About

Decorative heirloom dolls lovingly handmade in the U.K. by Katy Livings

I spent my childhood constantly making and sewing, encouraged and influenced by my grandmother Annie Davies and her button collection. I went on to study Textile Design at Nottingham Trent University, specialising in embroidery in my final year. My final degree show was awarded a Design Excellence Award at the New Designers Exhibition in London which enabled me to begin a career as a freelance designer working for companies both in the U.K. and Paris.

I've designed homeware and fashion ranges for companies such as Crown Wallcoverings, Habitat, Nitya and Mattel toys. I was delighted to win a commission by Tony and Cherie Blair in conjunction with the Foreign Office to Design and make gifts for the World Leaders attending the G8 Summit in 1998. My embroidered scarves were presented to the wives of the heads of state and I was invited to attend a presentation at number 10 Downing Street. After spending the next few years working as a buyer and designer I developed arthritis in my hands and gave up my creative career.

10 years and 2 children later, I'm recovering thanks to the NHS and a remarkable drug called Rituximab. This has restored the use of my hands and I'm making again!

I'm loving putting all my care and attention into creating heirloom gifts, traditional decorative dolls and rabbits using beautiful Liberty of London fabrics with the softest wool and cashmere. I try to incorporate as many details as possible working with leather, yarn, vintage trims, pretty laces and vintage mother of pearl buttons. I make my own patterns and love to work with customers to create custom orders and personalised elements to their dolls.

Due to safety regulations my dolls are intended as decorative items only and are not suitable for children or babies.

When I'm not sewing at the bottom of the garden you can find us baking or growing flowers!