MAKING WOMEN WHO MADE HISTORY
Image: Emmeline Pankhurst Doll, TOFT Ed's Dolls Club: Making the Women who Made History
This week, we're celebrating two women-owned enterprises that seek to share the stories and achievements of iconic women throughout history. Both Carla Mitrani, author of Crochet Iconic Women, and Kerry Lord, founder and creative director of the luxury British yarn brand TOFT and author of the Edward’s Menagerie series of books, have created a series of crochet patterns and kits for all skill levels that celebrate remarkable women who have changed our world for the better.
Image: Frida Kahlo Doll, TOFT Ed's Dolls Club: Making the Women who Made History
Kerry first created the best-selling Edward's Menagerie series of books in 2012, which has inspired thousands of people around the world to crochet for the first time. Now TOFT offers Ed's Dolls Club: Making the Women who Made History, which, as the name suggests, introduces subscribers to some of the world’s most influential women through the act of making. Once every 4 months a new crochet pattern and yarn bundle is released, along with a collectable information card, to make the next inspirational female in the series.
Image: Marie Curie doll, TOFT Ed's Dolls Club: Making the Women who Made History
Normally, each historical figure remains a mystery until the next installment is delivered, but in celebration of International Women’s Day and the exhibition Making Women who made History at the Stitch Festival 2022, they have released three new dolls: Marie Curie, Queen Nefertiti and none other than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Usually the crocheted dolls are available only to subscribers of Dolls Club but, until the 14th March, the kits of individual inspiring dolls are available to buy as one-offs. Over on Instagram TOFT have spent the week celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of the inspiring women immortalised in wool. From environment activist Wangari Maathai and pilot Amelia Earhart, to mountaineer Junko Tabei and of course, Emmeline Pankhurst, learn more about these women who made history.
When making her first amigurumi doll of Amelia Earhart as a personalised gift for her adventurer friend, Carla Mitrani was fascinated by the research she undertook to make the doll recognisable as Earhart. Soon after, this process of researching her role models and painstakingly making their likeness in crochet became a passion, and was her way of letting them know how much she admired them, and thanking them for their trailblazing accomplishments. Other icons featured in her book, Crochet Iconic Women, include; Great Thunberg, Rosa Parks, Billie Holliday, and Marie Curie among several others. Carla notes that the hardest part of writing the book was narrowing down just 15 women to include. In the end she chose a line-up of women who represent the achievements of the many who came before and after them, women who built our past, who are shaping the present, and young girls fighting for our future.
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For more information about Ed's Dolls Club: Making the Women who Made History, visit the TOFT website.
Crochet Iconic Women by Carla Mitrani is currently available to purchase in all good books shops.
Show your appreciation for the women who inspire your your best friend, your mother, aunt, a teacher whoever has impacted your life this International Women's Day. When you buy three of our Selvedge tote bags, get another (for yourself!) absolutely free. Use the code IWDTOTE22 at checkout.
This offer will end at 5pm 15/03/22.