Fabric amulet doll - a magical assistant from the past

According to the ancient traditions of the Slavs, a “plantain” doll was always made on the road, which protected the traveler from adversity, dashing people and helped to return home. It is recommended that contemporaries make the amulet before important trips, casting a spell in such a way as to avoid accidents, the road is easy, and the weather is good. In order for the “plantain” to work, you need to adhere to the canons of making a doll.

Description and meaning

The Slavs have long made amulets that protected travelers on the road, warded off troubles and dashing people, and also helped them return to their family sooner. “Plantain” is an ideal protector, especially if there is a long journey ahead or an important business trip. It will protect the driver from accidents and conflicts on the road. Traditionally, the amulet is made specifically for one trip, and upon return it is disassembled into pieces and burned with gratitude over an open fire.

The folk doll, which brings good luck along the way, is intended only for one person, therefore only the needlewoman and the traveler can touch it. It is better if the “plantain” is made by a mother or wife with good intentions. The amulet was also placed in the cradle of the babies, so that the roads of life were easy for him and he could always return home.

To give the “plantain” more strength, it is better to make a doll from used clothes. The traveler will always feel the spirit of home.

For the convenience of carrying the craft with you, it is made in a small size.
Externally, the traveler doll looks like a woman in a bright scarf.
She always has a bag clutched in her hands for the trip. A pea or grains were often placed inside so that the traveler would always be fed on the journey, as well as a handful of earth or ash collected from the home. Sometimes a coin is added so that the money is not transferred and there is always enough money to return home. The peculiarity of the “plantain” that distinguishes it from other ritual dolls is its miniature size, which made it possible to take the amulet on the road. However, the dimensions do not have any special magical significance, so when creating, you can focus on your own vision of the amulet.

The history of the origin of the Podorozhnitsa doll

The Slavic people revered Mother Earth, trying to be in harmony with the World. But realizing that we are weak before the forces of Nature, the pagans tried in every possible way to protect themselves while traveling.

To do this, they made special talismans - body jewelry or dolls that fit in a pocket or bag. The bestial god Veles was considered the owner of the roads and the patron of the forest, so the Slavs wore special pendants around their necks, giving them the patronage of the deity. They also made rag dolls called Plantains.

The traditional travel talisman of the Slavs was the Podorozhnitsa doll.

These little dolls, which contained a handful of ancestral soil, herbs and all sorts of little things, helped travelers overcome the difficult path. The protective doll helped to avoid dangers, stole from enemies and diverted them from wrong paths leading into the thicket of the forest. Often, wives put coins in the travel bag of the Plantain doll so that their husbands would not only return home unharmed, but also bring money to the family.

Basic rules for making a doll

In order for a Slavic travel doll to help a traveler or driver over long distances, the needlewoman needs to follow these recommendations:

The doll is made in complete silence - talking and being distracted by extraneous activities is prohibited. At the same time, it is important to make the amulet in one go, without leaving it halfway.
It is important to mentally charge the “plantain” with positivity and imagine the desired result: how easy and carefree the trip will be, and how happy the traveler will return home.
“Plantain”, according to the canons, like other ritual dolls, has an absolutely clean face. For the sake of beauty, making eyes, a mouth or a nose is strictly prohibited, since such features are characteristic only of animate things. An otherworldly force can penetrate into the doll through the pupils, which will bring disaster to the traveler.
Christian prayers are not suitable for activating a pagan doll. If the needlewoman adheres to Orthodoxy, then it is better for her to make a reservation in any form, without mentioning the words “Amen”. At the same time, the traveler can wear a cross or other signs of faith - the amulet doll will help everyone.

Another way to create a talisman

Before manufacturing, consider the following rules:

The work is done in silence. They don’t listen to music, don’t talk on the phone, don’t talk to family members. At the time of the creation of the Plantain, the residents of the house leave the craftswoman’s room. The woman closes herself and creates the toy in one go. It is important that no one disturbs her. Otherwise, the result will not live up to expectations.
The number of revolutions of the threads around the axis is even. The number of connected nodes is odd.
While working, the housewife thinks through one thought - how the owner of the toy successfully returns home.
Faces, icons and mouths may not be depicted. Otherwise, evil spirits will enter the doll.
When activating the amulet, Christian spells are not used. This is a pagan talisman.
It is advisable to make the amulet in an elevated and relaxed mood.

