Lynne & Michael Roche
Dollmakers
Celebrating 40 years
www.roche-dolls.co.uk
How to get in touch Our dolls are available on a first-come-first-served basis, so please do let us know of your interest as soon as possible.
Email lynne@roche-dolls.co.uk Call 01225 318042 www.roche-dolls.co.uk
www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Welcome For more years than we can remember we have held a special Christmas open day to thank makers and friends for their contribution to our year, and to mark the release of our new dolls. Of course, this year is different – so a ‘virtual’ open day it will have to be. We hope to send you some of the spirit of the occasion, and share a limited number of newly-dressed, favourite dolls. All good wishes,
Lynne & Michael
www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Dressing t Christmas for us starts with our open day, and the house feels so festive...
Turning on the lights
We love to find a real Christmas tree to fill the first landing. Decorations collected across the years come together, topped off by a teddy – with fairy wings, naturally. www.roche-dolls.co.uk
the house A welcome at the door
Wreath making is a more recent tradition and is usually a get-together in itself. Friends forage on local walks to gather interesting ingredients that we top up with highlights from our favourite Bath florist.
Willing helpers
Once we get started, our Devon Rex Figgy is always on hand for quality control. He is especially fond of the wispy seed heads of the wild clematis ‘Old Man’s Beard’. He is convinced it is alive! www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Tulips & berries
No surface goes undecorated. Here the gilded mirror shelf in the hall gets the festive treatment with berries, twigs and very early parrot tulips.
Candles & Amaryllis
The dining room is host to an all-day feast as visitors come and go. The marble top cabinet is perfect for a display of Amaryllis, surrounded by filigree candles. www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Turning on the lights
We love to have a real Christmas tree to fill the first landing. Decorations collected across the years cover the branches, topped off by a teddy – with fairy wings, naturally. www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Cards & presents for everyone!
Lynne creates a new Christmas card design every year. (Right) Doll & Feather Tree for 2019, (left) ‘It wasn’t me!’ to celebrate Figgy Pudding’s first Christmas in 2018, and (above) a combination of favourite things for 2017 – festive Venice and the always-elegant Holly-Berry, who sadly left us shortly before last Christmas. (Above left) Figgy unwrapping his gifts and devouring a new catnip toy. www.roche-dolls.co.uk
www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Meet the
Proudly showing off their new attire, please welcome our dolls
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gang!
s for Christmas 2020...
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Lillian A new floral look for one of our most popular dolls from the 1990s...
Fabulous in florals
It was lovely to discover this floral fabric to team with wonderfully soft yarns for Lillian’s latest outfit. The peplum waistcoat is worn over a soft red or rich cream polo neck and sits beautifully over the twotiered skirt. Florals are a little unusual for Lillian, so we hope you approve. 20in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two available £2000 www.roche-dolls.co.uk
www.roche-dolls.co.uk
www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Esme
All set for chilly days, our very young little girl shows off her latest clothes...
Stitched in stripes
We introduced Esme back in 2006 (a sister to Thomasina). For 2020 she wears a space-dyed jumper under a pinafore made from Merchant & Mills’ beautiful linens and cottons. The detail of stitched lines is picked up on the skirt hem and edging of the wool waistcoat. The soft green is matched to mitts and a knitted hat with tassels or pom-pons. 16in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two available £2000 www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Elsie &
Little Theo
A favourite girl and the smaller edition of our little boy – Theo – dressed in soft wools...
Delicate details
Elsie wears a new variation on her hand-knitted, trellis-pattern dress with a lace-weight cardigan. The generous collar features an appliqué flower, which is knitted on tiny pins. Theo is set for cooler days in a space-dyed yarn jacket, styled with his initial. A matching cap keeps his blond curls in order. 13½in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Elsie – Edition of two available £2000 Theo – Edition of one available £2000 www.roche-dolls.co.uk
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www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Bella
Natural linens and the finest yarns give this doll a special new look...
The softest colours
We are especially pleased with this new colour combination of pale yellow yarn and soft blue linen fabric. The subtle shades continue all the way down to her yellow leather shoes. Bella comes with her own toy giraffe, which is a character in itself with its comically wobbly neck and legs. 17in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two available ÂŁ2000 www.roche-dolls.co.uk
a n n a s Su A brand new one-of-a-kind knit for one of our tallest dolls...
One 0f a kind
Susannah is wearing one of the most magnificent jackets we have created, with the exaggerated collar echoing the long peplum hem. The hunt for just the right fastening was rewarded with these unusual double-layered buttons. The blue of the jacket continues into a dress patterned with tiny crosses, and shoes in French blue leather. 20in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of one available ÂŁ2000 www.roche-dolls.co.uk
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www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Aimi
Now dressed up for Christmas, Aimi was one of our first ‘Little Friends’...
Festive fun
For 2020 Aimi wears a red jumpsuit with a felt, kimono-style overtop, decorated with a knitted robin and holly motifs. The felt holly with bead berries is echoed on the little slippers. We commissioned a pointed hat as the perfect finishing touch. 7½in high, all bisque with wooden ball joints. An edition of 10 in total, 6 available to be posted before Christmas and the final four* to be delivered late January/early February. £695 * The red jumpsuit will be a slightly darker red due to the variation in dye batches in these delicate hand-dyed yarns.
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Past Editions
A last change to share some special editions of our previous dolls...
Only one available in these editions (Far left) Copy of K&R 114, 10in high, all bisque, £350 (Above left) Medium Claudine, 18in high, wood body, £1150 (Below) Florence, 16in high, wood body, £1150
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From our 2019 Christmas Collection Kitty – 10in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two available, £2000 Baby Dot – 6in high, cloth body, porcelain head & hands Edition of one available, £650 www.roche-dolls.co.uk
www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Kitty
This delightful little doll has just become available...
Kitty is clothed in the prettiest of hand knits. Her trellis-patterned dress features a scattering of embroidered flowers. She comes with her own little toddler, by the name of Lucy. 10in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands One available ÂŁ2000 www.roche-dolls.co.uk
Lynne’s Pain
No open day is complete without viewing Lynne’s latest paintings. 2020 has seen her longing for Venice and composing still lives...
Oil on board: (Left) Autumn Tangle, (below left) Red Venetian House, (Below) ‘No cats allowed on the table’ For the chance to purchase and see more www.Lynnerocheartist.co.uk
www.roche-dolls.co.uk
ntings
Christmas spirit
The first picture book for children – and anyone in search of nostalgic festive magic. Lynne’s two passions come together in the Christmas book she both wrote and illustrated in 2005. A very limited number of copies are still available. The perfect Christmas Eve read! Get in touch if you would like a copy lynne@roche-dolls.co.uk £12.50, including UK postage www.roche-dolls.co.uk
We have only to start setting up for a photo and an extra model appears. Bella is joined by our new kitten, Plum Pudding.
Lynne & Michael Roche
Dollmakers Celebrating 40 years
ŠYum
Yum Books
Photography: Lynne Roche â—ź Editing & Presentation: Jenny Dixon
www.roche-dolls.co.uk