How to Make Corn Husk Dolls

We made these old-fashioned dolls this weekend and they were a big hit.

I keep thinking this one needs a cute little bonnet and she'd be perfect . . . she's been christened "Rosie" by our friend Emily across the street.

Here are step-by-step instructions on making your own, the only thing you need is some twine and some corn husks. If you're like me, you don't exactly have corn growing out back so the easiest thing to do is to go to the Mexican section of the supermarket and get a packet of dried corn husks for about two dollars.

Remember the tamales from last week? Well one package of corn husks makes more than enough so we used the leftover husks for the dolls.

You'll need about a dozen husks per doll, more or less, and several feet of twine. Soak the husks in warm water for about ten minutes then pat them dry and go to work.

1. Take about six or so corn husks and tie them together like you see here at the left.

Make sure the twine pulls together nice and tight.

Once you've got the knot tight, flip the corn husks down over the string and the knot then tie them with another string just below where the knot is hidden underneath so that it forms a head.

See? It's already starting to come together.

2. Next, take three strips (and I trimmed the husks so that the strips were thin and of an even width as much as possible) and braid one set of three into what will be a set of arms, then braid two more sets of three strips into what will be two legs.

So now you have a head and some limbs.

3. Now, to make the body, divide the husks under the head/neck into two sections cross-wise.

Lay one of the braided pieces in the middle, across the body as if to make a cross shape but what you're doing is forming arms off of the body.

Then lay the two leg pieces right underneath where the arms cross like you see in the picture here. Then, let the husks down again and tie a piece of string around the body under the braids and catching them into the body to form a waist.


4. Now that your doll has a head, arms, legs and a waist gather another four or five corn husks around the waist, but this time tie them on upside down like you see here in the picture, so that they're covering up the torso.

Tie the bundle with twine and secure.

Once it's tight, trim the twine and pull the husks back down so that they form a skirt for your doll. Hide those scrawny legs.

5. Finally, now that you've got head, torso and skirt formed you can take a two long sections of husks (and if you don't have a long enough piece you can always knot two together as I did here).

Cross the length of corn husk over the doll's chest, going up from the waist on the right side then over the left shoulder, then back to the waist in the back on the right side.

Repeat using the other section of husk but going from the opposite side (left side of waist, over the right shoulder, then back down to the left side of the waist) so that it cross like you see in the top picture.

Secure it by tying another piece of twine around the waist, catching the ends of husk. If you'd like you can then cover that twine with another piece of husk that you wrap around the waist and tie in the back.

And you're done! A perfect little corn husk doll perfect for play or decoration. A garland of these would be pretty for fall.

Sponsored by K & M Studios and photographer Megan Burgess