item details
Overview
This handmade rag doll was made by Noelene Ross. It is an example of one of Noelene's Dolls, the first of which was created in 1982 for her daughter. Noelene wanted to make a doll that could be undressed and washed, and that was safe to play with.
The doll features a soft body, no sharp edges, no buttons that could pop off and cause a child to choke, and definitely no flammable materials! Wool was used for the hair so that if it caught fire the smell would alert an adult.
Demand for the dolls grew after Noelene started making them for friends and family. Soon she was running a small cottage industry from her rural home in the South Island. She had labels made up which could be sewn into the dolls clothes, and a swing tag.
When a large toy store moved into the area demand for Noelene's Dolls decreased, but Noelene's love of sewing never wavered. Throughout her life Noelene has made all her own clothes and clothes for her children, curtains, bags, patchwork quilts and much more.