Little people—that’s what we would call these dolls. These cheerful four were the very first generation, the originals that started it all.
They’re small, simple, and don’t have faces—and apparently, that’s never bothered a single child. On the contrary, it lets them come alive in a child’s imagination: they can laugh, cry, or talk however the child wants.
Of course, they wouldn’t be the last; many more little people would follow, each with their own personality and quirks.
The very first doll I ever made was this little one. I didn’t have a pattern—just a rough idea in my head—and I ended up unraveling it more times than I can even count, trying to get it just right.
M came up with the name, and that was that: the little Pangolin finally had an identity. Most of the other dolls I made over the years went off to new homes, but Pangolin stayed with us. Even now, years later, the Pangolin is still here, a little reminder of where it all began.
I think part of me will always have a soft spot for Pangolin—the one that started the whole obsession.
This is how I started
and here is what it turned out to be
This is what happens, when flowers turn into a whole blanket – for the birth of a little girl. Maybe I should have counted how many blossoms there were before I gave the blanket away.