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Clay poppets are molded out of any number of types of clay. In New Orleans, a traditional type of Voodoo doll involves constructing the head out of the clay from crawfish holes. Create a hollow space in the clay to place personal effects of the spell recipient, or fill with special herbs, seals, and talismans and then seal shut. Paint or adorn the clay accordingly.

Cloth Poppets

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Cloth poppets are rudimentary human forms made out of fabric. To make a cloth poppet, cut a figure form out of cloth (2 pieces) and stitch almost all the way up. Leave a space to fill with herbs, moss, hair, or whatever the spell calls for.

Image copyright © 2010 Voodoo Doll Museum

Greek Poppets (kollosoi) may be made of metal (e.g. bronze, wood, silver or lead; the latter being the most common metal), wood, clay, wax or similar malleable materials. The image is not normally realistic, since it does not depend on similarity of appearance to become connected with its Subject; that is accomplished by other means (described below). Typically the figure is nude, and often there is exaggeration of the genitals, feet or other parts; this accords with the general principle of using shocking or obscene images to ward off the evil eye and other dangers (e.g., the sign of the fig and phallic amulets).

Generally some parts of the figure are twisted backward, to indicate the incapacitation of the Subject. Often the head is twisted backward, or at least extremely far to the left, to cause confusion. It is also common for the feet to be backward, and sometimes the arms or the entire torso. (So Hephaistos is sometimes shown with His feet backward.) In some cases the Kolossos is made with these parts backward, but usually they are made normally and then twisted around.

The figure is often pierced with nails or needles (13 is a popular number), typically made of iron or bronze, though animal fangs and other materials may be used. Each nail or needle transfixes some part of the body representing a faculty, which it thereby paralyzes, but without destroying it. For example, nails through the eyes, ears and mouth paralyze cognitive faculties, while one through the heart might restrain will, and nails through the limbs cause paralysis or loss of strength.

The Kolossos may be further mutilated to restrain the enemy; for example the head may be hacked off and buried separately from the body (to prevent them being rejoined), or the effigy may be burned, melted, crushed, trampled under foot, etc. (These aggressive measures are not normally used for laying ghosts; instead the Kolossos is given funeral rites. A ghost is normally called by name for three days or thrice in one day to summon it home for burial.)

Image copyright © 2010 Voodoo Doll Museum

To make a paper poppet, draw a figure on a piece of card stock or parchment paper and cut it out. On the paper doll, draw symbols and write the name of the intended recipient of the spell. You can affix a photo onto the face if you have one.

Image copyright © 2010 Voodoo Doll Museum

Root poppets can be made out of naturally shaped roots that look like figures, or they can be carved out of root vegetables like potatoes. In the past, they have been made out of mandrake roots or ginseng which can look amazingly human in form.

Image copyright © 2010 Voodoo Doll Museum

To make a sticks and moss Voodoo doll, create a cross with two sticks and tie together. Wrap Spanish moss around the doll from the center up (as above) and then from the center down (so below). Using 2 inch strips of fabric, wrap around the doll to cover the Spanish moss and secure with needle and thread or fabric glue.  To secure the fabric further, wrap some yarn, string, or leather around the the doll and tie in the back. Sew on two buttons for eyes and one for the mouth and add some feathers in the top of the head.

Image copyright © 2010 Voodoo Doll Museum

Bone dolls are made in a similar fashion as the sticks and moss dolls. Take two chicken bones and create a cross form and secure in the middle.  Glue on a a couple of  black eyed peas or beads  for eyes. Tie or glue on some feathers. You can also hang a variety of talismans on the doll and hang it on your wall as a protective talisman.

Wax Poppets

Image copyright © 1998 - 2008 Museum of Witchcraft

To make a wax poppet, coat you hands with a few drops of essential oil, and mold a shape out of softened wax and adorn it with stones, beads, or draw names or symbols into the form. You can add hair or nail clippings or some other personal effect of the intended recipient.

Wood poppets can be made in a number of ways. One way is to simply nail a couple of pieces of scrap wood together as shown in the picture (left). Another way is to carve a figure form out of soft wood. Glue hair to the head or yarn representing hair, and paint the wood with acrylic paint. You can paint symbols, names or paint clothes, or a face. You are limited only by your imagination.

Image copyright © 2010 Voodoo Doll Museum

One of the simplest dolls created by the early settlers was the stump doll made from part of a tree. A piece of root or branch was chosen if its shape resembled a person. A face was painted or roughly carved on it, then the “baby” was wrapped in a piece of cloth and a stump doll was born. This Voodoo stump doll was created for the Guardian of the Forest, Gran Bwa.