ORANGE : Dolls for Ill Made With ‘Lot of Love’

Laverne Kidd stitches by hand, putting the final touches on the smiling face of a soft cloth doll.

The table where Kidd sits is crowded with women, some stationed at sewing machines and others cutting patterns for more dolls. The surface of the table is littered with colorful thread and scraps of material.

Decorated, stuffed and stitched by members of the Orange Senior Citizens Center, the cuddly toys will have Velcro hands that allow them to cling easily to the hospital beds and IV stands of AIDS babies and other terminally ill children. The dolls, which will be distributed to local hospitals, are part of a nationwide nonprofit project begun by a branch of the United Federation of Doll Clubs.

On a recent Friday, Kidd was one of 22 women who attended a senior center class to make the dolls. “My heart goes out to them,” Kidd, 59, said of the sick children. “And to their parents and families, it’s so hard for them. I know what those parents are going through.”

She paused to consider the careful work that went into her handmade doll. “There’s a lot of love going into this,” Kidd said.

Some of the women are experienced at crafts, and others have never embroidered or sewn before. But all have a deep feeling for the tiny victims of AIDS and cancer who will receive the dolls.

“Lots of times, these babies are alone,” said Alba Hillman, 72, as she cut out a fresh pattern. “Their mothers are gone and they need something of their own to hold onto.”

The doll-making project, called Our Children, was initiated in 1989 by a Maryland chapter of the doll club federation. Betty Thomas, a federation member in Orange, heard about the project and brought it to the senior center last month. Three classes and 10 dolls later, Thomas said the toys seem to take on the characteristics of their makers. For many of the women, giving the toys away is like giving a piece of themselves.

“We had a good life and we’re retired now, and it’s time to give something back to someone else,” Thomas said. “After all, somebody helped us along the way.”

The simple, 18-inch dolls are made of soft, fire-retardant materials. The ribbon, eyelet and trim that help give each doll individuality are sewn down so “inquisitive little hands can’t pull it up.”

But most distinctive are the tiny faces, peeking from beneath the sleeper hoods. In all, there are seven basic designs with the faces of black, white, Latino and Asian boys and girls. The doll makers use embroidery to enhance each doll. A French knot stitch is used to create nappy curls, a satin stitch for wavy locks and a chain stitch for straight hair.

When the first batch of dolls is completed, it will be shipped to Maryland for review and then distributed to pediatrics wards across the country. Children’s Hospital of Orange County and other local facilities have already received dolls through Our Children, Thomas said.

When the Orange doll makers are more experienced with the pattern, Thomas hopes they will be able to distribute their own dolls to local hospitals. If the project is successful, it will be expanded to provide more complex dolls for older children.

Thomas also has interested a Santa Ana senior center in the project. But she has run low on materials and is seeking donations to help keep volunteers, such as Helen Fautsko, busy.

“This is a happy baby,” said Fautsko, 75, showing off the nearly completed face of a doll that has blondish hair and light eyes similar to her own. “I could have made her mouth pouty, but because I think it’ll make the child happy, I gave her a smile. As if it’s saying ‘Smile like your dolly.’ It’ll bring happiness to some little heart.”