In the modern world, pagan and Christian traditions are closely intertwined. The interaction of ancient customs is especially felt when celebrating such outstanding dates as Christmas, New Year, Easter and others. New Year and Christmas is just around the corner.

Even in pagan times, our ancestors wove the so-called amulets - motanka dolls. Such a doll acted as a keeper of the house, protecting it from evil forces.

Story

The history of the doll is rooted in the distant past. The first motanka doll was made about 5 thousand years ago. This is a very ancient art, which today not everyone can do. In ancient Greece, Egypt, Rome, there were similar toys made from fabric or thread with your own hands.

Motanka doll was especially popular in Ukraine. In ancient times, it was timed to coincide with various significant events in a person's life.

• So, at the birth of a child, they made a baby doll, put it in a cradle with the baby, so that the coast guarded his health.
• When a girl got married, a richly decorated doll protected her from the evil eye.
• They also made the so-called woman, inside which they put coins, wool or grain. Baba-bereginya symbolized prosperity in the house.

With the advent of Christianity, the history of the motanka doll did not come to an end. On the contrary, amulets began to be made similar to the biblical characters of the New Testament:

1. Christ
2. Virgin Mary,
3. angels.

Motanka angel master class

How to quickly make such a doll?

They also played the role of guardians and were usually timed to coincide with Christmas. The secrets of how to make such a doll have been passed down from generation to generation. There is one rule that is strictly observed: you need to make a motanka without the participation of scissors and a needle, otherwise all its miraculous power will disappear. Be sure the coastline must be made by hand.

And today, folk amulets are becoming fashionable and take pride of place in homes next to Christian icons. Our time is tolerant, and we have long ceased to reproach each other for mixing customs. A motanka doll from a keeper turns into a souvenir, an exclusive product, which is honorable and presentable to have. However, such complex requirements are no longer imposed on the souvenir. The doll is made with scissors, needles and threads, because beauty comes to the fore, not symbolism. But if you still want to make amulets, scissors and a needle should not be involved in the manufacturing process.

How to do it yourself?

Consider how to make a motanka doll with your own hands. In the photo and video you can watch the whole process step by step and get a master class.

To make a doll with your own hands, you will need pieces of natural fabric - coarse calico or linen, beads, braid, colored threads for decoration. In the photo you will see how to make a head. To do this, we wind a strip of fabric very tightly, small in width, so that a semblance of a barrel is formed and cover it with a square white cloth, at the bottom of the barrel we fix the fabric with a thread. Next, in the form of a scarf, we put the threads crosswise on the head. It turns out the so-called sacred cross, which gives the doll protective properties. If you want to follow the tradition, then you need to wind the movement of the Sun an odd number of times. Next, we will make the body and arms of the doll. Looking at the master class in the photo and video, you will see that for this you need to twist the white fabric into two tubes (one longer, the other shorter) and connect them with a cross. The head is tied to the top of the cross.

Doll making options.

The next step is to make an undershirt for a motanka from embroidered or colored fabric. To do this, we cut the fabric in half to the middle and put it on the doll so that the cut is at the back. At the "waist" and at the ends of the sleeves, we wind the fabric to the tubes with the help of ribbons. The lower and upper skirts are worn alternately on the lower part. The top should be more elegant. The motanka doll is decorated with a scarf and beads. At the same time, the scarf personifies the connection with the sky.

Having studied in detail the master class in the photo, you can make such amulets with your own hands.

Video with the manufacturing process

herbalist

In addition to the usual motanka doll, there is also the so-called herbalist. It differs in that it is filled with fragrant medicinal herbs. The herbalist not only drives away evil spirits, but also heals, since herbs contain healing oils that evaporate when the herb dries. This is a folk way of phyto- and aromatherapy.

Grass in a capsule (doll) is changed every two years. The filler is usually mint or lemon balm. Making such a doll is quite easy. In addition, after studying the master class, you can choose the collection of herbs for yourself. Of course, the herbalist is not a prevention against all diseases, but thanks to the properties of herbs it is able to cope with some ailments.

So, mint improves memory, lemon balm calms, has a positive effect on cardiac activity, lavender effectively reduces blood pressure, thyme is great for coughing. Knowing the characteristics of your body, you can pick up an individual collection of herbs and fill the doll with it. If you will make a doll as a gift, try to find out the characteristics of the body of this person and prepare an appropriate collection for him, with which to fill the doll.

Master class on making herbs

So, a photo and a master class will help you quickly and efficiently learn how to make motanka dolls. They can also be used in everyday life as a decoration of your own home, as toys for children, as souvenirs and gifts for relatives and friends. With a certain approach and faith in miraculous powers, the doll will become a real keeper. This is a coastline that came from the depths of centuries to protect your home from evil forces.

