Motanka toys

History and types of dolls

The Slavic peoples believed that the world included not only the lands of people, but also the territories where deities lived. When they offered prayers and made offerings, they additionally created amulets with their own hands. This is how the first Slavic dolls appeared.

Initially they were made from tree branches and vines. Then they began to adapt the fabric. Over time, dolls were made only from cloth. Often the products were filled with dry herbs. The Slavs believed that they treated diseases, exorcised evil spirits, and prevented rapid aging.

The reels were made with their own hands by women who had already become experienced. These were mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers. They couldn't be disturbed. The needlewoman was completely immersed in creating the amulet. The whole process was not delayed for several days, but was completed immediately, in one day.

Such reels were not perceived as a simple toy. Some of them were intended for children. Others required more deference and respect. They were magical objects.

All Slavic motanka dolls are conventionally divided into 3 types.

Gaming. The easiest to create. There is no magical basis. These dolls were created just to entertain. The toy was made in the shape of a person. In addition to reels, they also created wooden and straw images of animals.
Ritual. They were made only for certain days. This applies not only to general holidays (Maslenitsa, Solstice), but also to family gatherings. Dolls were decorated with Kolovrat or other magical symbols. For their wedding, a young couple received a doll called Lovebirds. The amulet strengthens the family and helps preserve love. During pregnancy, a woman made a Kuvadka doll. The amulet protected the child during childbirth, because his mother lost a lot of strength during the process.
Oberezhnye. They were also called protectors. There were 2 types: family and personal. The latter was done only for a certain person. The other was created for the whole family. She protected from evil forces, bad people. These are knotted dolls that always have a cross shape. They bear little resemblance to humans.

Each of these types has its own properties and rules of application.

Varieties of reels

Amulet dolls were placed in a prominent place in the house, placed in children's cradles, and sometimes carried with them, hidden from everyone. There are many reels.

Zolnaya

To protect the house from evil forces, an Ash doll was created. The name comes from the filler used. A handful of wood ash from the oven was placed in a piece of cloth and a ball was made - the head of the reel. The difference between the Ash doll and others is the absence of hair or headdress.

Herbalist-Kubishka

To purify the air in the room, we used the Herbal Pot. It must be placed in an area where there was stagnation of energy. If you didn’t sleep well, the doll was left nearby. It gave off a pleasant aroma that helped improve sleep. The Herbal Pot was left near the cradle to protect the child from illness. The doll differs from others in that various useful dried herbs are placed in its body.

Pelenashka

To protect children from evil forces, a Pelenashka doll was made for them. She was kept in a cradle. Motanka protected from diseases and the evil eye, taking them upon itself.

Lovebirds

Relatives gave lovebirds to the young family for their wedding. Only mothers or grandmothers made such dolls. The difference between these reels is that they hold each other’s hands, symbolizing a strong union.

Desire

To make your main dream come true, it is recommended to make a Desire doll. In order for her to recognize what is expected of him, after creating the reel, he needs to communicate with her and tell her in detail about the goal.

Purifier

In order for a person to recover faster, a Purifier was created. It eliminates diseases that were caused by evil forces. This amulet was made only for a specific person. During the creation of the reel, all bad thoughts were transferred to it. Then it had to be burned outside the house. Then the disease will pass.

Ten-handle

Women who just got married were traditionally given a Ten-Handed doll. The presence of so many upper limbs is a feature of this motanka. She will help the young housewife cope with all household chores.

Day Night

The Day-Night doll is significantly different from other reels. It is two-sided. It can be built in two ways - either make 2 separate figures and fix them together with their backs to each other, or make one reel with two faces on different sides. One side is a symbol of day, and the other is a symbol of night. The amulet is intended to keep track of the usual order of things. During the day, the doll was turned towards the residents of the house with the light side, and at night - with the dark side.

bbw

For a woman who dreams of starting a family, the ideal talisman is Fatty. She symbolizes a girl who is growing up. Her difference from other dolls is her long and very thick braid. The Slavs believed that it attracted the soul of a child, so the owner of the motanka would be able to get pregnant. The doll was given by relatives: mother, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, but not sister.

plantain

The best amulet for a traveling relative is the Plantain doll - it protects on the way. The difference between the motanka and others is that it has a bag. A handful of native soil was placed in it to give strength to a person, as well as crackers and grains so that the traveler would always be well fed.

