Description

This project aligns with the non-apparel textiles focus area, which refers to textile products that are not intended for clothing or personal wear but serve other functional, decorative, or practical purposes. In this case, the doll serves as a tool for imaginative play, emotional development, and fostering a relationship with the natural world. The doll's design draws inspiration from natural environments, specifically the ocean, flower meadows, and forests. These elements of nature are reflected in the doll's clothing, which incorporates colourful embroidery, applique, needle felting and beading to imitate these environments. Bright, bold, natural colours inspired by these environments' flowers, landscapes and foliage which are incorporated into the design to stimulate creativity and enhance imaginative play. Steiner's philosophy emphasises the importance of simplicity, natural materials, and a connection with nature. This is reflected in the doll, which is made from natural materials including mohair boucle yarn for hair, cotton jersey for skin, woollen felt, and cotton calico for the clothing and accessories. The minimal features of the dolls allow for emotional projection, allowing children to create their own stories and narratives, further fostering creative expression.

Images of Work

"A close-up of a handmade cloth doll. The doll has light peach-coloured skin and light brown, curly, textured hair which has been stitched into the doll fabric. The doll is wearing a light beige vest over a pink ruffled dress. The vest has a white button closure. The pink dress has delicate ruffles at the neckline and sleeves, and its fabric has a soft, flowy texture."

"A doll wearing a charming linen dress with intricate embroidery. The dress is a light, neutral cream colour. The bodice is made from light blue fabric with puffed sleeves, fastened with two white buttons on the front. The skirt is adorned with a detailed underwater scene, a small, stylised fish in shades of grey and blue swims amongst green seaweed on the left, and two jellyfish are depicted further to the right, one in soft purple and the other in muted teal, with delicate tentacles trailing. The bottom of the skirt is richly embellished with embroidered coral formations in shades of purple, green and yellow, creating a textured and vibrant underwater garden. The hemline is enhanced with a border of small dark brown and clear beads, adding a subtle shimmer and finish."

Select Student Folio Pages

The pages selected for each project reflect the individual students' interpretations of the syllabus guidelines for the MTP. Each student should develop their folio according to the guidelines, relating to their own individual project. This may result in a variety of presentation styles, numbers of sketches and/or experiments.