Dolls with attitude help healing | Oamaru News | Local News in Oamaru

When  her mother  died in 2005, Oamaru's  Sharon Mitchell turned to creating dolls as a way of grieving.

Seven years on,  creating cloth dolls has turned into a passion of artistic expression for Mrs Mitchell.

The mother of five said she did not just make any ordinary dolls; hers had "attitude". "These dolls have character. They're not toys, but works of art," she said. "Each doll becomes individual, with its own distinct personality."

The dolls, which take about 16 hours to make, have sold for upwards of $350 in Oamaru.

She  has a display of her creations, which  portray a comical view of society, at the Duntroon Museum. Mrs Mitchell said she often sold her dolls on Trade Me and Etsy.com.

"Mine don't reach great prices, but I've seen dolls that are very basic selling for $1000 on Etsy, which is exciting," she said.

Things got exciting for Mrs Mitchell in 2009, when she  won three online cloth doll challenges.

Encouraged by her efforts, she was spurred  to make her own patterns and teach classes to pass on her knowledge and skills  to anyone in Oamaru who might be interested. 

Her weekly classes, which started last year, have turned into a group called The Oamaru Cloth Doll Crafters.  Members share their ideas and make their own doll patterns.

Mrs Mitchell said many of the participants were new to the Oamaru community.

"It's a great opportunity for them to feel like they fit into the community," she said.

"It's also a creative outlet, unlike any other."

The part-time community worker said knowing how to sew was a must, but it was all about having a creative intelligence.

Anyone interested in the weekly classes should contact Mrs Mitchell by phone (0277371747) or email sfmitchell@xtra.co.nz