Members Elaine Jackson and Sylvia McDonald gave a program on rag dolls. Rag dolls are the earliest type of doll, originally made out of leftover scraps of fabric. These dolls are especially cuddly and easy for even young children to play with. Some famous cloth doll makers began by making cloth dolls for their own families and friends, but when the dolls became popular, started making them commercially. Cloth dolls can be dated by the style of their embroidered faces, the type of fabric, and whether they were made using a commercial pattern.
Elaine brought a number of examples of vintage homemade cloth dolls.
This Black doll dates around the mid-1930s. Her body is a glass rubbing alcohol bottle.
These Black dolls are sisters.
This cutie with big button eyes dates around the 1920s.
This girl from the 1920s has embroidered features.
This petite pair of beautifully tailored and embroidered dolls was made by Jenny Comfort in Chicago, Illinois in 1935.
This little cowpoke was made from a commercial pattern around 1945.
Elaine brought a number of examples of cloth dolls made from patterns designed by Edith Flack Ackley, a writer and doll artist. In the 1930s she published a book entitled "Dolls to Make for Fun and Profit," which included patterns for dolls and their clothing. It was also possible to order patterns and kits through magazines. Many dolls were made using her patterns in the 1930s and 40s.
Elaine made this clown using an Ackley pattern.
Some examples of commercial patterns available for making cloth dolls.
Sylvia brought a wide variety of dolls made by her or other relatives. This is a picture of her great aunt holding homemade cloth doll.
Some of the many heirloom dolls created by women in Sylvia's family.
Other members brought cloth dolls to share. These two dolls belong to Jenell Howell. The bride doll is from an Ackley pattern and the little girl in velvet has a painted face.
Jenelle also brought this all original hard plastic Nina ballerina by Madame Alexander.
Sallie Howard brought two cloth dolls. This is Elizabeth, created by doll artist Judy Rankine.
This little girl was made in 1947 by German doll maker Käthe Kruse.
Jan Irsfeld created this creature to inspire her to sew when she returned from work in the evenings. This unique oddity hangs in the garage so that she is the first thing that Jan sees when she comes home.
