Folk Arts in Season: Corn Husk Doll

As we come towards the halfway point between summer solstice and fall equinox, we enter the tide of Lammas (or Lughnasadh), an ancient festival time with Celtic roots celebrating the first harvest. The craft of corn dollies comes from old ways of honouring the spirit of corn, recognizing that once the corn was harvested, the spirit would need a place to dwell. Corn dollies, corn-mothers or corn-maidens became the caretakers of the field until the next season began. It’s interesting to note, many other crafts of a similar nature exist that would do the same for the spirits of various plants.

Making a corn husk doll is simple.

You need 4 corn husks from an ear of corn (soak them in warm water for about 40 minutes if they need to become flexible again). You also need string and scissors.

Steps:

1. First corn husk - Roll it vertically like a scroll. Tie it off on both ends.

2. Second & third corn husks - Place one over the other and tie them off at one end together, about an inch or so from the bottom. Then, flip them over and and bend the husks back over the tied end to create the ‘head’ of the doll. Tie them off again.

3. Take the vertical ‘scrolled’ husk and let it become the arms, tucked into the other husks. Tie them off creating the doll’s waist.

4. Fourth corn husk - Drape the last corn husk over the doll’s shoulders, to create a shawl crossed over her torso. Tie it off. 

5. Trim any husks and strings to make them even.