Motanka is a symbol of the mother of nature, the Mother of God and fertility, so it is not surprising that dolls are always female. Traditionally, making a motanka is a woman's work and an honorable duty. The secrets of making dolls were passed down from mother to daughter.

Eat three types of coils: baby, bride and shore.

Motanka baby made at the birth of a child, such a doll looks like a baby in swaddling clothes. It is placed in the cradle to the baby and protects from the evil eye, protects sleep, and protects health. If the child was sick, they made another doll and let the baby play, it was believed that such a doll took all the illness, and when he recovered, the doll was burned.

bride doll made for the bride, she was an important part of the posag, along with towels and shirts. A bride's outfit was sewn to such a doll and a lot of jewelry was put on; the girl had to play with this doll until the birth of her first child. It was believed that the more she plays, the healthier and stronger the offspring will be, because the doll personified the Ancestor, and it was believed that in the game she conveys the experience of her ancestors to her young wife.

A talisman for home and family was coaster doll. In whose head they hid a coin, grain and wool of a sheep for prosperity and family comfort. For harmony in the house, a motanka-beregina was bound to wrap a cross around her face. First, the threads were wound vertically and only then horizontally. The cross in a circle is a symbol of the harmony of the soul (vertical) and body (horizontal), the unity of the feminine with the masculine, an ancient solar sign that carries solar, positive energy. Such a doll was placed or hung in the corner, from the side of the sunrise.

Ancestors believed that through human facial features they could enter a doll, and they can be both good and evil, in addition, by drawing a face, the craftswoman subconsciously gives the doll the features of a familiar person and thereby endangers him. Emphasizing the inanimateness of the motanka, it is made faceless, which means it is safe for people.

In addition to the three main types of winding dolls, dolls were also made for desires, which were coaxed with decorations. Motanki were also made to help the traveler, for a strong family, and for the birth of children. To the apron of the motanka, which helped to get pregnant, they tied baby dolls, “babies” in the amount they wanted to have (one, two, three, four). With such a doll, a woman slept until pregnancy.

Motanki were made from scraps of fabric from the clothes of parents, grandparents, so it is not surprising that the doll, handmade from the clothes of native people, spoken for good and good luck, protects and carries boundless positive energy. That is why the tradition of making dolls-coils has survived to this day and is becoming increasingly popular.

The Ukrainian motanka doll is a unique phenomenon that our ancestors left us as a gift. The motanka doll is universal: it is made according to the same principles, whether it be to harmonize family relations, for healing or a talisman. But the most mysterious is the presence of a cross on the face. What secret hides in itself this coastline?

SACRED MEANING

The Ukrainian motanka doll contains many sacred cosmogonic meanings that were formed back in the Trypillia era. Therefore, many researchers (A. Naiden, L. Timoshenko and others) believe that the origins of the motanka doll are in the Trypillia culture. So, at the base of her head, she has a twisted svarga, which is the main motif on the Trypillia clay products. Svarga symbolizes the movement and development of the universe. The word “development” itself contains the image of a coil: in the process of development of something, coils seem to spread. Indeed, the process of winding the doll resembles the spiral movement of the Universe, as if energy whirlwinds are twisting. In addition, twisting, curling conveys the image of a layered structure of human thin bodies, as Zinaida Zimina notes in the book Textile Ritual Dolls. In general, curling is a ritual action that correlates with the birth, growth, multiplication, is associated with the creation of the world (“whirlwind”, “midwife”, “spovivat”, “verch” - wedding bread, and many others).

The ancient origin of the motanka doll is also indicated by the fact that it has a cross instead of traced facial features. It is known that the eyes are the “mirror of the soul”. The eyes were not depicted on the sacred doll, so that there would be no identification with any living being. People believed that the soul could fly into the eyes. The cross on the face of the sacred doll, as it were, testifies to its being outside of space and time, therefore it is an archetype, an image of the Great Goddess, a conductor of her power. This is what makes it sacred. The indicated facial features, as it were, impose a certain image, dispel the haze of mystery, the unknown, drive it into frames and thereby desacralize the doll, that is, make it an ordinary toy. After all, behind a cross-like face, you can fantasize any image you like in accordance with your inner world. The finished image may not correspond to the energy of the person for whom the motanka doll is created, as a result of which the person may not perceive the doll as a reflection of his inner world, and then the doll will not become a talisman, but will be perceived as an independent being living separately from the owner. And the essence of the motanka doll is in continuous energy exchange with its owner.

