Corn Husk Dolls

When it comes to children there are times their need to emulate those around them becomes either a bit of fantasy or reality.

A manifestation of these ideas are dolls. But why corn husks? Corn and its cultivation dates back to nigh 10,000 years ago! Indigenous people were, and still are, prone to using all parts of anything cultivated (like after prepping a meal one boils onion ends, carrot tops and potato peelings to make a marvelous veggie broth instead of throwing the cuttings away). “Traditionally, Corn husk dolls do not have faces. There are a number of explanations for this: one legend is that the Spirit of Corn, one of the Three Sisters, (winter squash, corn, and beans) made a doll out of her husks to entertain children. The doll had a beautiful face, and began to spend less time with children and more time contemplating her own loveliness. As a result of her vanity, the doll’s face was taken away. The dolls also served as a home for the spirit of the crop. The tradition pertains to the idea that the crop of grain has a spirit that loses its home after the final harvest and it is therefore to be invited and housed in the home over the winter before being returned to the earth in spring for the next crop. Here in the U.S., early European settlers adopted the craft of corn husk doll making, taught to them by the indigenous people.

Today, the practice of making corn husk dolls serves as a link to Native American culture and the arts and crafts of the settlers. In some Pagan faiths, (specifically Western) corn dolls are used to protect the home, livestock, and personal wellness of the maker and their family.” -- Cited from an Indigenous guild of crafters.

Materials:
6 Cornhusks
Yarn or string

Tools:
Bowl of warm water
Towel
Scissors

Spread out your towel. Soak corn husks in warm water for 15 minutes. While the husks are soaking, cut 5-7 strings about 8-10” long.

Choose 4 large corn husks and lay them out on the towel. Overlap the husks, lining up the widest edges on the bottom.

Gather your layered corn husks together. Tie the husks together tightly at the top with a piece of string.

Turn the bundle upside down. Peel each husk down like a banana around the knot. Tie a string tightly around the top again.

This is the head.

Choose two smaller corn husks. Lay them on top of each other with the widest ends on the outside. Roll up the corn husks together from the long side. These are the arms.

Separate the layers of the cornhusk doll in half. Place the arms between the layers. Tie off the waist below the arms. Tie off each end of the arms to form hands. Trim extra string.

If you want your doll to have legs, separate the corn husks below the waist. Tie off each bundle at the bottom. Trim extra string.