How to Make a Voodoo Doll Banner for Halloween

This little voodoo doll banner is cute, but you have to admit it is a little creepy, too.  The dolls are made with cinnamon sticks, which lend a nice spicy scent.

I found a cute voodoo doll banner at 36 Creepy DIY Halloween Garlands: Spooky & Stylish Ideas – Stylish Galore.  That inspired this creepy voodoo doll banner.

At first, I thought these doll heads were round wooden beads. As I visualized assembling one, I realized it would not be easy to push straight pins into a wooden bead.  I then set the wooden beads aside.

Paper clay seemed a good option for this Halloween craft.  The straight pins glide into the clay.

If you’ve read many of my craft posts, you will know that I am a fan of Tacky Glue.  That is especially true for intricate crafts like this.  I’ve burnt my fingers with the glue gun so many times!  But feel free to use yours if you like.

Voodoo Doll Banner

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Supplies Needed:

• Cinnamon sticks
• Air-dry paper clay
• Red and black fine-point marker
• Tacky Glue
• 8mm Buttons
• Yarn
• Straight Pins with colorful heads
• Bone mold
• Cotton muslin fabric or burlap

Directions:

These directions and measurements make a 6-inch voodoo doll.

The Voodoo Doll Head

First, form an elongated ball of paper clay for the head.  This elongated ball is 1-1/4 inches high and 1-1/8 inches wide.

Cut a 1-inch piece of the dowel.  Insert one end into the bottom of the ball, leaving 3/4 of an inch protruding.  

Cut a 1/8- inch dowel 1 inch long

Push pins into the top of the clay ball.

Push colorful straight pins into the doll head.  I used 5 for this doll. Set this aside.  Allow it to dry overnight.  (I found out that the clay is still pliable enough to press the pins into the head the next day.)

The Voodoo Doll Body

Then, form a 1-3/4-inch x 1-1/8-inch rectangular shape from the clay.  The bottom of the shape I made is 3/8 inch deep.  

Squeeze the top of the rectangle so it’s not as wide as the bottom.

Press a cinnamon stick into the clay near the top to make an indentation.  Press two cinnamon sticks about a quarter of an inch into the lower edge of the shape.  The indentations make it easier to adhere the sticks to the body.  Allow the clay to dry overnight.

Press a cinnamon stick across the top of the body piece.

Push 2 cinnamon sticks into the lower end of the clay body.

Make Bones for the Banner

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You can use plastic bones from Dollar Tree for decorating, but they are larger than I wanted.  I found a silicone bone mold on Amazon.

I used the same paper clay to make bones from this mold.  The mold works well.  Press the clay firmly into the mold, then roll the silicone away from the clay.  The clay releases easily.

The Voodoo Doll Hair

Squeeze some Tacky Glue across the center of 8 pieces of yarn.

Fold the yard strands in half over the line of glue.

Cut sixteen 8-inch pieces of yarn for the hair. Next, lay eight pieces of yarn side by side on the table and apply a line of Tacky Glue across the center. Next, fold the yarn strands in half over the glue and hold for a minute while the glue takes hold.  (See the pictures above.)

Apply a line of glue to the top of the head and lay the folded yarn over it.

Apply another line of glue in front of the folded yarn previously applied and lay more yarn strips over the glue.

Glue buttons onto the ball for eyes and draw a mouth with a fine line marker.

Then, apply a line of glue across the top of the head and lay the folded yarn over it.  Hold it in place for a minute while the glue sets.  Apply another line of glue in front of the folded yarn previously applied, and lay more yarn strips over the glue.  It’s easy to maneuver the yarn pieces around the straight pins.

Depending on the yarn weight you use, you may have to add more strands to cover the doll head.  

Doll Mouth and Eyes

Draw a mouth with the Fine-Point marker.

Glue two mismatched buttons to the head for eyes.  Before gluing, run a strand of embroidery floss up and through one buttonhole, down through the other, and knotted the floss in the back. 

You don’t need a needle for this.  Just apply a little Tacky Glue to the end of the floss.  Roll the end between your thumb and forefinger and let it dry for a minute.  You can thread the floss easily.

Apply glue to the holes in the head and body and insert the dowel. Glue the cinnamon sticks to the lower body.

Apply glue to the top of a 3′ x 4′ piece of cotton muslin.

Apply glue to the holes in the head and top of the body.  Insert the 1-inch dowel.  Squeeze some glue into the recesses in the bottom of the clay body.  Then press the cinnamon sticks into place.

Tear a 3-inch by 4-inch piece of cotton muslin or the fabric of your choice.  You want the ragged edge here, not a sharp edge.  Run a line of glue along one long edge.  Wrap the fabric around the doll.  You can leave the raw edge in the front or the back.  I chose the front for this doll. 

Wrap the muslin piece around the doll body.

Glue the cinnamon stick across the indentation in the clay.

Then glue the cinnamon stick for the arms in place.

Wrap the 9 x 2 inch strip of muslin around the neck and tie a jute string bow.

Add the clay bone to the jute string belt.

For the final touch, tuck a bone into the jute belt.

Isn’t this a cute version of a cursed voodoo doll? 

After creating the first doll, it was easy to make multiple dolls and bones quickly.

The Last Step for the DIY Voodoo Doll Banner

Cut a long piece of twine for your banner.

Wrap and tie a loop of twine around each doll’s neck.  Cut the short piece close to the knot.   I found that the doll didn’t hang straight.  It hung horizontally.  So I pulled the yarn hair away from the back of the head and glued the twine to the head.  Then you can pull the yarn hair back over the twine.

Glue the twine to the back of the head.

Voodoo Doll Banner closeup

Tie the longer piece to the banner twine and knot.  I found that when the twine is looped over the banner twine one way or the other, the doll hung differently.  If it doesn’t hang right, untie and tie in the opposite direction.  Hang your Halloween banner!

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