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Fanciful Wee Folks

these are the fanciful dolls that follow me on my travels to renaissance faires. Like the goodly folk who walk the lanes of our villages:  Lords and Ladies, Queens, Princesses in distress!  Scots and Lassies reel to the skirling of pipers! The Rurally inclined.  Villagers and Fools.  Hobbits and Wizards to slay the dragons!

rhagdolls also reflect my love of British Folklore, Mother Goose and the Brothers Grim, also my love of bringing the bedtime stories of my childhood to life.

they are the larger cousins of the Moppets.  this is where the detail drives me to near insanity!  buttons, silks, trims, feathers, jacquards, moiré, handspun yarns.

All Wee Folk are 22" handmade, individual, unique. All dolls are named, signed and dated.  i write a story about each doll:  what inspired me to make it or what i saw when it was complete. 

Interested in a doll seen here? Have an idea for your own special rhagdoll?  Want more info?
Click here to email Trese.
Tho' these dolls are currently available, however sometimes a doll will go a waltzing with Matilda.

above doll not available.

Afonya

Sometimes I find inspiration for dolls in the oddest places and the simplest things.

... A river of stitches running through tea towels... Kitchen towels dancing jigs and jams before my eyes!  My imagination went from to petal pointed skirts to fruity names! A whirl of merry happenstance.

Building around the towel, a blue linen cotton for her skirt, white basket weave blouse with a hand carved Mother of Pearl button, a pieced cap and lemony braids.  Afonya is Hungarian for ‘blueberry’

$85

She was just seven years old when her mother, Bakwa Turunku, become queen. Amina learned fairness and justice early and well.
Queen Amina brought prosperity and peace came to Zaria earning great admiration from her people.

 My grandmother lived in Liberia when I was a child. she brought back wonderful fabrics.  i found this  scrap of hand woven in her sewing box, and around it i built this doll.  embroidery at the hem to repeat the colors... black and gold belt for royalty... seed bead for the Maasi tribe... once she was done i went in search of a true queen of Africa. 
She lived 1533 – 1610

Truly one of a kind.

$160

Little Betty Blue

She lost her holiday shoe;
What shall Betty do?
Why,
give her another to match the other
and then she'll walk around on two!

A different take on Ma Goose!  I wanted a tom-boy gal. I could see her taking off her shoes, forgetting them, to run barefoot, caring not a whit for her holiday dress! She needed to be a red head.

I gave her a sky full of skirt and light blue pin tucked bloomers, a blouse of 70's ecru lace, a big muffin cap with two pieces of girly rose tapestry and 1" metal button.

$80

Elspeth

Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy and Bess,
They all went together
to seek a birds nest;
They found a bird’s nest with five eggs in, They all took one, and left four behind.

The dainty embroidered flowers on fine Irish linen set the tone:
girly, but sophisticated.
Mirror backed vintage buttons, hanging, purely decorative sleeves, delicate lace on her bloomers, soft pink and raspberry to give her just enough attitude. Based on a Mother Goose Rhyme

$95

more tea toweling around!  i've had such a great time with these gals!  and i would never have put sage, kelly, olive and lime together, but somehow it works as ribbons of stitches!

$85

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