The Russian Nesting Doll 7th Grade UBD - Unit 6– Europe

Background Information

It is difficult to believe that the nesting

doll, what some might consider the

embodiment of Russian culture, was just

born some 100 years ago. Nesting doll

history began in the 1890s. Artists turned

to Russia’s peasantry for the thread that

would unite the country with its past.

Background Information

The art form caught on quickly. In 1900 one of the

Russian wooden dolls was taken to a show in Paris,

where it received an award.

The nesting doll’s shape and concept became a

canvas for renderings of political figures,

illustrating Russian fairy tales, creating religious

icons, and much more. Virtually any image one

could imagine can be adapted to its versatile

shape.

Background Information

The world has seen many changes in the past century,

but the nesting doll has remained very much the same,

taking us back to a simpler time.

Many are committed to ensuring that this is one

tradition that won’t fade into obscurity, including one

company, Golden Cockerel Crafts. Jointly located in

Boone, North Carolina and St. Petersburg, Russia,

Golden Cockerel is striving to ensure the survival of the

nesting doll, Russia’s past and the cottage industry.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B8p1-daBO4A/UFrXA6_JJOI/AAAAAAAACk0/PB7SmZHpuh4/babuskha1.JPG

Step One

•Start with a

square shaped

paper. Fold the

paper in half as

shown to create a

crease line in the

center. Flatten

the paper out

again. (Do not

draw dotted line.

It is there as a

reference.)

Step Two

• Fold the two

corners at the

sides inward

toward the

crease line.

Your project

should look

like the picture

shown.

Step Three

•Turn the paper

over and fold

back the tip as

shown.

Step Four

•Your project should look like this.

Step Six

•Turn the

paper back

over to the

front.

Step Seven

• Cut half way

into the 2 corners

at the sides. The

dotted lines

indicate where

you should cut.

(Do not draw the

dotted lines. Do

not cut center

line.)

Step Eight

•Cut as shown.

Step Nine

•This is what

you should

have now.

Step Ten

•Fold in the

cut flaps to

form the

“hair”.

Step Eleven

•Cut away

the excess.

Cut where

the dotted

lines show.

(Do not draw

dotted lines.)

Step Twelve

•Your project

should look

like this.

Step Thirteen

•Flip the

project over

to the back.

Step Fourteen

•Fold the top

tip back and

glue both

flaps down.

Step Fifteen

•Flip project

back over to

the front. It

should look

as shown.

Step Sixteen

•Now, fold

the flaps

over to

create

“hands”.

They should

look like this.

Step Seventeen

•Now your

Russian doll

is complete.

Step Eighteen

•Decorate as

you like.

(Remember

craftsmanshi

p!)