Broom Ladies

These cute little brooms are functional as well as decorative. Made of broom corn, they are excellent as hand brooms.

Broom Ladies

You will need:
Broomcorn (also called ornamental grass/sorghum)
Material for dress, face, and hands
Cotton
Yarn
Markers
Raffia
Needle and thread
Glue

Before the invention of nylon brooms, broom corn was (and often still is) used to make corn brooms. It is not actually a type of corn, but in fact a very large grass. The nickname of broom corn was derived from the fact that the grass stems are so large they closely resemble cornstalks.

Shuck The Seeds

Begin by shucking the seeds from the broom corn heads (if your broom will be merely decorative, the seeds can be left on for the colorful effect) Tie several of the shucked broom corn stalks together with raffia just above the heads, and again about an inch from the broom’s top. Form a raffia loop, and attach this to the top tie.

Cut The Fabric

Cut 2 identical dress shapes from material and sew them together. Make sure the neck hole is large enough to fit over the broom handle. Cut a head and a pair of hands from material. Stuff them with cotton. Sew the head to the front half of the dress. Sew the hands to the sleeves of the dress.

Put It All Together

Slip the dress over the top of the broom handle, sliding it down until the skirt part of the dress covers the heads of the broom corn. Leave about an inch and a half of the broom corn peeking out beneath the dress. Using the markers, draw a face on the broom lady. Cut a few pieces of yarn and glue them to the top of the head as hair. Embellish the broom ladies with miniature baskets or tiny brooms of their own glued to their hands.

By Amber Reifsteck, The Woodland Elf

The information provided on this website is for general information purposes only. If you choose to rely on the information on this website, you do so at your own risk and you assume responsibility for the results. (Full disclaimer here)

Enjoy this post? Click here to subscribe by email and get new posts delivered to your inbox.

Ads by Google

The Woodland Elf

Hey there! I'm Amber, The Woodland Elf. I'm here to teach you how to make cool stuff without spending a lot of money on it. From kick-ass costumes and fun craft projects to off-the-grid living, and organic gardening tutorials, you can learn how to "DIY Your Life," and maybe even help make the planet a little greener in the process. I post new tips and tutorials every week, so check back often.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

38 + = 45