Materials used:

A piece of fabric is 10 by 10 cm. Material is cotton, white, plain. You need a piece to create the body and head.
The sleeves are made of colored fabric. The required size is 6 by 10 cm. It is recommended to choose multi-colored material.
Bright material for a knapsack, which should stand out in color against the background of the doll.
Red thread.
Multi-colored ribbons.
Filling: cotton wool, padding polyester or cotton.
A triangular cut intended for an apron.
A section for a triangular scarf. Select according to the resulting head size.
Colored fabric for a skirt, 6 by 15 cm.

From these sizes of materials you will get a pocket toy, up to 5 cm. To create a large amulet, you need appropriate calculations.

How to make a doll step by step:

The head of the ritual item is formed. Filler is placed in the center of the segment. The fabric is folded in the center and the ends are tied with thread. It is important to monitor the size of the product so that the head is proportional to the body.
The fabric for the sleeves is rolled into a tube and secured with threads at the ends after the head.
Next, the fabric for the body is twisted and attached to the head in the same way, winding the threads at neck level. To ensure that the winding does not stand out, you need to match the color of the thread with the fabric for the base. It turns out that the hands are at shoulder level.
Next they make the dress. The easiest way is to wrap fabric around the body and secure it with thread. The second option is to pass the skirt inside out over your head, secure with threads and lower the hem down.
Then the apron is tied when the skirt is secured.
To decorate the image of the Plantain, a satin ribbon is tied to the head, which stylishly complements the doll. Ribbons are identified with generic protection.
The next stage is putting the scarf amulet on the head. Tie the fabric so that the red ribbon is visible and the pieces of thread are hidden.
The final touch is to secure the knapsack with the contents inside.

It is necessary to fill the bag with grain, ash, earth or medicinal herbs. You can choose wormwood or pine needles, as they have a pleasant smell. The fabric is tightly secured and tied to the toy's hand.

How to do it yourself?

In Kievan Rus, the mighty Veles patronized travelers. Therefore, in order to strengthen the effect of the amulet, you should turn to the deity for help, and then take the gifts. Vodka, white bread and honey in a honeycomb work well.

The head of the figurine is made from a cotton ball placed in a piece of fabric.
To make a “plantain” that will protect a traveler or driver with your own hands, you need to follow the step-by-step instructions:

The cotton wool is rolled into a ball and placed in the center of a square piece of light fabric. It is wrapped around and tightened with a scarlet woolen thread.
To make a warrior, a narrow strip of fabric is wrapped around the head. Secure with thread.
To create clothes, a white piece of fabric is applied to a colorful piece of fabric, which will become an apron. The doll is welded into the dress so that first it turns out inside out and the hem is raised above the head. The garment is tied with a thread at the neck and turned inside out.
To make a bag, ash, earth and cereals are placed on a piece of fabric. Then the corners are folded into the center and tied.
The arms are made by rolling a long piece of paper into a tube. A knot is made of red cord in the center, to which the knapsack is tied, and the ends of the threads are pulled behind the neck.
The head is covered with a scarf.

Master Class

The plantain must be small in size, so its height cannot exceed 6 cm. You can also find a tiny amulet up to 3 cm.

To make a doll with your own hands, you need to take the following materials:

light square scrap - 10x10 cm;
a piece of multi-colored material - 6x10 cm;
material with patterns - 6x6 cm;
thick colored fabric - 6x15 cm;
a piece of material in the shape of a triangle with any print;
shred of any length;
red ribbon, cotton wool and thread.

Creating the Foundation

The amulet for the Plantain doll begins with the formation of the head of the product. Place a wad of cotton wool in the middle of a square-shaped piece of paper. Tie everything together to form a head.

