4Real Forums: cornhusk dolls

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Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry ( Forum Locked)
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Topic: cornhusk dolls

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donnalynn
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Posted: Oct 02 2008 at 12:41pm \| IP Logged

I mentioned in my prayer request that our girls group is making cornhusk dolls.

We'll be assisting at a historic village this Saturday - so we are getting in some practice.

We started last week - I found plenty of directions online and some beautiful examples if the girls wanted to go beyond some of simplest dolls.

I had followed these directions and I made a little angel figure - with folded hands and maple leaf wings - I used a bit brown wool for hair and I was pleased she came out so well. I had known that I did not use the recommended layers for the skirt and it dried with gaps but what I was not expecting was to find my doll today covered with mold! Ugh...

I think I could have made sure to leave it out in a better place to dry more thoroughly but I think the real problem was all those layers - how could it possibly dry out before getting mold?

And...my other question was how do they get those skirts to dry so nice and straight? I had tied a string around the skirt to keep it in place but it dried with all the edges curled.

I thought I would also share this wonderful page of Mexican cornhusk dolls I found - here Beyond my current skill level but aren't they beautiful!!

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

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donnalynn

ctrivette
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Joined: Nov 08 2007
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Posted: Oct 02 2008 at 3:27pm \| IP Logged

Ours were very basic, but had the layers. I stood them up to dry, with thread tied where ever we were trying to keep things straight, on the kitchen counter. It took all day and night to dry, but no mold. The ends didn't curl on ours...maybe it is just the particular corn husk? Some seemed to be smoother than others and some were more pliable. Hope you get it worked out! The fist link is really sweet and the second is really pretty!

MaryM
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Posted: Oct 03 2008 at 1:49am \| IP Logged

I'm sorry to hear about the mold - how frustrating. Even the doll you made is more detailed than anything we've ever done - we've only done very simple ones and definitely not that many layers. I'll bet you are right about having it out in a better place to dry. I would imagine it would need quite a bit of circulation with that many layers - so in a room with a ceiling fan or something.

To keep it from curling - how about fewer layers but setting it around (and tying string like you did or rubber banding) something to help it hold shape (like an inverted narrow glass, or bottle neck or something). Just long enough for the outside to dry, but removing it later so that the inner layers would have enough circulation. Wish I had more experience to actually suggest something tried and true. WOuld love to see pictures of your finished products.

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Mary M. in Denver

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donnalynn
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Posted: Oct 03 2008 at 8:26pm \| IP Logged

I did make another doll yesterday and so far I think this one is drying our much more quickly.

I did not make the center body piece as in the directions. For the head I used two cornhusks over a ball shaped piece of wool. The cornhusks extended down a bit and I attached the skirt to that. I also made sure I blotted each cornhusk really well before I used it. I kept her out next to our crock pot to speed drying.

I did take pictures but dh took that camera fishing! Hmmph! I hope to post a picture when he gets back plus some pics of our trip to the historic village.

Donna

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donnalynn

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