KNITTING: A fabulously funky pattern for 2 very vintage knitted dolls. These interesting characters look like the ancestors of today’s popular “weird dolls” or knitted versions of popular crocheted amigurumi dolls.
The small, clown like doll is in simple garter stitch and is approx. 15inches; the larger 20 inch doll is originally knitted with finer wool, and uses double moss (seed) stitch on the sweater and stocking stitch.
The pattern for the embroidered faces is given for you to trace; you may want to skip theirs and do your own, or use buttons, felt, doll safety eyes etc. .
PLEASE NOTE:
The original pattern has a vintage doll character that is controversial and can cause offence today.
I am avoiding using the “G” word… and have removed it from my PDF instructions, substituting “doll” instead.
The dolls can be interpreted in ANY colours; with realistic flesh tones or not, as the knitter wishes.
I have also obscured some features that are considered caricatures of some racial traits…however it is at base, merely an instruction for constructing a doll body; with interesting stripy and textural details, and a tufted hair method as alternative to the hat of the other doll. It was difficult to draw a line between removing caricatures and removing pertinent structural information; at some point this process in itself becomes uncomfortably judgmental!
From a curatorial/social history perspective, I think the pattern is worth preserving and using as an instruction for a simple knitted doll body-and have done my best to cut out any offensiveness (unwitting at the time it was created) in wording or appearance.
It is possible to take offence at many things - what is left of the image is just a doll body in my opinion. Please do not buy it if it is still unpleasant to you.
If you actually do want an accurate scan of my original leaflet for historical study - please contact me.
