Design Your Own Cloth Doll

Design Your Own Cloth Doll!

This July, dive into a magical and expressive art form with master dollmaker Charlie Patricolo, as she leads a five-day immersive Cloth Doll Workshop from July 16–20. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned stitcher, this workshop offers you the opportunity to explore the rich, whimsical world of art dolls, crafted entirely by your own hands.

Participants will begin by sculpting a head from knit fabric, carefully shaping facial features with needle and thread before bringing them to life with the soft detailing of pens and pencils. Once your doll’s unique personality begins to shine through, you’ll move on to constructing the body—torso, arms, and legs—tailored to your vision. The doll may be young or old, sitting or flying, realistic or fantastical. Each creation will be as individual as its maker, and range in size from 14 to 20 inches tall.

Under Charlie’s thoughtful and encouraging guidance, students will complete their dolls by designing clothing, adding hair, and bringing every last detail to life. While basic sewing machine skills and hand-stitching are required, no prior doll-making or drawing experience is necessary—just a willingness to explore, imagine, and create.

Charlie brings decades of experience and passion to her teaching. Her journey began with sewing from patterns in her teens and transformed after a pivotal class at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Since then, her original designs have been shown in galleries and featured on her website, and she’s been a proud member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild since 2002. Her work often draws inspiration from music, fabric, memory, and fantasy—a joyful reflection of both the real and imagined.

“For me, the best part of teaching is watching someone go from ‘I don’t think I can do this’ to holding a doll they’ve truly made,” Charlie says. “That moment of realization is everything.”

Her most recent pieces lean heavily into fantasy, responding to the world’s complexities with color, imagination, and joy. That same spirit will infuse this summer’s workshop—an invitation to escape, dream, and create in good company. Register now online. Registration closes July 2nd!

Cloth Doll

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Block Printing

Sanborn Mills Farm

(603) 435- 7314

info@sanbornmills.org

www.sanbornmills.org

   

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Dyeing Yarns