In addition, the cross in a circle is a sign of Dazhdbog, that is, a symbol that carries solar energy. And our ancestors called themselves "grandchildren of Dazhdbozh". The cross is also a symbol of the harmonization of the spiritual (vertical line) and the body (horizontal line), similarly to the heavenly and earthly, male and female principles.

SECRETS OF MAGIC DOLL-MOTANKA

In the name of the motanka doll lies its essence: this doll is not knitted or sewn, it is only wound. You need to use only natural materials. It's great if the fabric is handmade. Dry herbs, flowers can be woven into the doll, heads of corn can be used, grains can be invested.

This amulet is made practically without knots, since our ancestors were afraid to “tie a share”. It is impossible to touch the doll with piercing objects (needles, scissors), you can offend her, because the doll is a creature inspired by its creator. It is advisable to tear the fabric and threads for dolls with your hands, but you can also cut them, the main thing is not to touch the doll itself with scissors. It is very good to create a doll from pieces of old clothes that belong to loved ones, for example, grandparents, because it is saturated with their energy, and the doll will radiate it, passing it on to descendants. But it is necessary to trace whether these clothes were “happy”. You can not use the clothes that were worn during difficult life situations, during illness, in stressful conditions.

The creation of a motanka doll is the action of a new birth. Each doll is a living being, it carries certain energies. Like a person, she is born only after she finds out her destiny, her task in this world. The doll is a meditative object. Shaking it, the woman is, as it were, between the worlds: feeling a connection with Naviu - ancestors, clearing the past, asserting the power of her faith Yav - the present, "manifesting" the necessary images and thus forming a happy future, righteous thoughts - Rule. By shaking the doll, the woman is shaking her fate. Therefore, the most important stage in the manufacture of a motanka doll is the formation of an idea, concept, image. And already the material is selected for the idea and the name of the doll appears, that is, the idea is realized. The craftswoman must decide: for what purpose she will make the doll, in what way she will help its owner, what innermost desires to realize. For example, to make peace with someone, if they quarreled, then images of forgiveness are laid in the doll, or to solve family problems, then images corresponding to this plan are inserted, etc.

These images are inserted when the roller for the doll's head is twisted, which resembles the Trypillia spiral. After all, it is in the head that mental images are born, thus, the head of the doll is the main carrier of the energy of the idea of ​​its creator. When we cover this roller with a cloth for the face, we bless this creature. Waving a cross on the doll's face, you can lay a certain symbolic number. The doll is wound only in a good mood, with prayers, you can fill it with Alive energy, speak, that is, be in a sacred prayer camp. We wind the thread around the Sun (salting), directing energy in the direction of growth and development. By shaking the doll, we are spinning the energy, we are shaking the share. The more we twist the thread, the more energetic the doll becomes. This is a responsible spiritual work. Thus, the doll retains the energy, information of its creator. She always reflects the inner world of the craftswoman, which is manifested in the "character" of the doll: appearance, colors, style of clothing, size, etc.

Of great importance is the day when the doll is rolled up. On Friday - the day of Mokosh and Sunday - the day of the Family, of all the Gods - you should not make a doll. So, folk craftsman Valentina Berdnik-Sokorinskaya always adheres to the meaning of holidays and moon phases when making a motanka doll. For example, for fertility, wealth, a doll is made in the waxing phase of the moon, for family happiness and successful business - when the moon is full, and in the waning phase, dolls are made to ward off problems and illnesses.

Conventionally, the work on the motanka doll can be divided into two stages: the creation of the body of the doll and the creation of the outfit. When the doll's body is dangled, no knots are tied. One knot is tied at the very end, when the doll's body is swaddled, in the place of the navel, which symbolizes the birth, the tying of the umbilical cord, and at this moment the power of the craftswoman's intention is fixed. It is believed that when tying a knot, you need to make a wish. Knots are allowed in the manufacture of hands (fixing along the edges of the hand roller), this can be explained by the fact that the hands are made separately, and then attached to the body of the doll. But motanka dolls may not have hands.

The started doll must be completed in order to avoid misfortunes.

An outfit for a doll, until it is tied up, you can embroider, sew lace, jewelry to it. Also, the headpiece can be sewn separately. The elements of the doll's clothing also have a protective symbolic meaning. The skirt symbolizes the earth, the embroidered wavy line on the apron indicates a connection with water, the shirt - the trinity of the world, the headdress (ribbon, scarf, ochipok) - a connection with the sky.

