Mama's Church Doll

Framed text, doll, and Mother's Day card given to my mother

The framed text, the little doll, and the greeting card shown above were part of my mother's Mother's Day gift from me, received a day early, yesterday.  She was impressed that I made the doll, which is my rendition of the church doll that dates back to the US Civil War era.  

The framed text describes my personal desire to own a Black church doll after discovering their history on a website that sells manufactured versions of the original 1800s handmade dolls.  Considered a "quiet toy," the original church dolls were fashioned from women's handkerchiefs and used to calm fidgety children during church service.  

Because my attempts to locate a Black church doll to add to my eclectic Black-doll collection were futile, I made one for myself.  After exhausting attempts to purchase women's handkerchiefs, I used other materials for what are now my one-of-a-kind church doll creations.

To date I have made a total of 16 church dolls.  Fourteen of these were given to special people.  One person, who received one as a gift recently commissioned me to make one for her mother. The commissioned doll inspired me to "finally" make one for my mother.  She loves it, the story that inspired me to begin making them, and now wants me to make one for one of her friends.

Below are better images of Church Doll #16 followed by a photo of its recipient taken yesterday before my mother and I left her house to go on what my brother refers to as our "weekly outing."
 

Mama's church doll is doll #16.  The dolls are all without facial features because my talent for painting or otherwise creating facial features has not yet been realized.  Not shown is the candle and candle holder that the doll's skirt coves.

Each doll usually has one long ponytail tied with a white ribbon.  Each strand of hair is applied separately. 

Mama, 05/10/14

More about the original church doll can be read here.

dbg