Veduchka

The best amulet to help in raising children was the Veduchka, it was also called the guide to life. She supported the mother and helped ensure contact with the child. The amulet differs from other reels in that 2 figures are created that personify a woman and her child. Their hands are secured together, symbolizing the bond between a mother and her baby.

Krupenichka and the Rich Man

After harvesting, they made Krupenichka (it was also called Zernushka). She helped maintain wealth in the family. If there was nothing to eat, then the woman took grains from the reel and used them to prepare a family dinner. But then the doll was filled with seeds again after harvesting the next year. The man Bogach was Zernushka's date and escort. He helped the family in financial aspects. The amulet is paired and is considered a symbol of a prosperous and happy family.

Spiridon Solstice

For the holiday of the winter solstice, a doll of Spiridon Solstice was made. The difference between the amulet is that the doll is male and has a wheel with 8 spokes, which symbolizes the steering wheel. The Slavs believed that it could be turned and thereby change fate. The doll helped make decisions in difficult situations and bring changes for the better into life.

Successful

To ensure that everything went well in business for the future owner of the amulet, a Successful doll was made for him. Its main difference is the presence of a bag on the shoulder. The amulet needs to be told directly what is expected of him. If financial well-being is required, then a banknote is placed in the bag.

Important rules for making a magic toy

To make a motanka doll truly filled with energy, you should familiarize yourself with the recommendations.

What is important to know when creating a motanka doll

Wrapping a skirt around a doll
Tips for creating a talisman:

One of the main conditions for creating a doll is that it must be knitted by a craftswoman on any day except Friday, Sunday and holiday.
The amulet must be created in one day.
The mood and well-being during the manufacturing process should be good.
Before starting work, it is recommended to tune in and imagine the future amulet, filling the image with goodness and love.
It is important to work in a headscarf so that no hair from your head accidentally gets caught in the amulet.
It is better to sew elements of clothing in advance; they are not allowed to be sewn to the doll itself. They should be fastened together with strong natural thread.
In order for the amulet to receive the correct charge, it should be made from scraps of clothing worn by the person - the future owner of the amulet. If the doll is intended for a child, you should use things from the parents. You should not use pieces of fabric from things in which you had to endure illness or poor mental health.
The doll must be filled by the master with straw, pine cones, dried flowers, flax, twigs, seeds, nuts, and grain. If there is no straw, it is recommended to replace it with cotton wool. You should not use synthetic types of materials.

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Herbs for filling the doll

Note! In connection with the long-standing assertion that through loose hair a woman’s energy can pass to evil spirits, the doll’s head must be covered with a scarf, as female representatives do in life.

How to make a talisman magical

To make a motanka magical, before starting work you should decide on the purpose of its creation. It is important not to confuse your thoughts, as the result will not be effective. Most often it is customary to create a product:

from the evil eye;
to help treat diseases;
to protect the family hearth.

Each amulet has its own moon phase:

the full moon is the optimal time to protect the family hearth;
waning moon - promotes rapid recovery;
waxing moon - brings a successful harvest.

Correct selection of colors for a home amulet:

the use of green and golden shades helps attract wealth, health and prosperity;
red color - to happiness and love in the family;
blue tones will help in achieving career success, adding self-confidence;
white color is a symbol of purification and healing, as well as the beginning of a new path;
the use of black will help get rid of damage, evil eyes, failures, and diseases.

Motankas with a predominance of red in clothing - a symbol of love and family happiness
Mastera have since ancient times sought to enhance the energy of the amulet due to the secret meanings of the embroidery elements:

to attract wealth and prosperity you need to embroider a rhombus;
with the help of embroidered cornflower on clothes you can be cured of eye diseases;
when making a motanka for a male person, as a gift you can make embroidery of oak leaves, which symbolize physical and spiritual endurance;
to avoid colds, you should embroider hops;
selfish, unclean thoughts and evil eyes will be avoided if there is a fiery spinning cross on the doll’s clothes.

