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Craft

Corn Husk Doll

Photograph showing completed corn husk dolls
Source

With no money to buy manufactured dolls, African-Canadian children could make dolls from the corn husks that were easily available to them.

Materials

  • 10 to 15 corn husks
  • scissors

Instructions

Photograph showing materials required for corn husk doll
Source		   Photograph showing step 1 of how to make a corn husk doll
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Materials needed for corn husk doll   Step 1. Take six corn husks and tie them together, about 3 inches from the narrow end, using a thin strip torn from a corn husk.

Photograph showing step 2 of how to make a corn husk doll
Source		   Photograph showing step 3 of how to make a corn husk doll
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Step 2. Head: Take the corn husks above the knot and roll them into a ball until they touch the knot. Then take each corn husk from the bottom section and fold it up over the ball and back down the other side, covering the ball completely.   Step 3. Neck: Tie another strip of corn husk under the head to form the neck.

Photograph showing step 4 of how to make a corn husk doll
Source		   Photograph showing of step 5 of how to make a corn husk doll
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Step 4. Arms: Cut a husk lengthwise into three strips. Tie them together about an inch from one end using another corn husk strip.   Step 5. Braid the husks and tie off at the bottom, leaving about an inch. Trim the ends of each side to form a hand.

Photograph showing step 6 of how to make a corn husk doll
Source		   Photograph showing step 7 of how to make a corn husk doll
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Step 6. Legs: Repeat steps 4 and 5 two times to make two legs.   Step 7. Lift up the upper layer of corn husks and place the centre of the braid for the arms near the head.

Photograph showing step 8 of how to make a corn husk doll
Source		   Photograph showing step 9 of how to make a corn husk doll
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Step 8. Tummy: Roll a corn husk into a ball.   Step 9. Place the ball on top of the arms to make the doll's tummy.

Photograph showing of step 10 of how to make a corn husk doll
Source		   Photograph showing of step 11 of how to make a corn husk doll
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Step 10. Place the braids for the legs under the tummy and bring the corn husks back down to cover them.   Step 11. Waist: Take another strip of corn husk and tie tightly under the tummy to make the waist. To finish, trim the skirt to the length you want and cut vertical slits in the skirt so that it will flare out.

Photograph showing completed corn husk dolls
Source
Corn husk dolls

Proactive Disclosure
Created: 2005-01-13
Updated: 2005-01-13
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