Share with your Loved Ones the Art of the Corn Husk Doll!

 

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup lammas corn husk dolls august fair summer harvest native american crafts

August is the perfect time to celebrate the early harvest (grains and berries), and August Fairs are traditions throughout many cultures all over the world. The Native American craft  of creating corn husk dolls is a wonderful activity to allow you and your family to create together and to really focus on the gift of corn! I tried my hand at two different techniques for their creation and will share them both below:

First, courtesy of Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park, I used these instructions, and here was my sweet creation:

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup corn husk doll Native American crafts harvest summer August Fair Lammas

These directions worked well (I used the first, slightly more elaborate set provided.). They suggested using dried corn husks that have been soaked, but I opted instead to use green, moist husks as many other sites had suggested. My doll came out about 6 inches long. I easily dressed her in no-sew rectangles and triangles made from the wonderful selection of cotton fabric quarters available at Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts. The colors I chose reflected the focus of this festival: grains and locally  harvested berries (in my case, blueberries, among others).

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup Lammas August Fair harvest summer corn husk dolls native american crafts family bonding

In the end, she looked like this:

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup Lammas August Fair harvest summer corn husk dolls native american crafts family bonding

I also tried a second set of directions courtesy of a joyous and celebratory Native American Blog, The Nest Of Snowwowl (not a typo). With my first creation to inspire me, I laid out my materials & got going!

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup Native American Crafts Lammas August Fair corn husk dolls

Below are some of the pics of her evolution:

First Tie:

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup Native American Crafts Lammas August Fair corn husk dolls

Creation of Head:

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup Native American Crafts Lammas August Fair corn husk dolls

Arms:

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup Native American Crafts Lammas August Fair corn husk dolls

Waist:

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup Native American Crafts Lammas August Fair corn husk dolls

Shoulders and Skirt:

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup Native American Crafts Lammas August Fair corn husk dolls

Nice easy no-sew dress and apron (Dress is a large rectangle with a cross snipped in the center.):

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup Native American Crafts Lammas August Fair corn husk dolls

And here she stands with two of her friends!

Holiday & Hearth Holiday and Hearth Lisa Novelline Lisa Anne Novelline author writer The Dance of Spring craft blog creative blog creativity decorator blog festival celebration Summer Solstice Litha Midsummer summer seasons nature blog berries menu meal strawberry soup lammas corn husk dolls august fair summer harvest native american crafts

 

Overall, this was a super fun and fairly easy craft! Perhaps the biggest thing to note is to shuck your corn with care, so your husks are not all split.

This craft would be a fun way to share some quality time with loved ones on any Sunday afternoon and would add a special appreciation for a fresh ear of corn with dinner!

It will be our main activity at our August Fair. We will also be dying fabric with natural berry dyes.  These fabric remnants will then also be used to embellish the Corn Husk Dolls. Click here for more details.

Wishing you a wonderful August early harvest season, some delicious corn, and a closer connection to this wonderful plant and all it has to offer!

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