Brown Jess - The making of a rag doll: design and sew modern heirlooms

for erio, stella, and tiger,
the loves of my life

Text and illustrations copyright 2014 by Jess Brown. Photographs copyright 2014 by Tristan Davison.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.

ISBN 978-1-4521-1951-9 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4521-3018-7 (epub, mobi)

Designed by Jennifer Tolo Pierce

Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com

I have always adored rag dolls. Since I was a child, Ive found that a doll, a truly loved doll, is the ultimate comfort. When I was growing up, there were beautiful rag dolls and patchwork quilts in my home. A family friend once brought me a rag doll from London. I think I was around four years old and I was completely enchanted by the dolls simplicity. I called her Frances. I didnt have many toys made from natural materials and it felt so good to hug this doll. I felt a special connection with it.

She was made of coarse-weave cotton muslin. You could see every thread of the fabric. She was stuffed with firm cotton fiber so her limbs kept their shape and she could sit upright. Her hair was made of wool yarn and her face was embroidered. She was wearing the most incredible dress made from a Liberty of London floral fabric that had a base of rich French blue sprinkled with red, pink, and cream flowers. The dress was embellished with dark blue satin on the bodice and fine lace trim around the hemline, and she had a small satin bow in her hair.

I kept her always. Frances was just one of those things I couldnt part with. In fact, she became my daughters doll for a while and then eventually moved into my studio. I keep her where I can see her. This doll is a constant reminder of why I create.

As a little girl, before I even knew how to sew, I would make small cloth dolls out of scraps of fabric found around the house. I loved the feel of each different piece of fabric, and running my fingers across the embroidery of a rag dolls face. Id make little doll accessories and houses out of shoeboxes. I loved creating a world out of discarded bits and pieces, and no doubt these early creative moments were formative. I still love working with well-worn textiles that tell a story. Antique cloth carries the tradition of the handwork artisan. Examining the individual threads and stitches in each fabric scrap brings me directly to each artists hand. I get inspired thinking about how each piece of cloth was created, used well, and loved. From the simplest scrap of linen to the most ornate French embroidery, I see the beauty and promise in the threadbare, and try to honor the past in everything I make.

When my daughter was born, I wanted to fill her room with handmade toys and bedding. I searched shops to find things that would be both beautiful and useful. Sadly, I didnt see much that felt authentic. It was nearly impossible to find a product made in a truly artful way, especially for a child. I quickly realized that I would need to make my childrens toys and bedding.

First I had a vision for the dolls. I wanted them to be unforgettable. Not just cute or durable, but truly unforgettable and distinctive. I knew I wanted to use organic stuffing. The density and smell of corn fiber felt real to mesolid, not spongy, but reminiscent of dolls made long ago. I wanted the doll to be soft to the touch, so it would feel good when my daughter hugged it close against her face. The hair on the dolls head would be soft and gentle, not a scratchy yarn, and the eyes would be created with the finest embroidery floss. I wanted the look and feel of a toy that was slightly more sophisticated and had personalitya gentle face that wasnt telling her how to look or feel, but was just there to give comfort.

The first doll I made was from what I can truly call a happy accident. When my daughter, Stella, was a baby, all of my cashmere sweaters were accidentally thrown in the washing machine. Ruined, they sat for months in a bag near my sewing machine. I just couldnt bear to part with them. One day it just hit me: I could create a doll for Stella totally out of cashmere. I couldnt imagine a more perfect toy for a baby. I had no pattern to work with. I just had a general sense of how I wanted it to look and feel. It needed to have a quiet and calm sensibility. I knew I wanted it to be really pretty but not too precious. I loved the idea that this doll would be created with some of my favorite sweaters.

I remember struggling a bit on the design. First, I sewed the entire doll by hand. But when I was done, I realized the sweater body probably wouldnt hold up if she really fell in love with it. I went back and removed all of the stitches and sewed it up again on my machine. I sewed the arms and legs separately and stuffed them with a basic cotton fill. When I began to attach the limbs, I noticed I had stuffed them inside out. The seams were showing on the outside. I decided to just go with it and sewed them on as is. Little details like that gave the doll texture and told a story.

I used more cashmere cut into strips to create long hair, and I stitched the eyes. For the dress, I chose a small white antique napkin with crocheted lace details from my linens collection. The doll was perfect. Stella adored her. She was just learning to speak at the time. The doll was created using two different shades of gray, and Stella named her Gracie. I have created many, many dolls for both of my children, but Gracie was the first, and definitely set a tone for the feeling I want to create in my dolls.

Three years later, when my son, Tiger, was born, I decided to do the same thing for him, filling his room with dolls and creatures made from the softest, most appealing fabrics.

A few years after making that first doll, a friend and I decided to open a childrens shop on a shoestring budget. She planned to sell the beautiful clothes she made for children, and I brought in my rag dolls. I started with six dolls in the shop for our holiday sales. They went fast. I made another group and they also sold very quickly. Soon other shop owners came in and wanted to place doll orders for their shops. I began filling small orders, but it was important to me to absolutely love the stores where the dolls would be sold. I felt a deep commitment to seeing where the dolls would take me, and it has been wonderful to find that I am not the only one craving this type of product. Creating a modern heirloom that a child can hold, love, and pass on became my passion and Ive been working at it ever since.

I wrote this book to share what I love and to inspire you to carry on the tradition of handmade heirlooms in your own unique way. I offer ways for finding fabrics and materials along with my favorite tools and techniques. Ive included a pattern for an original Jess Brown Rag Doll design as well as patterns and instructions for a quilt, apron, knickers, dresses, hats, and other accessories. Im thrilled to play a small role in keeping the tradition of the handmade alive.