CORNHUSKS DOLLS FOR FUN AND PROFIT

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The doll's body is made of a whole cornhusk with part of the stem still attached at the top. The arms-made as a separate piece-are simply four strips of the more flexible inner husk tied together in the center and at the wrists. You can fold the ends under to make neat hands, or leave them fringed for a more definite scarecrow effect.

Hold a whole corn shuck with the stem pointing up, divide the husk in half front to back, and place the armpiece between the halves . . . pushed up as close to the stalk end as it will go. Tie the doll tightly under the arms.

Next, form the head by wrapping several inner husks around the stem (which should be shortened if it's too long, or the doll's head will be weirdly elevated above the shoulders). If you wish, you can tuck cotton batting, Kleenex, or scrap fabric under the strips to round the face. When the shaping is complete, stretch one last piece of unstained shuck over the ball of husk from front to back, and wrap string tightly around the neck to attach the face and define the head. If the fastening seems unstable you can cross the string over the doll's chest and tie it in back under the arms.

Make a hank of hair from corn silk, yarn, cotton batting, fringed wool, or whatever and pin it to the head while you decide on a style. Then attach the wig with white glue. Any hat or scarf you add later will help to keep the scarecrow's hair on.

That's it . . . the basic doll. The addition of clothes and bits of felt glued on for facial features will make its character as zany, dignified, or folksy as you please.

There are no rules for dressing scarecrow people. Anything goes. Stitchery needn't be fine, edges are left raw, and garments are sewn on to avoid fastenings. You'll soon find plenty of marvelous possibilities in fabric scraps, odd collars, pockets, and bits of braid.

To get you started, here are a few of the costumes I've made for my dolls:

HATS [1] Stocking caps made of sweater or mitten ribbing

[2] Peasant kerchiefs (fabric triangles tied under chin)

[3] Pioneer bonnets (straight lengths of fabric wrapped over head ear to ear and gathered in back

[4] Colonial dust caps (40-inch circles of fabric stitched all the way around, 1/2 inch in from the edge, and gathered to form a puffed cap)

No hat is needed if you cover the doll's whole head with hair of some kind.

SKIRTS [1] Straight lengths of fabric, gathered. Sometimes I sew on a contrasting patch with big stitches.

[2] Jumpers or aprons of jeans scraps, corduroy, or suede cloth

[3] Circle skirts (circles of fabric, with small center cutouts and slits along one radius, sewn around the dolls)

TOPS [1] Capes

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