“Who better to represent me than me?” Three Black crochet dollmakers speak to us about the importance and impact of creating diverse and inclusive dolls

Designer/makers create amigurumi dolls, like these by Lisa Davis, that can be customised with different hairstyles and skin tones

Clockwise from left: Coletta and her handmade dolls; one of Coletta’s creations relaxing on a chair; Lisa Davis and two of her amigurumi dolls

Dolls are all about imagination, about creating the world you want to inhabit. Children do this through play, but adults can do it too – through making. Though major toy companies have recently re-imagined classic dolls in more diverse and inclusive ways, there’s still a long way to go. That ’s where crochet comes in – more specifically, Black crochet artists who create dolls with a wide range of skin tones, hair textures and more. In short, they use their imaginations to envision a world where every child can play with, and feel represented by, a doll that looks like them.

COLETTA PETERSON

One of these professionals is Coletta Peterson, creator of A Touch of BLU designs. The designer/maker creates adorable dolls and loveys, mostly with black or brown skin tones and with a range of hairstyles, a well as patterns for crocheters who want to make their own. She built her brand through Etsy, Ravelry, Instagram and her own website, atouchofbludesigns.wixsite.com/home