Little Ukraine: Wind a Motanka Doll, No Needle Needed

Motanka comes from motaty, the Ukrainian verb for winding. True to tradition, the doll is never sewn or pierced with a needle—only wrapped and tied. Layers of cloth and yarn take shape entirely in your hands, rooted in an old custom of making a symbol of family bonds and care. Larissa Raphael leads the two-hour workshop at the museum, guiding you through the folds and ties to finish a piece for someone special in time for the holidays.

The two-hour session runs from 2 to 4 pm in person at The Ukrainian Museum. All materials are provided, so you only need to bring patience as fabric strips and colored yarn are layered and bound into shape. For attendees arriving early, Saturday, November 7 also marks the final day of two museum exhibitions: The Ground Shifts Beneath Our Feet by Zhanna Kadyrova, and A Living Canvas: The Ukrainian Museum at 50. Exhibition admission is $15 general ($10 seniors/students, free for members), purchased separately from workshop registration.

Workshop registration is $40 general and $30 for museum members via Zeffy, open to participants ages 16 and older. The museum is located at 222 East 6th Street in the heart of Little Ukraine, four minutes on foot from Astor Place (6 train) or 8th Street-NYU (N/R/W). After class wraps at 4 pm, Ukrainian East Village Restaurant sits just around the corner on 2nd Avenue for authentic borscht and handmade varenyky.