Sacred motanka doll - a coaster, one of the family members, an assistant in life. It can be placed on a pokutya, near the front door, above the crib, in front of the table. Love and the light of the soul, invested in it, will create a happy fate for the family, clan, and through space and time will pass it on to descendants.

THE WAY TO YOURSELF

In the Russian folk tale "Vasilisa the Beautiful" the image of a sacred doll-assistant has been preserved. Delving into the secrets of this tale, we can clarify a lot in the nature of the female soul.

K.P. Estes in the book “Running with the Wolves. The female archetype in myths and legends” writes that the old fairy tale about Vasilisa is a story about the initiation of a woman, the development of a female soul. Psychologist Razida Tkach in the book “Self-disclosure of a woman with the help of the fairy tale“ Vasilisa the Beautiful ”describes how this fairy tale can be used to work out some psychological problems associated with poor-quality living of certain age stages. Thus, the main goal of the heroine is to acquire the deep wisdom of a woman, without which it is impossible to build a happy life.

To gain inner feminine power, the soul must complete certain tasks. And the very first task is to "let the too-kind mother die." The tale begins with the fact that Vasilisa's mother dies, but before her death, along with her blessing, she gives her daughter a doll and orders her to always keep it with her, and if some grief happens, give her food and ask her for advice. Through the chrysalis, the mother conveys to her daughter the female intuition, the ancestral force, which helps the girl to go through all the trials. According to K. P. Estes, the doll expresses the inner female spirit, the voice of the inner mind, inner knowledge and consciousness. She is a symbolic copy of the original "self", soul, intuition. Keeping a doll with you means receiving maternal help and advice. To feed the chrysalis is to maintain an emotional sensual connection with the mother, one's family, with one's intuition. Sokhan I.V. believes that the mother’s order to feed the chrysalis means “the need for inner work in order not to forget oneself and not to move away from one’s essence and purpose in the variety of everyday concerns, and also the ability to feed, while infringing on oneself, indicates the ability to sacrifice something one-time for the sake of something more important and truly urgent.”

If we perceive the fairy tale superficially, then it becomes very pitiful for Vasilisa, who from now on will not see maternal affection. But in order to understand the secret meaning of this tale, one must understand that all its elements depict the qualities of a single female soul. That is, at the level of images, archetypes, the death of a kind and affectionate mother means farewell to the childhood of the soul, the rejection of excessive maternal care. In order to undergo initiation (initiation) into a real woman, the heroine must take responsibility for an independent life, develop awareness of her actions. This is what symbolizes the death of the mother in the so-called women's fairy tales.

Further, the disgusting stepmother's family enters the world of Vasilisa, turning her life into hell. The stepmother and her daughters personify the "shadow" - the "dark" aspects of the soul, which the ego drives into the depths of the subconscious. These are the unaccepted parts of the soul that create problems for the heroine. At this stage of initiation, a woman is plagued by petty nit-picking of her own soul: “You don’t deserve better. You are stupid and worthless. You are allowed from now to now and no more.” Thus, the next task of the heroine is to accept the dark sides of her soul, become whole, balance white and black, and therefore become herself. The conflict between a too good, kind, compliant nature and a too demanding, aggressive nature is escalating. The stepmother and sisters want to kill the blossoming soul, therefore they extinguish the fire in the house, without which life is impossible. The extinguished fire symbolizes death for the old way of life. Symbolic death is the first stage in the structure of initiation.

Now Vasilisa is faced with the task of getting fire. Through the dark forest to the hut of Baba Yaga, the doll-intuition leads Vasilisa, that is, the heroine must trust her instinctive nature.

Baba Yaga is the very essence of the instinctive, integral soul. This is a prototype of Mokosh - the wise and fair Goddess, who spins the thread of human destiny. If the visitor treats her with respect, he will give him a Share, and if he shows ignorance and disobedience, he sends a Nedolya. Baba Yaga inspires fear because it simultaneously personifies both destructive energy and life force energy. Despite all the threats, she is always fair. Reverence before great power is a decisive lesson. A woman must be able to stand before the power, because in the end some part of this power will pass to her. Vasilisa asks Baba Yaga for fire, and she agrees, but only if in return the girl will do her homework for her. In the language of images in this way, Baba Yaga teaches Vasilisa to put things in order in the house of her soul. Washing clothes of Baba Yaga symbolizes cleansing, implies impregnation, filling with spirituality, higher power, mystery, since clothes carry her image, energy. Vasilisa learns to renew her soul by erasing the fibers of existence. Sweeping in the hut of Baba Yaga means learning to disassemble, understand, keep in order, cleanse the house of your soul, streamline your inner life. To cook for Baba Yaga, you need to kindle the creative fire of your soul, the fire of love, mold yourself in the image and likeness of the Great Goddess. The task of sorting through the grain, separating the good from the bad, is the development of the ability to accurately recognize, unmistakably separate the true from the false, make subtle differences in judgments, which will help make the right choice in life. With the help of this work, Vasilisa collects herself, structures her psyche. The statusless, intermediate state of the initiate is the second stage of initiation.

