Musician, Educator, Fibre Artist

My maternal grandmother was a skilled knitter, doll maker, and dedicated Waldorf handwork teacher in northern Germany. She made beautiful, soft, cuddly dolls in the traditional way: all natural materials, expertly hand sewn, with adorable tiny clothes for many outfit changes. When I was four she began teaching me sewing, knitting and embroidery. These hushed hours doing "handarbeit” (handwork) with my siblings, under her watchful eye, as well as attending Waldorf from kindergarten to grade 8, started my life-long love of fibre arts. 

I have mostly been a knitter, on and off for many years, while being a full time touring musician. When the pandemic hit my Mom sent me a few of my grandmother's dolls that I’d had as a child. Oh to hold those sweet soft little bodies again in my hands… I felt inspired, and made my first doll in the summer of 2021, and my heart started singing. Not for many years had I felt such joy and excitement, and commitment towards learning a new skill. And one that was deeply embedded in my own heritage all these years. 

During the pandemic, the loss of festivals, travelling, music camps, dancing and socializing had left a hole in my heart, not easily filled no matter how much sour dough bread I baked. And so I began making dolls. I could hear my grandmother, leaning over me to correct some stitches, humming a tune. Her expert hands demanding nothing less than perfection. And my own Mom, an equally skilled seamstress, artist and maker of beautiful dolls clothes during my childhood, inspired me with overseas packages of materials as well as a few traditional German doll making books. Besides my grandmother's dolls, these books have helped me get started. The patterns for dolls and clothes I'm currently using are mostly from Freya Jaffke, a well know German Waldorf Kindergarten teacher and doll maker, who unbeknownst to me passed away in 2021, just before I got started making dolls. I'm sorry I won't have the chance to tell her how much her books mean to me.

These type of dolls are often called Waldorf Dolls, being associated with the Waldorf school and Steiner pedagogy. It’s believed that the simpler the doll, the more the child will learn to use their imagination, a critical skill for survival in the modern world. Imagination and creativity give a child adaptability, strength, problem solving skills, and a positive outlook on life. As well, the companionship a doll can provide for a young child, a sense of comfort and warmth (being literally made of wool) is not to be overlooked. If treated with the same gentleness as a real person, these simple little dolls can help inspire a kind and loving heart towards others. It feels like an important time to bring this kind of energy back into the world. This is the part of doll making that speaks directly to my own heart, and gives my creativity a meaningful outlet during these uncertain times.