We are very fond of folk toys. Podorythmie has been using limberjacks from the start!  Sometimes called Jig Dolls, they have been around for hundreds of years.   In the 19th century they traveled over from Europe to Canada and the US. In Quebec they are called les gigueux.

Photo by Doug Plummer

This is Cil and Julia with the Moose and Pat who are having a step dance competition with Prairie fiddling. Sometimes the stick in Moose's back comes undone and he goes tumbling to the floor.  It's one of the high points of the competition, when it happens!

This is Pookie Cat, named after Pascale's beloved kittie.  It came to Sue as a folk art doll.  Seeing that it was hinged, we got the idea to turn it into a jig doll.  It just needed a hole in the back and a stick and it worked like a charm. Video to follow!

Early 19th century jig dolls used a string suspended from the doll's head instead of a stick.

Accordion man with Fern.

Being interested in things with cranks, we could not resist automatons.  Accordion man came to us as a kit from Timberkits.  We have been experimenting with combining automotons and the jig dolls with the crankies.  So many ideas!