Little People with Wild Hair-Do

At some point – well after I’d made these two – I decided to change how I construct the arms. Now each doll is worked in one piece: starting with the legs, then the body, then the arms (which are incorporated into the body), and finally the neck and head. That makes them properly “baby-proof.”

Even with this new construction, I try to keep the spirit of the originals alive—the little people with their wild hair-do, sticking up in every direction, untamed and full of character. That wild hair-do gives each doll a mischievous, playful energy, like they’ve just run through a whirlwind or been caught in a gust of wind. It’s what makes them instantly lovable and full of personality, even before you add a face or a story.

Little People

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.

little people häkelmonster

little people häkelmonster

Pangolin

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.