Making Doll Clothes

In the early 1960’s, there was a thriving cottage industry employing homemakers with time on their hands while the children were in school to cut out, sew and package doll clothes for local department stores like Woolworth’s and Kresge’s to sell. It was a great way for stay-at-home mothers to supplement the family income. My mother was one of those women.

The pre-cut fabric pieces were picked up by my mother from a home not far from our house in Richmond Hill, along with thread, trims, dome fasteners and instructions, which she sewed into finished pieces for various size dolls including Barbie and Tammy. The women received payment by the completed piece and they went to that home every Thursday to drop them off and a new stack ready to be sewn was picked up. Next the completed doll clothes went to the packagers who put them in cellophane bags and printed cardboard toppers were stapled on the top making them ready to deliver to stores.

Even as a child, I thought that some of the fabric selections were ‘interesting’, if not downright odd. But any child with a bit of change in their pocket could go to the store and pick out a new, unique outfit for their doll. They were much less expensive than the factory made clothes manufactured by the doll companies, and the preferred option for many parents on a tight budget. And the children were happy.

As the doll companies found ways to lower the production cost of their factory made clothes, the local cottage industry went by the wayside as it was no longer profitable for them.

Of course, virtually all of my doll clothes were homemade which I kind of resented at the time as some of my friends had factory made clothes for their dolls. Now, I am much more appreciative of the time and love that went into making them for me. I sure wish I still had that box of items my mother made but they were tossed out or given away long ago.