In a space that often doesn’t make space for dolls that reflect diversity and wider cultures, a particular woman has been one of the few pioneers in shifting this.

Coletta Peterson is the founder of A Touch of BLU Designs, which is dedicated to crocheted, diverse dolls representing her culture.

“My designs are a direct extension of my Black womanhood – the resilience, the creativity and the unique beauty of it all. The hairstyles are a homage to Black girlhood – the braids and the clack of beads, the ponytails, weighed down with what feels like a million barrettes.

“The skin tones and the names I give my patterns and ready-made dolls are carefully chosen to reflect, and celebrate, Blackness and my family, as most of my dolls are named after a family member,” says Coletta.

Her hand-crafted, intricately designed dolls embody culture through vibrant materials and tie-dye fabrics.

It took time for Coletta to perfect her skills and tighten her stitch work. However, she reached her goals through dedication to representing children who looked like her younger self.

She took classes offered by skilled fibre artists, who still inspire her to this day, which enhanced her craft. 

“This doll-making journey was not a path that I saw in my life. I’d followed all of the “right” steps for a good life: I went to university, acquired my degree in a field I enjoyed, and found a job in a field I enjoyed. 

“Until the job that I enjoyed was unexpectedly taken away, I was left scratching my head in confusion and a little despair about my next steps.

“I stumbled into crochet after several failed attempts at being a left-handed maker, learning from right-handed videos and made my first towel.

“After a few months, an old coworker asked me to make her a doll for the baby she was expecting. At the time, I was unaware of the difference between UK and American Crochet Terms, and as a result, the first doll I made was the only one I could love. But I was, for lack of a better word, hooked. I realized I wanted to be a part of this niche,” says Coletta.

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Coletta’s drive and purpose were recognised in the lack of ethnic minority dolls she saw around her, particularly when reflecting on her childhood.

“Blackness was not as present in the toy industry; almost all of my dolls were made for me by my grandmother. I didn’t get my first commercially made doll until I was 6 or 7, starting the Cabbage Patch craze.

My first Black Cabbage Patch Kid arrived 2 years later, alongside my first dark-skinned Barbie.  I wanted my work to reflect all I wanted to see growing up,” says Coletta.

Through honing her skills, she refined her brand and cemented her vision of what she wanted her dolls to look like.

“I am inspired by my love for Black culture, family, cultural connections, and storytelling through art.

“I am motivated by my deep love for my community, family, and friends. I feel an obvious purpose: to make Black children and adults feel seen and valued through dolls that bring them joy and comfort while reflecting their stories and cultures.

“If I had known that this is the path my life would have taken, I certainly would have told my younger self to stay true to that creative spark that was tucked away when others saw it as an impractical way of making your way through life,” says Coletta.

Coletta pushes young women like herself to navigate their creative talents, refine their skills, and believe in themselves.

“As anxiety-inducing as it may be, put yourself out there. Much like a teething infant, growth will not always come in comfortably.  Most of all, I love what you do.

“A Touch of BLU Designs is not just about making dolls for me. It’s about leaving a legacy of purpose, passing down culture and being a beacon of creativity and pride for those who come after me,” says Coletta.

These dolls are far more than vibrant figures made of yarn; they represent the work of a woman who dared to change the doll industry.
Coletta’s work is a means through which the younger generation of people of colour can see their reflection.