Experienced craftswomen make talismans so that they are filled with special magical meaning, adhering to the following rules:

It is recommended to carry out the winding process on your knees, not on the table;
winding the threads should be done in the direction of the spiral solar movement, with the help of which rebirth and growth follows;
the number of thread windings must be odd;
It is forbidden to cut the thread, it must be as long as possible;
It is allowed to make only one knot in the navel area, which symbolizes the beginning of a new life; when tying it, a wish should be pronounced;
The thread to create a talisman should be used in red, since it is this color that helps protect a person from evil spirits and has a large charge of vital energy.

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Red thread for winding

Note! One of the popular dolls is Maslenitsa. It is customary to create it precisely on the days of this holiday. It is a talisman for the entire next year.

Rules for creating talismans

The doll’s face is always made clean (without images of eyes, nose, mouth) or they just wrap 2 ribbons crosswise around it horizontally and vertically. This is necessary to protect against foreign energy. Rag dolls do not have eyes, so that they are not possessed by other souls or evil forces. The meaning of the cross is that the doll is outside of time and space, symbolizing the energy of the sun, the harmony of soul and body.

The doll should have the following clothes:

skirt - symbolizes connections with the earth;
long-sleeved shirt - indicates the unity of the past, present and future;
a scarf on the head, the meaning of which is a connection with the sky.

The doll was made by craftswomen who know how to sew, embroider, and knit. The following accessories were usually used: fabrics, threads, ribbons, buttons, and beads. Cones and seeds are also suitable for decoration. They could use branches and vines as a base. For some amulets that serve specific purposes, fillers are required: ash, herbs, cereals. Grains are sprinkled inside the motanka to attract wealth. Ash protects against evil forces, and herbs prevent disease.

Creating a talisman doll is a serious process that requires a careful approach and adherence to certain rules.

Work only with a good mood, well-being and thoughts. Even if you just have a headache, you shouldn’t get down to business. A good mood is necessary for the amulet to gain more strength and quickly begin to fulfill the tasks assigned to it.
Monitor the phase of the moon. Certain days are suitable for creating a talisman. Usually this is the period of the waxing moon, but not always. You cannot create a doll on Friday or Sunday.
Use only natural materials. Artificial ones are prohibited. The Slavs revered nature and believed that such a base was the best option for a talisman, because it transferred strength to it. An excellent option is to use scraps from clothes that are associated with happy or fortunate events, for example, a dress in which a woman met her future husband. Better yet, use material that belonged to grandmothers and mothers. Such old things have a strong protective effect. You can’t use scraps from clothes that he has other bad memories associated with.
It is prohibited to use piercing and cutting tools. Although it is now difficult to give up scissors and needles, failure to comply with this rule leads to the fact that the product is deprived of its magical powers. The threads need to be broken. Prepare scraps of fabric in advance. It is also recommended to tear them. The parts are secured by winding and tying with threads. You are allowed to take the needle once in order to attach lace, beads and other decorations at the end.
Place the thread in only one direction - in the direction of movement of the celestial body.

Amulet dolls cannot be made like ordinary toys. This is a serious matter that requires the right approach: setting up, choosing materials, tools, manufacturing method. There's no hurry. It is necessary to think about the purpose of creating a talisman. A doll that is made according to all the rules will be complete protection. She will fill life with all the good things.

Charging the amulet

For the motanka to become a powerful amulet, you need to have the right mindset and decide on your goals. You can't get confused and have too many desires. You need to concentrate on only one task.

To charge the talisman, depending on its meaning, choose different days:

for dolls that must preserve the happiness and success of the family, only the full moon is suitable;
to prevent or treat diseases, the talisman is made when the moon is waning;
It is better to make a talisman for a good harvest when the moon is waxing.

