Before my grandmother passed away, she would often talk to me about her less-than-luxurious childhood and the things her family had to do to get by — and to have a little fun.
Of her many stories, it was that of their cornhusk dolls that struck me the most. Since store-bought toys were out of the question, my grandmother and her siblings were often forced to entertain themselves with what little they had.
Thus, whenever corn was on the dinner table, they always made sure to save the husks so they could fashion themselves some new playthings later. The dolls weren't much, but they provided entertainment when they needed it most.
Many years later, I've decided to make one of these dolls myself. The results aren't fancy, but they're certainly adorable — and they definitely make me appreciate how good I had it as a kid.
Did you make anything like this as a kid? Let us know below — and please SHARE if this brings back memories.
My grandmother used to talk about making cornhusk dolls as a kid — so I decided to give it a shot myself! If you want to do this too, all you'll need are some cornhusks, twine, and a pair of scissors.
1.) Grab four cornhusks and lay them on top of one another, staggering them slightly.
2.) With a piece of twine, gather up the flat ends and tie them together.
3.) Knot it tightly.
4.) Cut the flat ends of the husks so they're all even, then trim the excess string.
5.) Flip your bundle over and gently peel the husks down over the trimmed ends.
6.) Tie it again. This will form your doll's head.
7.) Grab a single husk and roll it up tightly.
8.) Trim off the tapered end.
9.) Tie off either end of the husk.
10.) Make sure the strings are the same distance from the ends.
11.) Gently split the corn husks.
12.) Slip the arms inside and up the length of the split cornhusks, until you reach the "neck" of the doll.
13.) Tie a string around the husks to create a "waist."
14.) Tear a husk in half.
15.) Drape this halved husk around the doll's "shoulders" to create a little wrap.
16.) Tie another string around the waist to hold the wrap in place.
17.) Take about five husks, flat ends together, and wrap them around the doll. These will make a full "skirt."
18.) Wrap another piece of string around to hold the skirts in place.
19.) Trim the ends of the skirt.
20.) Customize your doll however you wish! You can cut some slits in the dress, tie on a bonnet, or draw on a face.
Does this fun little project bring back childhood memories? Let us know below!
Please SHARE if you like old fashioned toys like this!
