Pancake week has a lot of traditions that have long been observed by the ancestors of the Slavs. Modern people try to adhere to the Maslenitsa rituals: pancakes are baked all week, there are merry festivities on the street, everyone goes to visit each other. The main attribute of Shrovetide is considered to be a ritual doll, which is burned on the last day of the festive week.
Why is a scarecrow burned on Shrovetide?
One of the culminating moments of Maslenitsa is the burning of a scarecrow at the stake. In our time, a large bonfire with a ritual doll is just a spectacular sight, but our ancestors gave great importance to the fire. The ritual doll dressed up in clothes and was solemnly burned in front of a large crowd of people. It was believed that the stuffed animal personifies nature that fell asleep in winter, and some even identified the doll with death. The ancestors believed that by burning a scarecrow, they helped nature to awaken from hibernation.
The Maslenitsa doll was made with their own hands on the first day of the Maslenitsa week. They approached the creation of the doll very responsibly, observing all the main rules:
- The stuffed animal was supposed to be based on a frame made of wood, on which straw and rags were wound.
- The doll was “dressed up” in old, torn clothes. The most suitable clothing was considered to be a worn sheepskin coat, dressed inside out.
- The Maslenitsa doll was supposed to be made by a married woman who already has children.
- They tried to make the stuffed animal with clear signs of femininity or masculinity. Previously, not only Maslenitsa was burned, but also her spouse Maslenka, hence the custom of dividing dolls by gender.
- A long pole was necessarily attached to the scarecrow. This was done so that the act of burning could be seen from afar by all the villagers.
How to make a stuffed animal for Shrovetide with your own hands?
When Maslenitsa week is coming, it's time to make a charm for the house with your own hands. Since ancient times, they have made not only a stuffed animal, which was then burned at the stake, but also small dolls. They were left in the house, and it was believed that Shrovetide dolls bring prosperity and prosperity. You can use any materials: branches, fabric, threads, lace, synthetic winterizer, etc. A cute doll will turn out from twigs that come from an old broom. You will also need pieces of fabric, pieces of wire, paper clips. Instructions with photos on how to make a doll for Shrovetide step by step can be found on the Internet.
Campfire scarecrow
The burning doll is most often made from straw. This material is highly flammable and burns for a long time. To create a ritual effigy, the most available materials are used: straw, wooden sticks, old cloth. Nowadays, there are no strict rules on how to make a Shrovetide doll: you can show your imagination and come up with your own original version. An important point: the finished product must be soaked with saltpeter and water and allowed to dry thoroughly.
On a note! A do-it-yourself scarecrow for children should not be scary, so as not to scare off the kids. Draw the doll's face: eyes, nose, mouth to make the image more realistic. Be sure to talk about what Maslenitsa is and what traditions are observed during the festive week.
A doll for burning at the stake is often made from straw.
From the bottle
How can you make a doll from a plastic bottle? You will need the following materials:
- Wooden blocks;
- Empty plastic bottle (1.5 liters);
- Plastic ball;
- Nylon sock;
- Cotton pads;
- Glue, thread;
- Beads;
- Pan.
We make a doll like this:
- Connect the scarecrow stand from the wooden blocks. Place the vertical bar in a plastic bottle.
- We make a doll's head from a plastic ball. Cut a hole to fit the container plug. Wrap the ball in a flesh-colored nylon sock. Place the ball on the cork so that it holds firmly to the bottle.
- Glue the hair made of black thread onto the “head”.
- Paint cotton pads in different colors, glue on the "torso". First paste over the "hands". From thick cardboard, build a frame for the bottle, on which you also glue the disks.
- Make an ornament out of beads, put on the doll.
From fabric
The amulet rag doll is made of the following materials:
- White head flap;
- Variegated fabric;
- Cotton wool, threads;
- Yellow pancake cloth;
- A small spear.
The head is made of white fabric, we sew the doll's breasts from colored rags (cotton wool is stuffed inside). The ends of the spear are first wrapped in a white cloth, and then in a colored one (these will be the sleeves of the dress). We put on the head on top, tie the breasts to the body. You can put on a dress, an apron, or tie a colorful scarf on the doll's head. Cut out a circle from the yellow cut, sew along the contour, insert it into the "hands" of Shrovetide. We sew the "pancake" to the hands.
From threads
A doll with a braid to the waist will be made of white and colored fabric, red threads, lace and braid. From white fabric we form the head, body and arms of the doll. Using a woolen thread, we fasten the limbs to the body. We dress Shrovetide in a sundress, we make a long braid from red threads.
On a note! A crocheted doll will become a beautiful amulet that will fit into any interior and will protect the house from trouble.
