Discover the beauty of Ukrainian tradition as you create your own Motanka doll. This mindful, hands-on workshop combines simple techniques with rich cultural meaning, resulting in a unique and meaningful handmade piece.

Materials

For this project, you can use a variety of simple and accessible materials.
Don’t worry if you don’t have exactly the same supplies - feel free to substitute with what you already have at home.
✨ Cotton or linen fabric: plain (white or beige for the body) and printed (for the dress);
✨ Sewing thread: white or beige (to match your base fabric);
✨ Knitting yarn: white or beige, plus additional colors for the hair;
✨ White felt: for filling and shaping the doll;
✨ Wooden stick + rice: for creating and stabilizing the base;
✨ Artificial suede or similar fabric: for the jacket (can be replaced with felt);
✨ Scissors: small embroidery scissors, regular fabric scissors, decorative scissors (zigzag or rounded edge, optional);
✨ Embroidery needles and embroidery threads;
✨ Ribbons and lace: for decoration;
✨ Beads and sequins: optional embellishments;
✨ Galvanized steel wire: for shaping the hands;
✨ Small piece of cardboard: for reinforcing the base;
The most important thing is not the materials, but the process, intention, and creativity you bring into your work.
Each Motanka doll is unique - and yours will be too.