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Crafts
Clothespin dolls
A child in the 1800s had to learn to entertain themselves with what was available. Rarely did kids on the frontier have store bought dolls, instead dolls were made from corncobs, clothespins, dried apples, corn husks, and scraps of fabric. An easy doll to make is the clothespin doll. Small clothespins can be bought in large bags at Wal-Mart and most craft stores. Usually directions for sample dolls are in the packaging, but kids have just as much fun using their own imaginations.
What you’ll need:
1 clothespin for each student
Triangle-shaped scraps of fabric for bonnets, aprons, and shawls
Misc. scraps of fabric for other items of clothing
Yarn strands for hair
Markers for creating details
Corn husk dolls
What you’ll need:
Corn husks (16 per doll. Available at Mexican food markets and in some supermarkets.)
Heavy string
Scissors
Large tub filled with warm water
1 bath or hand towel per student
Fabric scraps for clothing, or you can soak some extra husks in beet juice to make colored clothing
Directions:
- Soak husks in tub of warm water for about 15 minutes before you’re ready to get started. Keep the husks wet while working to keep them pliable.
- Spread the towel over the student’s desk or work area to soak up excess water while working.
- Hold six husks together with wide edges on the bottom.
- Tie the husks together securely about one inch from the bottom.
- One at a time, pull each husk down over the tied off area. Do this as though you were peeling a banana (all the way around) until they are all pointed down.
- Tie off the husks just below the "head" so that the string creates a "neck".
- Roll two husks together the long way (like a thin pencil) to make the arms. Tie these off towards the ends to make wrists.
- Insert the arms through the center of the body so that they are in the middle of the husks.
- Take a husk and fold it in half lengthwise. Lay this around the shoulders to come down in the back in a criss-cross. Tie this off.
- Take another husk and do the same thing again, this time bringing the husks around to the front to make another criss-cross. Tie this off as well and trim strings.
- To make a skirt for the doll, take six husks and place them around the doll with the wide ends extending upward and the pointed ends bunching around the waist. Tie these around the waist securely and again peel the husks down around the doll to look like a skirt.
- Once you have a skirt, you can easily make a male doll by bunching half of the skirt panels to the left and half of them to the right. Tie them together as legs at the knees, and again at the ankles.
- Decorate, then let the doll dry for 1-2 days.
Moonwinders
A popular toy in the 1800s, these were also called button spinners and buzz saws. Boys used to get into trouble for getting them tangled into a girl’s long hair. These are easy to make, but can sometimes take practice to get them going.
What you’ll need:
Large buttons 1-1/2 inches wide
Nylon string
Directions:
- Cut the string into sections 36 inches long.
- Give one string and one button to each student.
- Thread the string through one hole and back again through the other one and tie the strings together.
- Center the button and hold each end of the loop, winding it up until it is tight. Be sure to wind it up tight enough or it will not work.
- Now pull and slacken the string, over and over, moving the button in and out. A buzzing sound will be made as it gets faster.
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