Tie your hands to the improvised neck, twisting the colored material into a neat tube. The tips should be located at the head. You should get a whole body without flaws.

Outfit

Take thick colored fabric to make a dress. It is secured with threads directly under the handles. Wear an apron made of printed material over your dress.

Tie a thin red ribbon around your head. This is a symbol that the owner is connected with close people who protect him from all sorts of troubles. Tie a scarf made from a triangular piece over the ribbon so as not to cover your face.

Kotomka

The most important detail is the travel bag, which should be in her hands. Pour some soil into the prepared piece of material, which you need to take from under the threshold of your house.

You can also put grains in a knapsack so that the traveler does not go hungry on the road. The bag must be tightly tied with threads, securely fixing it in the handles.

How to activate and use?

When the traveler doll is ready, you need to turn to it kindly and ask it to protect the traveler. A name with clear visualization must be mentioned. You can add a spell: “(name) will come out of his home, right through the gate, his feet will carry him wherever his soul wants. (name) will not go astray, will not cross paths with trouble. Dashing people will bypass the tenth road, and good people will meet them halfway. He won’t fall or get hurt, and he’ll return home happy. Let it be so".

Before the traveler sets off, the “plantain girl” needs to be charged as much as possible with positive energy, and for this you need to talk to her as often as possible, talk about the upcoming trip and its importance. Also, the doll should be picked up and praised. The traveler is recommended to put the amulet in the pocket of his clothes, preferably close to his heart. The use of the amulet should not be advertised. It will be better if no one knows or sees about him.

Doll-amulet Herbalist

The Herbal Pot was intended to prevent illness and improve the condition of an already sick person . In addition, she could cope with the evil eye perfectly and make the atmosphere in the house

The secret of such a doll was that it was filled not with artificial fillers, but with herbs, and even medicinal ones !

Doll-amulet The herbalist often kept herbs not only in the hem, but also in additional bags

It was customary to keep several Herbalists in one house. One disinfected the air and served as a prevention of colds. If there was a small child in the family, it was recommended to hang the doll above his crib .

The second egg cup was filled with soothing herbs and placed near the pillow - this ensured a calm and healthy sleep and a vigorous awakening.

The third doll often lived in the kitchen , awakening appetite and eliminating unpleasant odors. If there was a barn , it would also be worth delivering Kubishka there - she would have saved the supplies.

The Herbalist amulet doll could be located in the barn. In the kitchen, the Herbalist amulet doll was also appropriate

IMPORTANT: In order for the Herbalist to cope with her mission, it was necessary to knead it - this is how the essential oils were activated. And I had to remember this every evening. However, excessive zeal threatened to turn the grass into dust.

The Herbalist amulet doll should have been crushed in your hands.
It is imperative to change the herb - at least once or twice a year. Otherwise, the amulet risks turning into a dust collector.

Amulet doll for pregnancy

The Novgorod pregnant doll was considered a very good amulet for early motherhood. Moreover, this amulet not only helped to conceive , but also made it easier to endure pregnancy and childbirth, and warded off illness and the evil eye.

The distinctive feature of the doll was, of course, the belly in which Pelenashka was placed. The diaper was wrapped in a kind of birch bark pencil case.

The belly is a distinctive feature of the doll-amulet for pregnancy

As for clothing, brightness is not welcome . It is preferable to choose blue shades . checkered skirt is an ideal solution, since such a pattern was associated with a sown field and symbolized fertility.

Brightness in a doll-amulet for pregnancy is undesirable. Checkered pattern is the preferred pattern for a doll-amulet for pregnancy. Blue tones for a doll-amulet for pregnancy are a priority.

IMPORTANT: When making such a talisman, a man should not be nearby. And in the future you shouldn’t give him the doll - it’s better to hide it away from prying eyes.

Amulet doll Success

Success was created specifically for those cases when success in some business was necessary , and it was inconvenient to disturb higher powers on such an occasion. It was believed that the Successful Woman would prevent all undesirable outcomes of an important matter.

The wisher should not be used too often , because from the offerings it would begin to resemble a New Year tree.

