Clothing

I don't know much about doll clothing, except what I have learned from my sister.  I know collectors prefer to find dolls that have their original outfits intact.  I can't help but reflect on all the love and care that mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and owners put into making replacement or supplementary clothing for the dolls of their cherished daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and sisters.  Some of those sewn, knitted, and crocheted outfits are far more beautiful, elegant, and meaningful than the mass produced pieces.  Of course, many are not - but they still reflect an investment of personal time and a commitment to a relationship that is lacking in the disposable toys of today.  I guess it boils down to a matter of provenance for the collector.  The handcrafted articles appear at flea markets, and online venues, devoid of dates, labels and stories.  Once the memories are disconnected from a homemade item all that remains is a faded and worn piece of fabric.  The collector, with an eye toward universal value, will strip away the untraceable past and return a doll to its baseline appearance.  When a doll is sold, the new owner can then drape the doll in a whole new set of memories or restore an old set of memories that were just lacking the doll itself.  I suspect that many collectors have their own personal trove of dolls, handmade accessories, and memories that gently guided them into the fascinating world of collecting, and preserving, dolls and clothing.

For some examples of homemade clothing see the page on my sister's Dy-Dee doll.

Under development...

• documenting
• cleaning
• repair
• designing