A doll is the oldest toy. Initially, they were made as an object of worship of the gods. However, children tend to adapt different objects to the game. And everything that falls into their hands quickly turns into thematic heroes. Even our distant great-grandmothers noted this craving for kids, and began to craft different crafts for them. A do-it-yourself folk toy was made quite simply, it could be a piece of stone or wood, a corncob, a bundle of straw pulled by a strip of cloth.
A bit of history
The first mention of the doll in the usual way for us is found in Egyptian manuscripts in the 20th century BC. e. They were carved from wood and decorated with paintings. Instead of hair there were threads decorated with wooden beads. Ancient Greece further developed the cult of making toys. And it was at this time that the dolls began to be intended for girls. They played with them until marriage, and then presented to the gods as a sign that they had already grown.
Doll in Russia
Here, a folk toy with their own hands was made from time immemorial. Moreover, initially dolls were made without a face. It was believed that in this way you revive the figure, and what it will be, good or evil, it is impossible to predict. Only later did folk sages begin to make dolls with different facial expressions. But they were not intended for the game, they were amulets. Do-it-yourself folk toy is made from a variety of materials. Today we will consider manufacturing from different materials so that each of you can make a little joy for your baby, or with it.
Symbol of Russia
It’s hard to even remember when the nesting doll appeared. This is the first developing folk toy. Wood craftsmen and craftsmen made them with their own hands, and women painted them with intricate patterns. Later, new techniques appeared. For example, using papier-mâché it is possible to make a similar matryoshka, but only at home and without special appliances.
You only need clay, paper, glue and a lot of free time. From plasticine, perform a figure similar in shape to a nested doll. Then you begin to paste over it with pieces of paper layer by layer. It will take at least 20 layers for the final product to keep its shape well. After that, carefully cut the nesting doll, remove the plasticine and glue the seam. It only remains to dry, color the figurine and the folk toy is ready. Do it yourself is quite simple.
Ragdoll
Most often in Russia they made a rag doll. For this, no special knowledge and skills are needed, and all the materials at hand will be used. For the first time, an article of fabric, or rather fragments of it, was found during excavations; it dates from the 2nd century BC. e. It was an exclusively ceremonial doll. Over time, this practice migrated to peasant families, since they did not have money for the purchase of copyright. However, women in Russia cannot be denied mastery; they made stunning folk toys. Dolls could be the simplest, made from a bundle of grass with a shawl of a shred, but sometimes women made embroidered outfits for them, tying them with lace patterns with a hook. Therefore, such toys could be safely given to the exhibition.
Forgotten art
We’ll talk in a little more detail about how a folk toy is made with our own hands. The master class will help you to show your imagination, and create an exclusive masterpiece. For sewing you will need a natural fabric. It is best to choose flax, calico, satin or chintz. They are inexpensive and do not require special skills for processing seams. The fabric will need two colors, for the body and clothing. It is very good if the material will not fade. In addition, you need thread in tone, scissors and buttons for the eyes, ribbons and lace for decoration. Finally, if desired, you can make the doll hair from a thick thread. The simplest pattern is a circle from which a bell diverges to the bottom, from which legs peek out. Do not forget to make sausage handles.
And then - a fantasy for you. Cut two halves from the fabric, not forgetting to leave a little space on the seams. You can sweep them out on a typewriter, turning inside out. Then turn it on the front side and carefully fill with improvised material. This can be hay, cotton wool, pieces of fabric, synthetic winterizer, everything you find at home. It remains to fix the arms and legs in suitable places for them.
Now it's up to the small. Sew buttons, make lips out of a red bow, style your hair, or simply equip your doll with a scarf. From any flap you make an elegant sundress, sheathe it with lace and ribbons. It is not necessary to make a finished workpiece, just cut a rectangle from the fabric, pick it up a little and sew the dolls to the body. The straps are decorated in the form of lace stripes.
Dymkovo toy
This is another bright representative of Russian folk art. At thematic fairs, it is these figures that enjoy the constant attention of guests. Clay toys are little adapted for playing, but they perfectly decorate a decorative shelf. For the production of figures, red clay with the addition of fine sand is used. However, if you want to try to do such works at home with children, then such a composition may not be found. However, there is a solution. The figure can be made of plasticine, and a mixture of flour and PVA glue can be applied on top. However, you can use acrylic, artistic primer. It is easily applied to plasticine, does not roll and dries quickly.
Clay toys are also remarkable in that they open up scope for creativity, because the resulting horses, dogs and little men can be decorated with intricate patterns using brushes and paints. This is extremely exciting. And to consolidate the result, you can use varnish in spray cans. It dries quickly and does not grease paint.
Master of painting
Painting of folk toys is a topic for another discussion. Each master brings a piece of himself into bright elements, and as a result, a whole world blossoms against a light background. Very often, bright colors and shades were used in the work so that the toy was noticeably from afar. Natural motifs stand out from the decor elements, these are berries and flowers, leaves and stems of plants. In addition, household items, a hearth, which is also always associated with well-being, are often guessed in murals. In general, the composition depends on its purpose, as well as on the ideas of the master himself. A folk toy is also good because it will always be in a single copy. Even creating a similar one, the wizard will still perform several elements in a different way.
Doll motanka
If you do not have bright artistic talents, and the child asks to make him a toy, do not refuse. Just read our article and learn how to make a doll out of threads. It may seem complicated only at first glance. In fact, such toys were made 5,000 years ago, which means you can. To work, you need yarn, cardboard and scissors. From cardboard, you need to cut a rectangle of such a height as the future doll should be. Throw the first loop across the cardboard and tie a knot. Now start winding the yarn already along. It will take at least 100 circles to make the doll quite voluminous.
The second step will be the formation of the head. To do this, pass the rest of the thread under the yarn from above and secure it with a loop. Now step back a little from the edge and with the help of another thread make a knot. The resulting ball will be the head. Separate the hands, which are not far from the ends, also intercept the thread. Cutting the loops at the ends you mark the fingers. It remains to intercept the doll with a thread in the belt and decide whether you will have a girl or a boy. In the first case, you can leave the skirt as it is, and in the second it can be divided into two parts and tied at the ends.
Now you know how to make a doll out of threads. Nothing complicated, as you can see. You can dress her in a dress, make her face and sew on her hair. It all depends on your desire and free time.
Russian folk toy from the dough
There was no plasticine in Russia, and children are very fond of messing with soft and elastic substances, kneading them and sculpting figures. Therefore, mothers made a cool dough for them and allowed them to sculpt figures. They could then be baked in the oven and eat instead of cookies, or dried and left as souvenirs. You can repeat this experience and get creative with your child. The dough is made very simple, you only need 2 cups of flour, a glass of salt and ¾ cup of water. From this knead the dough, which can be stored in the refrigerator and used as needed. Figures made from it, after drying, become hard, white and shiny. The most important thing is to take fine salt and knead the dough well, otherwise it will crumble. You can sculpt whistles or figures of animals, humans or elements of nature, flowers, mushrooms or trees from it.