How To Make an Eco-Friendly Voodoo Doll

Just because you're being eco-conscious doesn't mean you can't be mischievous. While nature needs to be cared for, sometimes life calls for a little supernatural intervention.

The tradition of fashioning a doll to represent a person in order to cast a spell on that person spans several continents. These dolls go by different names, but in the United States are most commonly referred to by the name "voodoo." Here's a little more on the history of voodoo.

The effigies can be made with a variety of materials, but in keeping with the eco-minded theme of the month, I've made mine with tights, socks, and other odds and ends from the rag-pile. The element of "magic " is a bit of ephemera from the object of your effigy; a hair they've left behind fits the bill quite well.

You will need:

1. a bit of ephemera from the person you intend to cast a spell on
2. a spent pair of tights
3. three buttons
4. scissors
5. needle and thread
6. string
7. push pins
8. old socks and other old clothes
   

Step1:
Cut the legs off the tights. reserve the remaining tights pieces to chop into filling.


Step 2:
Cut both socks straight across below the heel. You will be using the "toes-up" section to fashion your doll; set aside the rest of the socks (the heels up) to chop into filling.


Step3:
Chop the set aside tight and sock pieces, as well as the other clothing, into stuffing.


Step4:
Sew three buttons onto the foot-end of one of the tights legs into "two eyes and a nose" formation. This will be the doll's head.


Step 5:
Use a fistful of the stuffing to fill the head.


Step 6:
Tie the head off at the neck with string.


Step 7:
Cut a small "arm slit" on either side of the doll, just below the neck. Push a small handful of the stuffing into the foot of the other tights leg. Slip it through both the arm slits, so that you have two "arms" (one filled, one soon to be filled). Tie string to bind the filled arm. Add stuffing to the other arm and tie it off too.


Step 8:
Take one of your sock halves.

Slip the sock into the doll body. This is a good time to add the magical element. Here you see a piece of hair taped to a slip of paper. Add stuffing to the sock. Tie it closed with string. Add more stuffing to the body, leaving about four inches of slack at the bottom.


Step 9:
Bind the other sock half, toe-side up, to the doll at the waist. Fill the sock half and the slack tights, aka the doll's legs, with stuffing. Bind at the bottom with string.

Step 10:
Bust out your push pins and get out your aggressions.

-MaryAnne LoVerme
wabisabibrooklyn.etsy.com
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