Making Corn Dollies

Corn Dollies

Lammas by Anna Franklin & Paul Mason

It was once believed that the spirit of the corn had to be preserved from one harvest to the next to ensure the success of the crops. The cutting of the final sheaf was particularly dangerous, because it contained the life spirit of the corn, which had retreated and retreated into the final stook (bound sheaf of grain). Sometimes the harvesters would approach it reverently with the call, “the neck,” or sometimes the “the mare,” and cut in a single stroke with the cry, “I have the neck.” This was then carefully woven into a corn dolly, or kern-baby, which would preserve the corn spirit safely until the next year. It would be kept in a place of honor until the spring, when at Imbolc ears of corn would be taken from the doll and plowed into the fields to bring them life.

The earliest recorded instances of corn dollies date from the eighteenth dynasty of the ancient Egyptians (1570-1320 B.C.E.) and represented Osiris. The last sheaf was often plaited into a vaguely human shape or a more abstract and symbolic representation of the corn spirit. The British Celts called them sanct ffraid ys ydd, or “holy bride of the corn.” In Welsh, the word for religion is crefydd, from crefu, “to implore for,” and ydd, “corn.” Each locality developed its own variations on the basic theme of the plaited sheaf. There are dozens of different traditional designs, such as the Durham chandelier, the Northamptonshire horns and the Suffolk horseshoe. The ribbons that bind it are significant for their colors: yellow for the sun, red for the sacrifice, blue for love, green for wisdom, and white for strength.

Over the years, the ritual significance of the corn dolly decreased and making corn dollies became a widespread rural craft and folk art, with the designs becoming increasingly elaborate and varied. Corn dolly-making is still a popular hobby, and nowadays, there are hundreds of different types of varying levels of complexity. Enthusiasts often spend many years collecting and learning new designs. Corn dollies are woven into representations of a wide variety of traditional symbols: bells, cornucopia, crosses, horns, horses, horseshoes, human figures, spirals, stars, and sun wheels.

The modern Pagan can relive something of the spirit of the harvest by making one of these ancient symbols each year. It can be placed on the alter at Lammas and at the autumn equinox Harvest Home Festival. Afterward you can hang it in the kitchen until next spring, when it may be buried in the garden or just kept to remind you that what is sown will be harvested. This applies to all areas of life, not just farming.

The best wheat straw for making corn dollies should be taken from the field when it is almost ripe but not completely dry. Ideally, the lower part should still be slightly green. Hang it up in bunches for a day, and then remove the leaves and cut off the head of the wheat just below the first joint. Sort the straw into bundles of similar length.

Just before beginning to plait the corn, it needs to be moistened by placing it in a container of lukewarm water for 20 to 30 minutes. Wrap it in a damp towel so that it remains moist. Only dampen the materials you need for each session, as the unused corn will otherwise become mildewed.

Depending on where you live, suitable straw may be difficult to obtain. Contact your local craft shop for raffia, as used in basket weaving. Raffia is available in a wide range of colors, and although not the traditional material, it can be fun to produce corn dollies and plaits using a selection of different colors.

Things You'll Need

Medium: straws, corn shucks or grass

Decorations: including seeds and other natural decorations

Fasteners: including rubber bands, string or ribbon

Instructions

1

Gather together the straw, grass or corn shucks. Stand them on their ends and even out by cutting excess lengths. Chosen your fastener and tie it about 2 inches from the top of the medium. This leaves you with a long end below the fastener and a short, stubby one at the top. Remember you need enough shucks to make body with arms

Next pull out some corn shucks for arms

Pull out the arms and tie them off with some string or yarn

then tie off the waiste

.

Then tie off hands

See you have a doll now to give her or him life

5

At this point, you have the option to paint your finished product or color it with felt tip or crayon. Personalize your dollies by gluing maple seeds, acorn caps and any other interesting objects you desire.Add yarns, threads, cords and fabric scraps if you like

Here are some pictures of some really pretty corn dollies

I love this hippy type corn dolly isn't she pretty and peaceful

This is a protective kitchen witch corn dolly, I see lots of possibilities with making these and so many ideas

Here is the beautiful corn Goddess Demeter Grain Mother

With some practice you can create works of art too.