For good work, Baba Yaga gives Vasilisa a burning skull. At first glance, a terrifying image (“How can children read this?!”). But at a deep level, the skull symbolizes the connection with the ancestors. In ancient times, bones were considered a means of evoking spirits, and the skull was especially important. Thus, this symbolizes that Baba Yaga gave Vasilisa ancient tribal knowledge, the gift of knowledge. Vasilisa has merged with her power and now sees the world and her life in a new light. When Vasilisa comes home, the skull observes the stepmother and daughters, and then burns them to the ground, that is, the transformation of the shadow sides of the soul takes place. Rebirth in a new quality, return to life in a new status - the third, final stage of initiation.

Vasilisa - the image of the female soul - does a huge inner work, thanks to which she undergoes age-related initiation into a wise woman, gains intuition, integrity, deserves happiness. Now she has inner strength to create her world in love and harmony. She discovered the Wild Woman in herself - the primordial Goddess. In this way, Vasilisa the Beautiful turns into Vasilisa the Wise.

From now on, what Vasilisa is able to create thanks to her inner female strength and wisdom is worthy only of a king. She weaves the thinnest fabric - the fabric of her destiny, from which no one but her can sew shirts for the king. The king finds Vasilisa and recognizes her as his betrothed. The tale ends with the words that Vasilisa "... always carried a doll in her pocket at the end of her life." This is a parting word to always hear the voice of your soul, to remember your true primordial nature. This is how the Goddess is born.

Zoryana ZDZEBA

Miniature motanka doll (master class)

I invite you to make a small motanka doll from shreds and threads.

:

For the doll you will need

• a piece of white fabric (coarse calico, chintz) 15x15 cm in size - this will be the head of the pupa

scraps of colored fabric:

• 9x9 cm for handles
• 8x15 cm for a skirt
• 4x7 cm for the apron

• a small piece of synthetic winterizer or cotton wool
• threads for winding the doll (acrylic, wool, linen, cotton - at your discretion)
• a hank of floss threads - if you wish to make your doll with hair, or a small triangle of fabric on a handkerchief

You can make a motanka at home. The easiest way will waste an hour of your time, or even less. Or order from us! ;)

1. To make a doll, you need four square pieces of fabric, preferably cotton, strong, the size of a large handkerchief or paper napkin. One piece will be light in color. Necessary rags or cotton wool (synthetic winterizer) for stuffing the doll's head, coarse threads (No. 10 will do). You can prepare a colored lace or weave an ordinary pigtail out of colored threads. It is very impressive when the braid is two-tone. For a belt and a lower scarf on the head, we prepare a ribbon or braid.

2. The winding doll is made by “winding” without the use of a needle. It is recommended not to cut, but to tear the fabric, so that "from that sound all the evil forces go away from the amulet and from the house."

3. Two square pieces are suitable for making two skirts, light-colored fabric will be used for making a doll head. The fourth piece is for hands and a headscarf.

4. You should start with the petticoat. Fold the square of fabric in half, and then in half again to make a small square. We round off one corner in it (as in a paper snowflake). If the fabric is unfolded, you should get a circle.

5. We fold the second square in the same way as the first one, only we cut it higher, about half a centimeter, than the first flap. Thus, from two flaps we get two doll "skirts".

6. The third (light) piece of fabric must be cut off another half a centimeter higher than the other before.

7. Fold the pieces so that the most is at the bottom, and the light one is at the top. Then, under the very piece, you need to put rags to stuff the doll's head. We collect the pieces by hand, and make the head by rewinding the thread. We wind clockwise and an odd number of times. Ready "body" dolls and "head".

8. Now we wind up the "handles". The fourth piece of fabric can also be light, or the color of one of the doll's skirts. This piece needs to be torn in half. From the formed rectangle we form “handles”. The fabric needs to be wrapped inside so that the end is not visible, we lay it inside the rag to create volume, and drag it on the sides with a thread - we fix it.

9. Next, we wrap the “handles” to the body. This is done with a protective cross. All motankas have it and are the main element in the ritual and traditional sense. The amulet cross is wound like this: bottom - top right, then obliquely, then we lead the thread around the waist and bring it over the right shoulder to the waist. Some masters believe that the cross should be made both on the back and on the chest in the form of the letter "X". We tie a colored belt to the waist.

