EDUCATION
Make your own apple doll
Long ago, children made their own dolls to
play with out of things they had around the house. During the fall, children
used dried apples to make heads for dolls. Here's how to make your own apple
doll!
You will need:
- 1 large apple; firm and not bruised
- small paring knife
- lemon juice
- 6 pipe cleaners
- fabric scraps cut into 2.5 cm wide strips
- masking tape
- 2 straight pins or whole cloves (for eyes)
- fabric scraps cut large enough to make doll's clothes
- glue
Instructions
- Peel the apple, leaving the stem and a circle of peel around the stem. Choose the best side of the apple for the face. Carve a mouth, nose and eyes into the apple. You may also want to carve a chin, cheeks, and ears. Make your cuts fairly deep, but be careful not to go all the way through the apple.
- Pour lemon juice in a bowl. Soak the apple for an hour to prevent it from browning.
- Tie the apple on a string and hang it to dry in a warm, dry place. It will take about 15-30 days to dry.
- Make the doll body by bending pipe cleaners together. Twist one pipe cleaer to make a circle. Cut another pipe cleaner in two to make arms. Attach these to the top of the circle. Twist two more pipe cleaners to make legs. Cut a 2.5 cm piece for the top of the circle to make a neck.
- Wrap the 2.5 cm wide fabric strips around the pipe cleaner to make a padded body. Wrap the masking tape over the fabric. Do not wrap the neck.
- When your apple is dry, gently push it onto the neck.You can remove the stem now, if you wish.
- Finish your apple doll by giving it eyes and gluing yarn or cotton on for hair. Dress your doll using fabric scraps. Be creative!
Ideas
- Consult your school library to find out how people dressed long ago. Dress your apple doll in clothes like your ancestors may have worn.
- Dress your doll to suit a holiday! Make an apple witch for Halloween, a pilgrim for Thanksgiving, or an elf for Christmas.
- Make an apple family to display in your classroom.
