Raggedy Ann

Years ago, I decided to make a special keepsake for each of my nieces and nephews. After reading the original story about Raggedy Ann written by Johnny B. Gruelle my decision was made! My keepsake gift would be a handmade rag doll. Raggedy Ann for the girls, and Raggedy Andy for the boys. I love the Raggedy Ann stories and always wanted a rag doll all my own when I was a child. I feel sure that old rag doll helped many to hold onto a piece of childhood for generations. The story about the original Raggedy warmed my heart. I made sure to include a copy of the original story with each doll that I gave as a gift.
I made many Anns and Andys over the years for family and close friends. I stopped counting when a third generation bid for the treasured keepsake. When the news came through the family grapevine that a new baby was on the way, down, came the box that held the well worn pattern from storage. Knowing the sex of the baby was not important when making the doll’s body. I began by cutting the doll body parts from a basic muslin material. I embroidered the face by hand, making the large round black eyes, a large triangle shaped nose and a smiling black mouth. The most important feature to me is the outlined heart, with the words, I love you sewn in black thread. Most children look for the heart as soon as they’re old enough to understand the story of Raggedy Ann. The next step… assemble the body parts. I would sew them together, making sure the lower legs were made from red and white candy cane striped material to look like the stockings. Then firm stuffing of cotton batting began with the legs, arms and finally the head. The doll parts were then sewn together. Finally the doll was ready for the famous red hair. I sewed each strand in rows by hand to give a thicker layer, stronger head of hair. Hand stitching the hair would enable the dolls to withstand many years of handling. After the doll body with hair was completed it was stored away until I heard the sex of the baby. If the baby was a girl, I selected a calico print for the dress in the color ranges of the parent’s choice. Of course, Ann always wears a white apron to cover her calico dress. Raggedy Andy, for a boy was dressed in a sailor suit with a white shirt, navy trousers and always a sailor hat.
All the mystery and wonder that surrounds a newborn would go through my mind as I worked making the dolls. Who will our baby favor? What will the baby’s nature be? As I worked I said a special prayer for this new little soul that would wake up one day to see the two large black eyes of Raggedy Ann/Andy watching over him or her from somewhere in the nursery. I would pray that this little soul would be happy and healthy and enjoy my gift of love. A lot of love, time and care went into my dolls. “Call me crazy but by the time my doll was completed, it seemed to have a personality of its very own.” Over the years my picture album has filled with pictures of babies with smiling faces holding their ragdoll. Beyond a doll with bright red hair and embroidered heart that says I love you, my seed of love passed through the hand stitch ragdoll. I hope with the fullness of time my love will continue to grow with each little one. I hope the ragdoll will be passed on from generation to generation.
Out of interest, Johnny Gruelle’s inspiration was a real doll made 100 years ago. The first was a rag doll made for his mother by his grandmother. Raggedy Ann originated from this old, faceless rag doll found by cartoonist Johnny Gruelle’s daughter, Marcella, around 1915. Her father drew on the face and began to make up stories for his daughter. This doll was much loved by his daughter Marcella. Sadly, Marcella died from a childhood illness.
From the days of the discovery by Marcella in the trunk that was stored away in her grandmother’s attic, the little rag doll with the red hair and drawn on face has been loved by many! The first book full of colorful pictures was published in 1918. The Raggedy Ann books have stirred the imagination of millions of young readers all over the world.
Raggedy Ann stories were among my favorite as a child. In my many trips to my Granny Hall’s attic, my heart was in search of a Raggedy Ann while going through her old trunks. I have mentioned in an early writing, I loved to spend time in granny’s attic and visit with her. She had so many keepsakes, but we never did find a rag doll! And, I never did have a Raggedy Ann doll. But, I made up for that later in life when I made them for our family’s babies! Sweet memories for me.