10. We decorate the doll's head with a beautiful braid or red thread - this will be a symbolic lower scarf on the doll's head.

11. A torn off rectangle remained from the fourth piece of fabric. We tear it in half again to get two squares. The first will be a scarf that we tie on the doll's head. The second square will turn into a doll's handbag: we put a coin or grain on it, the handbag must be tied up so that the edges of the fabric protrude, after which it must be put on the shoulder or tied to the doll's waist.

Either we simply put the motanka doll, or we attach it to a stick, and she will find a place for herself in the house herself.

Recently, I noticed such a strange thing: sometimes expensive toys for children are not as cute as simple tiny kinders, fluffies donated by someone or an ordinary doll that mom rolled up in 5-10 minutes from the remnants of fabric. That's how it happened to us. Quite by chance, I got to a mini master class on making traditional rag dolls. She brought the result of her labors home and - lo and behold! The kids are busy all evening! I was surprised and decided to make three more dolls.

What did you need for the doll?

Rectangular fabrics, ribbons, threads, synthetic winterizer, cotton wool or gauze.

How to make a motanka doll?

I’ll make a reservation right away that I did not follow the tradition and cut the fabric with scissors, although I was told that the fabric for the winder should be torn by hand.

1. Prepare 5 rectangles of fabric and 1 square. You can cut out the necessary patches in the course of work on the doll.

2. The first rectangle should be a neutral color. It will be dolls. In its center we put a synthetic winterizer, cotton wool (in my case - gauze).

From this rectangle we will make the head and body of the doll

Fold the fabric in half and gather it around the filler to make a ball for the head.

3. We wind the threads well at the base of the head, make a knot.

4. We take a new rectangular piece of fabric and twist it into a roller. These will be the hands of our motanka doll.

5. When the roller is ready, we tightly tie its edges with threads.

It should turn out like this:

6. We take the body of our pupa and put our hands between two layers of fabric.

7. Grab the fabric under the handles and start winding.

8. We make a beautiful blouse for the doll. To do this, take the ribbon and wrap it several times crosswise around the arms and waist.

We tie the ribbon into a knot and lower the edges down. There will be a skirt on top.

9. Take another rectangle of fabric and fold it in half right side out. We put the doll on top, as shown in the photo below.

Raise one layer of fabric and wrap your hand around the doll's waist.

We begin to tightly wind the thread, at the end we make a knot.

10. You can make a lot of such layers of a skirt. I had 3 layers. Only now the second one should be applied not to the back of the doll, but to the tummy. Then Lyalya will come out smart and no bodily tissue will be visible.

11. I made a handkerchief for a doll from a triangle, but you can make it from a square folded in half. Everything is simple here - we tie the head of the doll in the same way as ourselves, only behind it is worth tying the ponytails into a knot.

12. So our traditional motanka doll is ready, you can start the game!

Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised how the children, spoiled with beautiful toys, reacted to simple rag dolls. Ksyusha went with the doll to the kindergarten, Sima took her to classes in the children's club, and then asked to take the doll with her to the store. And for several days they slept with motanks in an embrace, it’s a pity there was no photo left.

If you liked this simple rag doll, share the master class with your friends on social networks. Maybe they will also want to make a pleasant surprise for the kids with their own hands;)

Do you want to always get fresh ideas, materials and a variety of coloring pages for activities with toddlers? Then feel free to “Grow smart”!

We wish you more sweet children's smiles!

Another master class how to make a motanka doll, from Anna.

“Since ancient times, people believed in the existence of evil forces and various evil spirits. To protect their homes and their loved ones, various kinds of rituals and ceremonies were carried out, in which special hand-made amulets were often used. The most common of these is .

For thousands of years, this amazing symbol has symbolized wisdom, fertility, motherhood and the connection between generations. Mothers, leaving their children, wrapped bread or fruit in a cloth, attached a stick and gave them as a toy, putting all their love and energy into it, saying prayers and wishes. The motanka doll was passed from hand to hand, from generation to generation, from mother to daughter, thereby linking the entire subsequent family.

When a girl got married, such a doll, dressed in a national dress, always with a wreath on her head, was placed in the chest with her dowry. In addition to it, they made a couple -. Immediately after the marriage, it was customary for them to play so that children would be born faster.

It is this doll that we suggest you make in this master class, of course, today it is more of a souvenir character than a magical amulet, but it still remains relevant and in demand.

