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 collectible and personalized dolls, they are suitable for teenagers and adults alike. 

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 that love each other. 

For example, a mother and daughter share a special bond. A mother's love is irreplaceable and cannot be compared to any other form of love. A relationship characterized by warmth, affection and care is unique. In honor of this loving, unique bond, I make 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 unique and irreplaceable. 

Making a Personalized Doll is a wonderful experience.

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 and character to this handmade soft sculpture. Your Doll will look at you with the kindness that everyone deserves.

 

What is a Custom made Doll?

A custom doll represents your custom character. You can choose the color of her eyes and hair, clothes for the doll, special accessories... so that the doll represents someone you want to remember or a book character you hold dear.

 

Dolls big and small

I also make dolls of different sizes. They can be 33 cm or 22 cm high. Sizes are approximate because my dolls are a handmade product, so slight size variations are possible. Although they are minimal.

Also note that no two of my dolls are absolutely alike. There is always a little personality that a doll acquires during the manufacturing process that makes it distinct from all other dolls.

 

Doll hair

Alpaca or mohair is my material of choice when making doll hair. It looks the prettiest on the doll. Sometimes I use acrylic or silk, but I find goat fiber to be the best choice when making hair for dolls. And it fits perfectly with the heritage. Did you know that Istria has a goat in its coat of arms?

 

Materials 

The materials I use to make the dolls are cotton yarn for the body and cotton thread for embroidering the eyes, which meet the OEKO Tex 100 standard. I use many colors of yarn and I like to give each doll some individual features.

For the filling, I use an anti-allergic polyester filling, which is suitable for children's toys.

 

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

is crocheted from the soles to the head. The crochet technique is amigurumi, which means that it goes in rounds, which turn out to be spirals. I love spirals. Throughout human history, the symbol of the spiral has been given a magical meaning. And I really love all things magical.

Important note: I don't use any wire when making dolls, just soft stuffing. The dolls therefore have a tenderness that is also reflected in their eyes.

 

Each doll comes with a wooden stand

that my husband makes in his spare time. So you can place your doll on a stand and display at your favorite spot at home. 

 

For custom and personalized doll orders, please contact me. 

 

Traditonal Costume Dolls

Dolls in traditional costumes represent the inhabitants of 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

Dolls since 2020

In June 2020, I started making dolls with doll designs in various costumes to match the folk songs I grew up listening to and to bring my book characters to life.

Istrian folk tradition fulfills me very much, as it includes traditional witchcraft and fairy faith. And I love all things magical.

Istria is Terra Magica.  

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

 

Making Unique Crochet Dolls is a Dream come true

My dolls are unique handmade crocheted dolls that are made with love, care and diligence. I hope they bring you as much joy as they brought me while making them.