From bast
The Shrovetide figurine is traditionally made of straw or bast. What materials will be needed:
- 2 wooden sticks (one is longer, the other is shorter);
- A bunch of bast;
- Linen tow;
- Colored fabric for clothes;
- White fabric;
- Cotton wool;
- Threads.
How to make a bast doll:
- Wrap a small stick with bast, fix at the ends with a red thread.
- Tape the bast stick perpendicular to the large stick.
- Spread the bunch of bast over a long stick, wrap it with red threads on top, and fix it with a thread along the belt line.
- Wrap cotton wool on the upper part - this will be the head of a stuffed animal.
- Wrap cotton wool in a white cloth, straighten the wrinkles.
- Dress up the doll in colorful clothes, attach a braid, tie a red scarf on top.
From straw
Most often, an oil doll for burning is made with your own hands from straw. For its manufacture, use two sticks, dry straw, pieces of variegated and white fabric, rope, paint.
First, a cross of sticks is made, on which the scarecrow will be held. We attach the straw to the sticks, and carefully wrap it with a white cloth on top so that the straw does not look anywhere. At the ends of the sticks, the fabric must be attached with twine. Stuff a piece of white fabric with straw to make a head. All that remains is to dress the scarecrow in a motley sundress, put on a scarf or kokoshnik on its head, paint its face, and hang many multi-colored beads around its neck.
From the bast
Another traditional material from which the stuffed animal was made is bast. The doll making scheme is identical to the one used with straw or bast. First, a frame is made of two wooden sticks, a sponge is wound around it, a cloth is attached on top so that the sponge does not crawl out from under the fabric. At the ends of the sticks, the fabric is fixed with threads or twine. All that remains is to make the head, hair, clothes and jewelry.
From felt
A felt doll is made very simply and quickly. Multi-colored pieces of fabric are folded in a special way, hands and head are sewn to them. A bright scarf is sewn onto the head. You can also cut and sew a cute Shrovetide doll from colored felt, which will protect your home until the next holiday. If you sew a loop on top of the doll, you can hang it in the hallway on a carnation.
From a broom
A wonderful doll will turn out from an ordinary broom. Prepare the following materials:
- Old broom;
- The stick is about 30 cm long;
- Multi-colored fabric;
- Scotch.
First, we make a frame for the future doll. At a distance of 20 cm from the end of the broom, set the stick perpendicularly, attach it with tape. Make a head out of fabric, and clothes out of colored patches. Shrovetide dolls can be put on beads on the "neck", tie a scarf on the head.
Dolls for the party in kindergarten
Kids in kindergarten will be happy to make dolls for Shrovetide. They can be made from a wide variety of materials: paper, felt, fabric, thread, plastic bottles. Children can draw a picture depicting a Maslenitsa doll with the appropriate entourage: pancakes, dances, swings, and festivities.
To make a paper scarecrow, you need a minimum of materials:
- Colored paper;
- Scissors;
- Braid, tape;
- Cloth scraps
- Threads or thin hair ties.
Stages of work:
- We cut colored paper into thin strips.
- From the cut "straw" you need to form the body, body and arms of the pupa. All parts of the body are fixed with threads or hair bands.
- We cut out clothes for the doll from colored paper: an apron, a scarf, a dress. All elements are carefully glued to the doll.
On a note! This is one of the simplest options for a Maslenitsa doll that can be created with preschool children.
Ideas for Elementary School Students
Maslenitsa holiday is popular in educational institutions: kindergartens, schools, universities. Often, children need to bring an effigy of Maslenitsa to school, and their parents, in a panic, do not know what to create for the school competition. Do not worry, it is very easy to make a doll together with schoolchildren at home.
- We prepare an unnecessary duvet cover, a bright piece of fabric, cotton wool, threads with needles, wooden sticks.
- In the middle of the width of the duvet cover, mark the middle with a pencil.
- Cut out the head and arms.
- With the help of twine we tie wooden sticks to make a stand for the doll.
- We stretch the fabric blank on sticks, stuff it with cotton wool.
- We sew the sleeves so that the insides do not fall out immediately after the doll is ignited.
- Sew up the bottom edge. From colored fabric we sew a sundress and a scarf for a doll.
- Paint the face with paints or felt-tip pens.
The doll's face can be made from nylon tights with your own hands. In this case, you can not draw eyes, nose and mouth, but simply tie a scarf. The bottom of the doll is sewn from colored patches.
Shrovetide is widely celebrated today. The most striking event of the Maslenitsa week is the ritual burning of a doll, which many people prefer to do with their own hands. Together with the scarecrow, everything bad burns out: troubles, hardships, troubles, illnesses. It is believed that rebirth occurs through the flame, and with spring prosperity, happiness and prosperity will come to every home.
More on the topic: Crafts for Maslenitsa for children and adults
