Think your babies need to up their adorability? Consider accessorising them with one of these Cabbage Patch Kids wigs. These cute hairpieces come in a variety of colors so your kids resemble that infamous cuddly doll from the late 70s and early 80s. An Etsy shop known as TheLilliePad makes these Cabbage Patch Kids wigs, as a tribute to one of the most popular toy brands of the 1980s and the longest running doll-franchises in the U.S. Available as a sewing pattern or as a finished hat.
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Cabbage Patch Kids wigs
Amanda Lillie, 32, is a fan of the iconic Cabbage Patch Kid toys and took her juvenile obsession to the next level by making her own versions of the dolls’ woolen tresses. The original dolls were created in 1978 and had soft cloth bodies and hair made from wool. Amanda uses an acrylic version to create her wigs, which she makes in all shapes and sizes to fit both children and adult doll enthusiasts, each one taking around two hours to complete.
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Priced between $30 to $40 per wig on Etsy, Lillie donates 10 percent of her proceeds to Open Hand Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides micro-loans to women in Haiti. She also sells patterns for the hats for $6 on Etsy so that crocheters can create their own hats.
Read what inspired Amanda Lillie to create these wigs on the next page.
The inspiration
She says: ‘Cabbage Patch Kid dolls were very popular throughout my childhood in the eighties. I saw a photo online where someone created a version of the crochet Cabbage Patch Kids wig for a toddler. It didn't look like a Cabbage Patch hat as I remembered as much as I remembered. I knew I could create a much more authentic looking wig. So I pulled out my old dolls for inspiration and set to work.’
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Rapid boom in demand
When she put it up for sale on Etsy, an e-commerce shopping site, the business just took off. She said, ‘I was surprised to find that there was a tremendous amount of interest in my hats’. In fact, she's barely able to keep up with the high demand. It takes her two to three hours to crochet one of her Cabbage Patch Kids wigs. The most popular model has pig tails and comes in a light-brunette color.
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Road ahead
She’s been moved by the ways in which her customers are using the wigs. One woman who works in a daycare center wore her wig on the job to amuse the kids. Another customer buys them for children who have cancer and have lost their hair due to chemotherapy. Lillie, who has been preparing for the birth of her baby girl due late September, says there is no doubt that her future daughter will be donning one. She is waiting for her own life-size Cabbage Patch doll for Halloween this year.
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Amanda's creation is a reminder that however old we grow, childhood memories remained etched in our minds and can trigger good vibes. If you have any special memory from your childhood do feel free to share it with us below.