How to make a motanka doll

So, for work we need:

• cotton fabric in white and red;
• strong threads of white and black;
• scissors;
• colored thin satin ribbons;
• a little cotton wool or synthetic winterizer;
• small artificial flowers;
• embroidered blanks of doll clothes;
• floss threads of a light brown shade.

How to make a motanka doll, step by step

This doll is not sewn during manufacture, it is only tied and wound, hence its name "". So in our master class we will try not to sew anything. Let's start by creating the head and torso, for this we need a rectangular piece of fabric, 10 x 30 cm in size, a small ball of cotton wool and thread.

We fold the fabric in half in width, in the center of the bend line on the inside we put a ball of cotton wool and form a head, which we fix by tightly wrapping it with several turns of thread.

Next, we take a thin red satin ribbon and wind it over the entire head in the form of a cross. Such dolls were not specially made a face, but only wound from threads or fabricso that it would not become an object for black divination and damage.

Following the head, we proceed to the formation of handles, for this we take another piece of white fabric and twist it into a tight roll. On the one hand, we fold the edge of the roll onto the corner and fix it with a thread, we get a palm.

We insert our hands between the two halves of the fabric, we also lay another small lump of cotton wool for the body between them and fix the doll's waist with a thread.

Now we will dress up the motanka. We embroidered a detail of the shirt in advance, put it on and fix it at the waist with threads.

We decorate the outfit with an apron, which we also embroidered in advance.

Now we need to make the hair. To do this, take the floss threads, cut them into three equal parts, tie them in the center with a thread and braid them on both sides.

We tie the braids to the ribbon on the head in the center.

At the end, we make a wreath. To do this, we glue or tie small flowers in the center of the ribbon, you should not sew them on, as there is a main rule: you cannot use a needle in the manufacture of a winding doll.

We put a wreath on the doll's head, tie it at the back of the head and tie a lot of colored ribbons of the same length to this main ribbon.

Motanka doll - ready!

A motanka doll was made by pronouncing various wishes, endowing it with various magical properties. Believing that she will bring success and health, peace and love to the family, fertility and wealth. When creating your doll, be sure to tune in to positive emotions, and also, tying each knot, make a good wish.

Another master class how to make a motanka doll with a traditional sacral thread cross, .

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The first motanka doll was made more than 5 thousand years ago. Such dolls can be found in any country. It was not just a toy. It was believed that she protected a person from troubles and troubles. The doll was often used in rituals. When making a ritual doll, everything that a person wanted to get rid of (trouble, illness) was woven into it and burned at the stake or drowned in water.

In any peasant house one could see dolls. They performed different functions - they guarded housing, children, sleep, took care of the household. The children loved to play with them.

A do-it-yourself motanka doll is considered one of the most powerful amulets. Initially, they were made as various amulets. Now all sorts of souvenir dolls are in demand.

When creating a classic winder, which should protect housing from unclean forces and / or evil people, the use of scissors and needles is unacceptable - everything is torn off and wound exclusively by hand.

The motanka doll is made without a face. According to ancient beliefs, a doll without a face cannot become someone's double, which means it will never do harm. The Slavs were sure: amulets cannot draw a face, also because an evil spirit can inhabit its owner through the eyes of a doll.

The materials for the manufacture are natural materials (hay, straw, wood, herbs, dry leaves, seeds, grains). The motanka was decorated with folk ornaments and embroidery.

When creating a motanka doll, you must follow some rules:

A talisman doll can only be created in a good mood, in a healthy state (except for a doll to get rid of an ailment), with a pure heart and good thoughts;

Image formation and goal setting - you need to decide how the doll will help its owner, what tasks it needs to complete (reconcile, cure; bring good luck, etc.);

- The choice of the day for creating the amulet (if the goal is fertility, you need to choose the day when the moon is growing; if the motanka doll is a talisman of family well-being or the successful completion of the business - the full moon; if you need to make a lapel from ailments and problems - the doll is made on the waning moon. A prerequisite - you can’t wind the doll on the day of the Family - Sunday and on the day when Makosh dominates - Friday);

Using only natural threads, material, fabrics, and preferably pieces of old “happy” clothes of older family members (clothes in which something good, significant happened with grandparents, mother);

The started doll must be finished winding on the same day, otherwise the protection will be interrupted and instead of the amulet, its owner will receive a negatively charged object.

The best amulet is a handmade amulet. On the motanka doll, which you will make yourself, there should not be any knots. Let's admit only one - in the symbolic area of ​​the navel. This is a symbol of birth, bandaged, for a future life, the umbilical cord. By tying this knot, the creator of the doll makes the most cherished wish.

