Recycle from Corn Husk

Group 8
Afifah Khaerunisa
Fildza Adelina R.
Ian Dimas A.P.
Kartika Wahyuningtiyas

Corn Husk
Corn is a nutritious and
versatile vegetable. Almost
every part of the corn cob
can be used in various
recipes, including the husks.
Dried parts of the corn cob,
such as the husk, also can be
used
in
crafts.
Ancient
cultures and modern families
alike have used cornhusks to
create such decorative items
as dolls and flowers. Make
cornhusk
flowers
for
entertainment, or decorate
your house with them around
the fall holidays.

American Indians and colonial Americans used

the corn husk, also called corn shuck, to craft a
variety of items for both practical and decorative
use. Once dried, the corn husk is a strong,
resilient piece of material that can be woven.
When shaped while wet, the corn husk will
retain that shape after it dries. Because they
were so prominent and easily available, people
have been making dolls, toys and decorations
with them for years.

What can we recycle from corn

husk?

1.Dolls
Corn husk dolls and crafts reached
their peak of popularity during the
craft revival period in the beginning
of the 20th century. American Indians,
colonial Americans and African slaves
made corn husk dolls for children to
play with, and for religious practices,
in the case of the Iroquois and Oneida
tribes. To make a corn husk doll, they
would first soak the dried corn husks
to make them pliable. Bundles, or
layers, of corn husks make the body
and additional layers of corn husks
make the clothing. The strings of the
corn was often used to make the
doll's hair. Some artisans would paint
faces on their dolls. Other craft artists
used corn husks to fashion cute
animals such as a mouse.

2. Household Items
American Indians used corn husks to fashion a
variety of household items. The Iroquois rolled
and sewn them into bed mats. The Seneca tribe
braided them into floor mats. The Narragansett
combined them with wool and basswood to
weave them into bags. American Indians also
made paper, ropes, scrub brushes, ceremonial
rattles and children's toys.

3. Clothing
American Indians also wove the corn husks into
moccasins using a two-stranded twining
method. Appalachian Americans soaked them
and cut them into thin strips, then braided
them into popular hats, such as wide-brimmed
hats and visors. Women would add flowers or
pins to decorate the hats into a more appealing
feminine form.

4. Flowers
The dried Indian corn husks
with their various colours
make attractive flowers that
can be put into a vase for
display. They are especially
appropriate in the fall, when
most flowers are dead, and
the Indian corn is plentiful.
Fashion them by using
florist wire to wrap petals
cut from husks around
stamens made from several
husks bunched together.
Glue the corn onto a circle
of construction paper and
glue on top.

5. Dragonfly
A corn-husk dragonfly
would be an interesting
table or wall decoration,
especially near a bouquet
of flowers. To make a
dragonfly, cut out wings
from two pieces of husk,
and use floral wire to wrap
them together. Make a
cylinder of husk for the
body, and attach the wings
to the centre with glue.
Paint the wings, and add
glitter or other materials to
dress up the dragonfly, if
desired.

How to make flowers from

corn husk

Tools
Bamboo

Glue gun

Cutter or scissors
Iron

Stove

Large pan to

soak cornhusks

Paper and

Pencil

Materials
Corn husks

Oil paper

Fabric dye

Water

Instructions
1. Prepare all items
will be used
2. Start by soaking the
cornhusks in a pan
of water for four or
five minutes.

3. Prepare water and

boiled in the stove. If
you want to dye the
corn husks to make
colored flowers,
dissolve fabric dye in
a boiled water
according to the
package directions.

4. Soak the cornhusks in the dye until the

desired color is achieved. Then, lay flat on a
protected surface to dry.
5. Dried colored corn husks for one day
6. After the corn husks is dried, iron the corn
husks with a warm iron until they are flat
and dry.

7. Draw petal-shaped
templates on the
paper and cut out.

8. Trace the template multiple

times onto the cornhusk
with a pencil, making sure
the grain of the cornhusks is
kept aligned with the length
of the petals.

9. Cut the petals out

using sharp
scissors and glued
with glue gun.

10.For the stem, wraped the bamboo with the

oil paper that has been twisted as layer of
the stem.
11.Pair the stem to the petals with glue gun.
12.Finally, arrange your cornhusk flowers in a
vase and enjoy.