The tradition of giving a doll for special occasions has very ancient origins.

A Doll is a prestigious gifts. Historically, the doll has been gifted to a bride on the occasion of her wedding, to a child for communion, for special occasions and birthdays. 

As custom-made and personalized dolls, my handmade dolls are suitable for both teenagers and adults, not as a toy, but as a personal gift with a deeper meaning.

Portrait and Custom made Dolls

What is a Portrait doll?

A portrait doll is a soft crocheted figure made to resemble someone you love.

I make portrait dolls to honor a special bond between people. 

A mother's love is irreplaceable and cannot be compared to any other form of love. Mothers and daughters share a special bond, a relationship marked by warmth, affection, and care that is unique. In honor of this loving, unique bond, I create pairs of dolls that speak of the special love between a mother and her child.

A unique handmade portrait doll that resembles your daughter, 

is a work of art. A soft figure to be held and embraced, is a symbol of a bond that is irreplaceable. 

Making Personalized Dolls is a unique experience.

I love giving my dolls thier own character. A personalised doll is such an opportunity. You can choose your favorite colors, dress, shoes, hairstyle and skin color. The eyes are of course the most beautiful part of the doll as they give life to this handmade soft sculpture. Your Doll will look at you with kindness and confidence.

What is a Custom made Doll?

A custom doll represents someone you want to hug and remember, or a book character you hold dear. With accessories, your doll will look stunning.

Doll size

Dolls big and small

I make dolls in different sizes. They can be 33 cm or 22 cm tall or small miniature dolls measuring 9 cm. The sizes are approximate because my dolls are handmade, so there may be slight variations in size.

Please also note that none of my dolls are exactly the same. A doll always gains a little personality during the making process that makes her unique and different from all the other dolls. This is the charm and a touch of magic of handmade dolls.

Materials used in doll making 

Materials I use in doll making

The materials I use to make dolls are cotton yarn for the body and cotton thread for eyes embroidery that meets the OEKO Tex 100 standard. I use many colors of yarn and I want to give each doll some individual characteristics. I don't use wire. Just soft filling, which is anti-allergic polyester, suitable for children's toys.

Doll hair

Alpaca or mohair is my go-to for doll hair. I love lush hairstyles, so alpaca looks amazing. Sometimes I use acrylic or silk, but I find goat hair to be the best choice for doll hair. And it fits in perfectly with the heritage. Did you know that Istria has a goat in its coat of arms?

Hand embroidered eyes

Each doll has hand-embroidered eyes that are carefully crafted. I embroider the eyes with needle and cotton thread using at least two colors for the iris of the eye. This gives the doll a unique look. They say that the eyes are the window to our soul. I believe you can mirror yourself in the kindes of my doll's eyes. 

The body of the doll

The doll's body is crocheted from the soles of her feet to her head. The crochet technique is amigurumi, which means it goes in circles that turn out to be spirals. I love spirals. Throughout human history, the symbol of the spiral has been attributed magical meaning. And I really love all things magical.

Important note: I do not use any wire when making dolls, but only soft stuffing. So the dolls have a tenderness that is also reflected in their eyes.

Each doll comes with a wooden stand

My husband makes wooden stands from scratch. So you can put your doll on a stand and display it in your favorite spot at home.

For custom and personalized doll orders, please contact me. 

Traditonal Costume Dolls

Dolls in traditional costumes represent local people in Istria, a peninsula in the northern Adriatic.

The dolls are dressed in costumes typical of the Renaissance period and worn until the Second World War, or costumes that were created in the 19th century during the Spring of Nations in Europe. Some elements of the costumes are ancient, have Slavic roots and date back to antiquity. Some are typically Mediterranean and date back to the Serenissima period of the Venetian Republic. 

Photos of our dolls in traditional costumes (courtesy of Nataša Fajon) are from the local exhibition that was held in October 2022:

MALI KOPRČANI / PICI CAVRESANI / LITTLE CAPODISTRIANS

Magic of choice   

One fascinating thing I've discovered, interestingly, is that when girls come to choose their doll, they always choose the one that most resembles them. That's why I started making portrait dolls in the first place. There's no gift more satisfying than receiving a doll that represents you.

Making Unique Crochet Dolls is a Dream come true