Beth Rumbo - How to Make Voodoo Dolls: A Fun Step-by-Step Guide to Creating String Art Dolls

Copyright 2021 by Dr. Beth Rumbo

Photography 2021 by Austin McEvoy

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Racehorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Racehorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or .

Racehorse Publishing is a pending trademark of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Mona Lin

Cover photo by Austin McEvoy

Print ISBN: 978-1-63158-410-7

eBook ISBN: 978-1-63158-418-3

Printed in China

This book is dedicated to my four daughters, Brittany, Austin,
Jessica, and Audrey, the most amazing humans I know, who
continue to amaze me with their creativity, intelligence, and grace.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the wonderful world of voodoo string dolls! Voodoo dollsalso called yarn dolls or string dollsare fun and easy to make. They can be very simple or elaborate and filled with character. Youve seen them everywhere: gift shops, grocery stores, department stores, seasonal Halloween shops, etc. Some are cute and some are creepy, but they are all unique. Each one has a cute little personality! You can make a traditional voodoo themed string doll or get your creative juices going and make superheroes, cartoon characters, movie-themed dolls, holiday-themed dolls, or anything else you can imagine. These little dolls also make excellent Halloween party favors or decorations.

My Background

Okay, so a little background on why I started making voodoo string dolls. My sisters and I created a custom tutu business (Voodoo Tutu) after running our first marathon together. We saw many runners with fun and colorful tutus, yet didnt see any sold at race expos. After doing some research, we found only a handful of businesses creating custom and race-themed tutus. So, we decided to create a business making custom and running tutus. When deciding on the name for our tutu business, we wanted it to reflect the first marathon we ran together (as that was the inspiration for creating running tutus). While in Eugene, Oregon, for the marathon, we stopped at an eclectic donut shop called Voodoo Donut. This shop made a lasting impression on us, so we decided to name our tutu business Voodoo Tutu.

To make our tutu business unique, we decided to sell our tutus with matching voodoo string dolls. Little did we realize that the voodoo string dolls would be a hit. Besides the tutu orders, we started getting numerous voodoo string doll orders as well.

Where Did Voodoo Dolls Come From?

There are a lot of stories describing the origins of the string dolls, voodoo string dolls, and voodoo keychains. Most stories speak of these originating in Northern Thailand. Nowadays, string dolls, voodoo string dolls, and voodoo keychains are must-have accessories all over the US.

Should I Be Concerned About Voodoo?

Dont be alarmed by the name. Our voodoo string dolls are a bit of fun and should not be taken seriously. They make a fun lucky charm, an original and unique gift, an appealing accessory for your keyring or bag, a great wedding favor, or a decorative item for your home or car (and we also think they will look great hanging from Christmas trees).

Voodoo string dolls are often advertised as possessing of magical powers, able to bestow upon their owners the gifts of luck, love, and riches. However, despite their universal popularity, voodoo string dolls have not escaped unblemished; voodoo string dolls have become controversial with some parents because of their misinformation about their children using them to practice black magic.

Despite popular beliefs that voodoo is a dark art practiced by pin-sticking practitioners of evil magic, the religion of vodou is more often used for beneficial purposeshence the magical powers attributed to the voodoo string dolls.

Wherever your beliefs lie with regard to vodou, theres no denying that a voodoo string doll makes an excellent addition to any tutu, mobile phone, purse, or set of keys.

Getting Started on Your First Voodoo String Doll

Okay, lets start with a disclaimer. Although my sisters and I thought dolls would be a fun addition to our custom tutu brand, Voodoo Tutu, it turned out to be a little harder than anticipated. When my sisters and I tried our hands at making our first voodoo string dolls, they did not quite look like the cute ones we saw in stores. They ended up all having the shape of a potato. But we persisted and finally were able to get the hang of it. With practice and knowing what not to do, we created our first voodoo string dolls and so can you. I still have my first doll.

To ease you into the voodoo string doll making process, we will start with the basic voodoo string doll. There is absolutely no wrong way to make these; however, they do require support from an adult for the younger artistic creator.

Now lets learn how to make your own voodoo string doll.

SUPPLIES

What You Will Need to Make Voodoo Dolls

Not all of the voodoo string doll projects require the entire list below. Please check the supplies required for each doll prior to starting with a specific voodoo string doll design.

Multicolored pipe cleaners

Small wooden balls with a hole through (20mm)

Small and mini-sized buttons

Mini beads

Small glue gun and glue sticks

Wood glue

Superglue

A variety of yarn colors

A variety of embroidery yarn/thread colors

Colored fine-tip permanent markers

Plastic embroidery needle size 2.3-4 or any size you are comfortable with

Tin foil

Toothpicks

Scissors

Hole punch

Multicolored glass or pearlized head sewing pins

Black mini top hats

Fine tip fabric paint (multicolor)

Lace ribbon

Patience

THE BASIC VOODOO STRING DOLL