Colleen Babcock

When/why did you start making dolls? It was my dad and our mutual love of Christmas that inspired me to make polymer clay Santas as gifts. It wasn't until seeing the dolls of Patti Culea, Barbara Willis and Betts Vidal at an exhibition in London, England in 2003 that cloth dolls figured into the equation.

When did you begin making original one-of-a-kind dolls and why? After making a doll from a Patti Medaris Culea's book Creative Cloth Doll Beading, people began asking me to produce my own doll patterns, but I didn't feel confident calling something my own until I was sure that the look and pattern shapes used in my dolls were unique. Finally, the ideas began to come thick and fast and I haven't looked back since.

What types/styles of dolls do you make? I make cloth dolls. I have a degree in Theatre Design and Production from York University in Toronto and I incorporate my knowledge of historical costuming into many of my designs. I also love to create dolls with a practical purpose.

What media(s) do you use? Cloth.

What do you consider to be "special" about your dolls? It gives me great pleasure when other doll makers and designers tell me that my dolls are so different from what anyone else is creating. I try to make sure that my dolls are as expressive as possible and I love that many of my dolls are practical objects such as clocks or jewellery holders as well as decorative items.

What are your goals as a doll maker? My goal is to make sure that each of my designs is a new and fresh concept with a new and distinctly different pattern. I love producing and selling doll patterns, teaching online and in person so that others can enjoy making their own dolls.Ultimately, I would love to be part of the Dewey Decimal System with my own book full of doll making surprises.

Tell a little about yourself? I live in London, England but I am Canadian.