There will not be as many decorations on the amulet doll Successful as on Zhelannitsa

IMPORTANT: During the production of the Successor, it was necessary to clearly voice your wish. It needs to be said especially clearly when the knot on the doll’s belt was being made - it was believed that this is where success would be found.

The success was stored in the bundle on the side of the amulet doll of the Successful One.
What should the doll look like? It all depends on the preferences of the craftswoman, since only she should see the result of her work. Outsiders should not look at the Successful Woman if her owner does not want to share her success with others.

But whatever the craftswoman’s imagination, she definitely had to make a braid for the doll . As we mentioned earlier, it was in the braid, as the Slavs believed, that a woman’s strength and success lay.

The braid of the amulet doll of the Successful One should be given special attention. The beautiful braid of the amulet doll of the Successful Woman is the key to making a wish come true

They preferred to dress up the doll the way it was customary for women to dress in the region where the craftswoman lived. It was also desirable to use Slavic symbols in decorating clothes.

Dressing the Successful amulet doll was the same as the local women dressed

Well-being - amulet doll

The second name of this doll is Mistress. It will protect you from misfortunes , promote prosperity , and attract money and health . You could create it at any time - for the New Year, for a housewarming party, for a wedding, or just like that.

The amulet doll Blessed One may have been unprepossessing, but she was a lot of help

The lucky one is not a large doll - her height should be about 8 centimeters .

The amulet doll Blagopoluchnitsa belongs to small dolls

However, a coin of 5 kopecks or 5 rubles can easily fit there. And since such money appeared in our country only at the beginning of the 18th century , we can conclude that the Blessed One does not belong to the ancient amulets.

A coin was successfully placed in the amulet doll Blessed One

Amulet doll Krupenichka

Keeping the harvest safe and sound was an important task for the Slavs. Moreover, damage to the crop, in their opinion, could be caused from the other world - for such cases, Krupenichka’s amulet was created.

Paradoxically, this doll was made not before the harvest, but after. The basis of the pupa was a bag into which cereal was poured. Mostly it was buckwheat , although rye and wheat .

IMPORTANT: Whatever grain is used, it is important that it is of good quality.

Krupenichka's amulets dolls
Krupenichka lived in the house for six months before sowing or a year until the next harvest. Then the pupa was dismantled, the fabric was burned, and they ate the cereal.

By the way, in the event of an emergency, it was quite possible to feed yourself with grain from the pupa for several days - this is truly a talisman!

The amulet doll Krupenichka was small, but the grain from it could last for several days

Doll-amulet for health

It was believed that this amulet could not only drive away the disease , but even take it upon itself . Of course, for this it was necessary to make a doll with good intentions.

linen as the material for such a doll . Our ancestors knew that it is environmentally friendly. And they firmly believed that if they were to be treated, it would be with such material.

This doll cannot boast of being particularly elegant, because it was not customary to decorate it. On the chest there was a protective cross made of red threads , which, by the way, did not break during the needlework process. Another characteristic feature is the long braid.

The distinctive features of the health amulet doll are a large braid and a cross made of red threads.

Often handicrafts were done by candlelight , and at the same time health spells were read . However, you could simply repeat: “Greetings!” .

Amulet doll for marriage

Girls getting married preferred to make amulets for a happy family life. However, such needlework could also be done by young ladies who only dreamed of getting married successfully, but had not yet met a suitable man.

Since time immemorial there has been a saying that a man is the head and a woman is the neck. The implication was that the head looked where the neck turned. That is why special attention was paid to this part of the pupa.

They made accents with beautiful multi-colored collars. Beads could also be used .

The neck of a talisman doll for marriage had to be decorated with collars. Beads are also a good option for decorating the neck of a talisman doll for marriage.

IMPORTANT: When attaching each collar, the girl listed one quality that she wanted to see in the groom. At the same time, the qualities were spoken out loud.

A distinctive feature of such a doll was the absence of arms. It was understood that the husband would carry his chosen one in his arms.

The doll-amulet for marriage had no hands