It is possible to allow knots on the doll's arms, but only if they are made separately from her body, and then screwed to it. In the process of winding the doll, no piercing or cutting tools should be used. Otherwise, you will cut off fate or perforate it. Therefore, all outfits for the doll, symbolic embroidery on aprons, skirts are made in advance.

Embroidery on motanka clothes is also a talisman, as well as the color of threads and fabrics:

Red color is considered a talisman (protective). A motanka doll in red will protect you and your home from evil energies and bring good luck.

Green color with floral ornament - a symbol of Mother Nature. Nature was respected, as it gave everything for life and health. Green symbol of growth and birth, health and longevity.

Yellow color - abundance and wealth. Yellow color symbolizes the Sun, as the energy of all life on Earth.

- Rhombus with a dot in the middle- a sign of the Goddess of Fate, a call to her to bestow prosperity, well-being;

- Eight-pointed zavod symbolizing the Eye of the Family, a request to grant mercy and support to the ancestors;

- cornflower, embroidered with a cross - helped to cope with vision problems;

- Hop(cross) protected from frequent cases of colds, fever;

- Cross-stitched sign of fiery revolving Cross, reliably protected from the evil eye, damage, love spells;

- oak leaves- a protective sign for a boy or a man who gave him strength of body and strength of mind;

- Peahen- this ornament is always depicted in pairs and means youth and the prime of life. Respectful and beautiful pav or firebirds are even today embroidered on wedding towels. They seem to radiate the energy of the sun and life, blessing the newlyweds for family happiness;

- Nightingale and cuckoo very often they find a place on the towels of girls who have not yet found their mate;

- Doves and bright roosters are characteristic symbols of a wedding towel. In the ornament, these birds are arranged in such a way that their heads are tilted towards each other. If they hold a sprig of viburnum in their beaks, or sit at the roots of a tree, then this is a sign of the birth of a new family;

- Martin- a sign of good news related to the creation of a family and the strengthening and expansion of the economy;

Pattern viburnum symbolized the immortality of the family, as well as the Renaissance;

-grape bunches personify the joy associated with the creation of a family. Ornament garden - grapes symbolize the field of life, where a man plays the role of a sower, and a woman is a keeper who grows and cherishes the family tree.

One of the main patterns is red poppy. It was believed that embroidery with poppies should protect its owner from any evil.

- Chernobrivtsi refer to healing symbols that can heal the soul and body. Also, their images personify love for nature and all living things.

In total there are three types of winding dolls:

Motanki-diapers (infants) for a newborn. Mothers or grandmothers make them with their own hands to put the baby in the cradle, protecting him from restless sleep, illness, and the evil eye. By the way, after the doll took away the disease, it must be burned so that it does not return. You can wrap a walnut in the head of the doll, and three grains of buckwheat in its middle. So the diaper became a tricycle (rattle), driving away evil spirits with its noise (it is afraid of him).

Motanka bride in a wedding dress . Her young wives kept until the birth of their first child, adopting the maternal experience of the women of the family and driving away the attacks of evil spirits.

Motanka-bereginya , such a talisman, in its most varied interpretation (Easter, Palm, Herbalist, Kolyada, Fertility, Ten Hands, Zhelannitsa, etc.) was used as protection for the house and its household from all evil misfortunes, misfortune, sadness, bad and bad words, evil eye and damage. Such a doll should be located in that corner of the house that corresponds to the sunrise of Yaril (on the east side), just above the level of the head. Or opposite the front door, in order to immediately gladly meet those who entered the house with good intentions, and severely those who came with bad thoughts. Sometimes grains of wheat or a coin were wrapped in it - to attract wealth and prosperity. As a rule, Beregini should have large breasts - a symbol of maternal care and love.

After the doll is created, nothing is cut off on it, it does not break off. This is already a “doll body” and nothing can be removed from it. It can be "get along" by pulling the fabric - where necessary, or by tucking the weave with a wooden stick. The doll turns out the way it should be for a given person at a given time.

Special rules on how to deal with a charm doll that has worked out its own or does not like it. In this case, the doll is burned or drowned in the river (the water should not be "stagnant"). Before such a ritual, you need to thank the doll for the work.

Some dolls should rest, for example, at Zernushki-Krupenichek in spring - in May - the cereal is poured out and used in porridge, the grain is added to the seed - for a good harvest, and in the fall, the doll is filled with new selected cereals or grain. In Kubyshki, you need to renew the grass once every two years. New herbs with new powers will protect you.

In the manufacture of play folk dolls or souvenir dolls, you can use everything that is at hand. “Deviations” from technologies, replacement of materials are allowed. You can be more creative with dressing and decorating the doll.