This post is dedicated to corn husk craft ideas I’ve been researching and experimenting with. As you know, crafts made from natural substances from nature are my jam,, and if there’s an underrated. Corn husks are easy to come by as you can buy them at hobby stores, but you may, like me, want to get them from the most natural place your own garden. The better half and I grew corn both this year and last with different results..
Our corn yield from last year was a little better but I digress. I’ve been cutting down what was left of the stalks and collecting the husks because i know there are creative things to do with them.
Dyeing
There are some things you could do with the corncob too, if it didn’t develop into a nice juicy plump kerneled specimen. it happens to the best of us. Instead of calling it a wash and throwing away the not-so good corn, I heard you can save them and dye them a pretty fall color. I used to see home decorations that consisted of these corn cobs with open husk, and the corn was in variegated colors, which I liked. I have no idea how you get that interesting look with kernel color variation. But you can definitely dye your corn cobs.
You might try the ombre look where the color will be the darkest in one area and gradually fade into the rest of the plant. You can use food color or I have heard, Rit dye. I wanted to try Rit dye but I’ve got purple and pink…I’d rather try for authentic fall colors like brown, red, orange and deep yellow but you can always experiment. Try blue or purple if you want. You can mix colors together and possibly dye one end one color and the other a different shade too for fun.
Edit: My experience recently. Skip the food color…it’s not potent enough for this, unless you’re willing to use the whole bottle. But any change in color was minimal at best, so I went on and started a mini Rit dye bath with purple, and a few drops of red food color, to see if it would have any effect. If you’re dipping the cob too, it won’t take color well – save for the nubby end if the kernels haven’t developed.
Try and see what you come up with! These will make a wonderful table centerpiece for Thanksgiving, instead of the standard cornucopia, do this. I’ll bet you will get compliments from your guests. At any rate, great idea for fall decor. Be sure to let the corn dry for at least a day to be sure the colors don’t stain anything.
Pin for Later?
Wreaths
A front door wreath is another great use that corn husks can be made into.m You could dye them various shades or use them in their natural state. Either way you’ll have an eye catching centerpiece for the front door that will get attention and capture the essence of the harvest season. I found a good tutorial shared by this crafter @KarinsKottage if you want a blueprint to do it yourself.
A rustic craft and no waste that’s perfect for your fall decor. I love it! And all you need besides the husks is a bunch of floral pins and a foam base wreath form. The tutorial is no fluff, and you’ll enjoy putting it together by following the steps she provides.
Making Flowers
And the next thing you should do, especially if you followed the dye protocol closely, is crafting flowers.So many possible ways come to mind, depending on the type of flower. Make a special occasion even more so by doing this…Tulips, roses, sunflowers are very popular. Clustered flowers (e.g. marigolds, zinnias) I would imagine, would be hard to replicate.
I think that’s a daisy in the bottom left picture. But you get the idea.
Corn Husk Dolls
This one is a classic – legend has it this was a tradition passed down from indigenous peoples, even in 21st century, you can do this timeless craft. Remember corn is a crop that was been cultivated for many, many years…no doubt people found many uses for the crop that go well beyond nourishment. You’ll want to start with freshly removed husks in their soft form, and some twine or jute cord Wrapping the husks in a pattern. and securing the head, arms, and legs. Then let it dry for a day or so.
Weaving
I know some people joke about basket weaving not being a “real” artform…well this takes it to a whole new level. And with vareigated colors, you could also blend them in with natural, will make for a striking centerpiece.
I know this says it’s a “work in progress’ but it’s already imporessive…
Corn has such a long history, the Aztecs referred to it as “maize” and cultivated it , and resourceful people like them knew not to throw the wrapper away when the food was consumed. That’s a great way to be, no? What other things have you found to turn those marvelous corn skins into?
