 pack of 8m/8.7 yards), 7-color pom-poms (10pcs per color), scissor and paper box.
- Yarn Craft Kit: This craft kit creates God's Eyes wrapped in colorful yarn and decorated with cute pom-poms. Yarn wrapping requires some dexterous work. It is good for developing hand-eye coordination and concentration, fun and meaningful.
- Detailed Instructions: This kit does not require crochet and complicated weaving, it is suitable for beginners who are interested in craft and knitting, we will provide step-by-step diagrams, and you can complete it with simple wrist.
- Wide Application: The DIY craft kit is a fun craft that is good for cognitive abilities, perfect for designing makerspaces and craft supplies. It is also suitable for rainy activities and birthday parties.
- Great Gift: The needle-free kit is a complete arts and crafts kit, learners of any grade can make cool creations, a great time to learn with family, bringing your home a warm feeling.
Materials and dowel sizes
Mohler’s tutorial lists four basic supplies: wooden dowels, yarn, scissors suitable for cutting yarn, and a large blunt yarn needle. His suggested dowel thickness depends on the finished piece’s intended dimension:
| Intended finished dimension | Dowel diameter |
|---|---|
| Up to 16 inches | 1/4 inch |
| Up to 22 inches | 5/16 inch |
| Up to 32 inches | 3/8 inch |
| Up to 40 inches | 7/16 inch |
These are the size guidelines in Mohler’s tutorial, published by Etsy on September 13, 2011. He also recommends making a notch near the center of the sticks so that two pairs can stack closely. Small notches along the dowels help keep yarn from slipping and serve as guides for more even patterns.
How Mohler builds a complex design
The tutorial develops the weaving in stages: begin with a central diamond, add colors, prepare and join another set of sticks, then continue weaving across the expanded structure. Mohler also shows adding sewn details and finishing with a hanging loop. His instructions focus on managing the yarn and structure as the design grows, rather than prescribing a single finished pattern.
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Keep spacing and tension consistent
Even spacing is important as yarn crosses the sticks and the woven area expands. Mohler advises keeping strands and spacing even. The dowel notches provide visual guides and help prevent the yarn from sliding out of position.
Rank #2
- Complete Craft Kit: Includes 20 pcs 3mm diameter round sticks, 1 bag of about 100 pcs round beads, 24-color embroidery thread with 2 packs per color, no extra supplies needed.
- Practical Skills Training: Yarn wrapping process requires proper dexterous operation, helps improve hand-eye coordination and concentration during handmade.
- User Friendly Guidance: No crochet or complicated weaving skills required, with step-by-step diagrams to walk users through each operation workflow.
- Wide Application: The craft kit fits for makerspaces, craft supply collections, various group DIY activities and shared creation time with family members.
- Holiday Present Option: The full set weaving kit supports users of different operation levels to create unique works, fits for different holiday gifting demands.
Use the structure to explore variations
A four-sided starting form is a simpler place to begin; adding and joining sticks creates more sides and a more layered result. Mohler’s work ranges from Navajo eight-sided designs he made earlier to later twelve-sided pieces, as described in a 2015 Make: profile. The forms differ in construction and appearance; the sources do not establish any one as representative of all Ojo de Dios practices.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Mohler says the work means to him
Mohler said his designs could represent a broad panorama of spiritual cosmologies, but he distinguished that idea from his personal reason for making them: “although for myself, I create these for artistic satisfaction rather than as any sort of spiritual talisman.” That statement describes his intent, not the beliefs or purposes of other makers.
The available artist interviews and tutorial offer useful insight into Mohler’s approach, but they do not establish a full cultural history of the traditions he referenced. A biographical account of his career, including his encounter with Ojos in Mexico in 1965 and his return to weaving in 1999, is also historical reporting; it does not verify whether his work, kits, or custom orders are currently available.
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