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Last month we debuted locally-made CatiAnn Handcrafted Original Dolls at our store. We are so excited to be carrying them exclusively and after meeting with the creator of the dolls, I wanted to share a little more about them.
CatiAnn (pronounced “catty”-ann) Dolls are the creation of Pam Currie. She stopped by the store one day to bring the dolls and we got to learn more about her process and get to know her a little better. She told us that she wasn’t a grandma (yet) but that her handmade dolls were her grand babies for right now! She really enjoys crafting each one– a process that takes 14 hours for each doll!
Because no two dolls are alike, Pam has fun with varying fabrics and yarns to create different looks. They are extremely well made and are meant to be played with and well loved. Each doll comes dressed in a complete outfit (that includes undies!) Their clothes are made from high-quality quilting fabric. She likes to coordinate it with the hair color.
Each doll’s hair is made from wool and other natural fibers that Pam special orders. Available in both straight and curly styles, the hair color can be a natural black, brown or blonde or a whimsical purple, blue or pink. Pam also likes mixing the colors to create a beautifully detailed head of hair– light brown with purple highlights? Of course!
Each dolls body is also made with the same care and attention. There’s even a bellybutton!
The inner stuffing is made from cleaned and carded wool. So there’s an authentic, heavy weight to it. Dolls stuffed with synthetic poly-fill have a floppy, rag-doll feel, but CatiAnn dolls are much sturdier because of their insides. The “skin” of the dolls is made from interlock knit. And what’s so special about her dolls is the diversity they represent. If you are searching for a doll that looks like your child, CatiAnn dolls are a great option.
The doll’s face has a very simple expression. The child can then reflect his or her emotions onto the doll during play. The eyes and mouth are hand stitched and the cheeks and sometimes freckles are created with a bit of chalk.
Each doll she makes is unique– just like children. Special order dolls are also available.
Pam began sewing dolls in 2013. She was looking to create a simpler, more natural alternative to the consumer culture-driven dolls in the market. Inspired by classic Waldorf dolls, she began working on prototypes for her own line. She spent a year in research and development and gave away her first dolls to foster children. Once her design was perfected, she began making dolls to sell. As is the story with most home-based businesses today, she began by selling to friends and online. Sweetbottoms began carrying her dolls in the Spring of 2014 and we are so happy to be able to bring her dolls to a larger market!
I really appreciate how diverse and special Pam’s dolls are. I’ve had a hard time finding an appropriate doll for my little girl in the aisles of the big box stores. It’s important to me that she has a doll that reflects her diversity. That she can play with and love as she learns about her world.
CatiAnn Dolls are made to last and will be an amazing thing to hold on to for many years. You can even save them for your future grandchildren to play with! (Does anyone else get chills thinking about grandkids?!)
