Doll

Many American women of the 19th century mastered needlework and sewing arts, and many used these skills to make cloth dolls for their children. Simply and soft to the touch, these handcrafted creations inspired a number of American women to create their own cloth dolls made in quantity and sold to others. Doll makers like Izannah Walker, Julia Beecher, and Martha Chase devised innovations in doll making to offer products that would do no harm if dropped on the floor and that felt soft and comforting to touch and hug.