Recycle from Corn Husk

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

Corn HuskCorn 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.DollsCorn 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 Large pan to

soak cornhusks

Glue gun

Bamboo

Stove

Cutter or scissors Iron

Paper and Pencil

Materials

Oil paper Water

Corn husks Fabric dye

Instructions1. 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.

9. Cut the petals out using sharp scissors and glued with glue gun.

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.

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.