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. Simple and soft to the touch, these handcrafted creations inspired a number of American women in the early 20th century to create their own cloth dolls, make them in quantity, and sell 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.