Old Fashioned Crafts:
Whimsical Corn Husk Dolls
By Brenda Hyde
Cornhusk dolls have been made by Native American girls
and women for more than a thousand years, probably since
the growing and harvesting of corn began. They in turn passed
this craft down to the Colonial families. It was a time when
nothing was wasted and a purpose was found for everything.
Today we can still make these whimsical dolls with our children!
You will need:
Corn husks, fresh or dried, about 8 sections of husk
String
Cotton balls, or scraps of batting
Scraps of cloth, cording or ribbon, beads, buttons
If you are using dried husks you will need to soak them in water for
about 10 minutes to soften them. Fresh husks can be used as is.
Place a piece of cotton in the middle of a section of husk, twisting
and tying it with a piece of string to make a head. Create your doll's
arms by folding another husk and tying it near each end to make
hands. Slip these arms between the husks that were below the head
you made. Tie the "waist" of your doll tightly with string. Arrange more
husks around the doll's waist so that they overlap slightly and then tie
them in place with the string. Fold the husks down carefully. You can
trim the husks straight across at the bottom to even your doll's dress
hem. You'll now need to let your corn husk doll dry completely.
After she dries, you can leave your figure as is, or add a face with a
thin tipped marker or paint. You can attach fake hair if you wish too.
Glue on some tiny buttons to the dress or beads and cotton fabric to
the doll for a skirt or shawl. You can use very thin cord or ribbon as a
belt too.
You can dye your corn husks with fabric dye if you wish. Mix the dye
as directed on the package and place your husks in the dye one at
a time. Remove the husks when they are the color you want to use
and rinse the husks in cold water, then drain. You can also soak them
in food coloring for 30 minutes, or for an old fashioned dye, try using
strong coffee or tea. Pat them dry before making your dolls.
About the Author
Brenda is the editor of OldFashionedLiving.com. She
is a wife, mom to three and a freelance writer as well.