Popular motanka amulets and their meaning

There are many types of dolls, each of them has its own purpose.

Pelenashka

A diaper doll is considered the first motanka that should be made for a small child. It was placed in the baby's cradle as a talisman against evil forces, the evil eye and diseases.

Pelenashka doll

Ten-handle

Such a doll with ten arms instead of two was made to make life easier for both young and experienced housewives. It helps to cope with women's responsibilities, gives vigor in everyday affairs and inspires women to do needlework.

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Ten-handle

Lovebirds

Among the Slavs, this type of doll is of great importance, since it is a wedding doll. It helps protect the young family from bad views. The toy symbolizes the unification of the masculine and feminine principles, which are an inextricable whole.

Lovebirds

Desire doll

This talisman is designed to provide life experience, consisting of a certain number of gains and losses, taking into account one’s mistakes in youth. If the owner of the Desire correctly expresses a desire, the doll will help fulfill it.

Desire

Herbalist

You should tie 6 knots to the toy in different parts, filling each with herbs. The herbalist must ensure that diseases do not enter the doll's owner's house. It is worth crushing it in your hands, then the herbal spirit spreads throughout the room, driving away all ailments.

Herbalist

Doll Bereginya

The motanka should be hung at the head of the bed or placed in another place above the level of the person’s head. With the help of Bereginya, you can protect your home from quarrels, adversities and diseases.

Bereginya

Farewell to the protective doll

The Slavs passed on amulets from generation to generation. They were rarely thrown out or destroyed. The cause is extreme wear and tear. Motankas deteriorated much faster than straw products. Frayed fabrics and loose threads are not an obstacle to further use of the amulet. But if the product falls apart and cannot be repaired, then it is best to part with the doll. Motankas that were made for financial well-being do not need to be destroyed. They can be dissolved and the material used for other purposes.

Dolls that are created to protect the family from harm are the ones that quickly deteriorate. Their appearance may be excellent, but the amulet suddenly stops performing its functions. This happens when the talisman has taken a strong blow from negative energy. In this case, you need to put the amulet in salt for cleansing. Other options are to bury it in the soil or burn it as far from the house as possible.

Some motanki also need to be destroyed, but only in cases where they have completed their mission. This applies to the Desire: when she makes a person’s dream come true, she must be burned.

Before destroying the doll, you need to say goodbye to it: in conversation or mentally. You need to thank her. You should definitely pay attention to your own emotions. If there is no desire to let go of the doll, then the time has not come yet. It is necessary to cleanse the talisman of negative energy and continue to use it.

Motanka rag doll

If you don’t have straw or hay, then another master class will help you step by step to make a rag doll from ordinary scraps.

You will need 5 rectangular pieces of fabric and 1 square. The first rectangle is the doll's head and torso. For them, take a plain fabric of a neutral color.

Place a piece of cotton wool, padding polyester, gauze or scrap fabric in the center of the rectangle. Fold it in half, gather it around a cotton ball and wrap it tightly with thread. The head is ready.

Twist the next piece of fabric (you can take a colored one) tightly into a roller. These will be the hands. Tie the ends of the roller tightly with threads, stepping back from the edges by 1-2 cm.

We take the flap with the head and put our hands between the lower and upper pieces of fabric close to the head.

Grab the scraps under your arms and tie them tightly with thread. Remember that you cannot use a needle or scissors.

Now let's dress the doll in a beautiful blouse. You need to take a silk ribbon and tie it several times crosswise around the handles and tie a knot at the waist. Let the ends of the ribbon hang down.

We put another skirt on the motanka. Place a piece of fabric at your waist and tie it tightly with thread. You can make several such skirts by placing them one on top of the other.

Now the handkerchief. Fold a colorful square piece of fabric in half and tie it on your head. Tie the ends of the scarf with a knot at the back. The amulet is ready!

If you have time and desire, you can make the outfit more magnificent and beautiful.

But, believe me, even the simplest talisman will certainly become not only a festive decoration for your home, but also its reliable protection against bad eyes, troubles and misfortunes.