My Dolls - A Brief History!

I have been the creative sort for as long as I can remember, but began making various types of dolls commercially around 15 years ago now. (Before that I made them as 'keepers' or as gifts for friends and relatives for many, many years!) At the beginning I made wooden dolls dressed in American folk art style printed fabrics and homespun checks. (They used to sit well amongst the patchwork quilts that I also used to produce - I shall have to do a post about those one day!) I soon had more dolls than I could sensibly own myself or give as gifts, so I began to sell them on the craft fair circuit. This was a very successful time for me, especially during the months leading up to Christmas.

Unfortunately my dolls started to get copied by other stall holders. I know people say that this is a form of flattery, but when it is your only source of income, it feels annoying, frustrating and unfair. (Sorry, but its a pet hate of mine! It can take a long time to perfect a look and find the right market for creations. So when someone copies the whole package, it seems very unreasonable to me.)

It was then that I decided to move on to making other sorts of hand made dolls.

Rather than paying a lot of money for the new folk art fabrics, I started buying old clothes from jumble sales and recycling the fabrics. Old men's cotton check shirts were brilliant for this!

This little doll was one that I made many years ago for one of my daughters to give to her primary school teacher. She is dressed in the same blue checked summer dress that was the uniform for the school.

I soon moved on from recycled jumble fabrics and invested in authentic vintage ones as my funds began to swell from the doll sales.

My collection of antique fabrics amassed as I visited more and more fairs and flea markets. It was at this time that I began to make large rag dolls for an antiques shop in Bath.

These are some of my early designs from about 8 years ago. I loved making each one different and unique.

The owner of the shop liked the simpler red or blue French Vichy check dressed dolls best. Each one had a check dress, petticoat and long bloomers, as well as a C19th French linen jacket.

I made these for several years.....

And also some smaller angel dolls at Christmas time.

Here is an angel order that I completed one year.

I have recently stopped making the dolls for the shop (for various reasons), but I am now back doing what I love. This is making totally unique dolls, dressed in antique and vintage fabrics, so that who ever chooses to own one, knows that they have a one-of-a-kind item.

sorry I'm sold.............................sorry I'm sold.

I use the smaller angel size rag doll pattern for most of them, each one made with care and much thought.

But I also like to vary the collections with tiny dolls too.....

sorry I'm sold

And I have just created a larger version as an alternative.

These are available on my website today.

Sorry I'm sold.............................Sorry I'm sold

I have to be honest and say that after so many years of doll making, there are days when I don't feel like making them; especially when my RSI flares up in my wrist, from stuffing their limbs with toy filler so firmly!

It is on days like this that I love to try out new ideas.

Such as vintage wallpaper wrapped handmade soaps. Each one is decorated with vintage lace or ribbon, plus a vintage brooch; I spend many hours sourcing the brooches, because I need so many. I like to use them on lots of my handmade products, such as:

Padded coat hangers and my new range of brooch pillows - perfect for storing your brooch collection on!

Handmade bags are made with a variety of vintage fabrics, trims, buttons or flowers and more brooches too!

I am at my happiest when I am being creative, as many fellow bloggers are too. To all of you who appreciate the work created by artisans and craft workers I thank you for that. After all, in the mass produced world of today, a handmade treasure can bring a special touch to your wardrobe, home or garden, that high street goods just cannot do.