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I grown up and

AFTER 37 YEARS of studying, collecting and
making ethnic doll costumes, North Vancouver
resident Janet Ferguson can rightfully call herself

an expert on the subject.

Ferguson: started the hob-
by in England when she was
12 years old, and since then
she says she has made about
250 costumes, from
Czechoslovakian to Italian
to Portugese to Welsh.

Although her collection
includes dolls from all over
the world, Ferguson explains
that the costumes she makes
are mostly European,
because it is easier to buy
European looking dolls, and
Ferguson insists the entire
look of her dolls be as
authentic as possible.

“| always say, if you're
going do it, do it properly. |
try as intently as possible to
copy the onginal costume, to
make exact replicas.”’

Ferguson’s passion, as she
describes it, for collecting
dolls and costumes, seems to
be a natural offspring from
both her parents’ hobbies.
She says her mother was tal-
ented in sewing, knitting and
embroidery and her father
built model villages and cas-
tles and took an interest in
her theatrical costumes for
school. Constructing and
sewing doll costumes seemed
to marry her parents’ inter-
ests into one hobby.

But Ferguson says she
never hked dolls as a young
child, preferring her teddy
bear for entertainment. A
few years later she regained
an interest in dolls due to a
collection of figurines her
great uncle kept locked up in
a glass case, which fasci-
nated her. After that she
decided she would have a
collection of her own — a

By BARRETT FISHER

collection of ethnic and folk

dolls. . :
‘When I decided to’ start

collecting, I realized there

was the pricey side of ethni¢™

dolls, so | started making my
own costumes.”’

Ferguson’s enthusiasm
didn’t begin with just the
dolis. Her research into the
background of costumes and
her collection of pictures and
books showed her deter-
mination in achieving
authentic looks for her
costumes. Today, she _ has
binders full of matenal and

a variety of Books on inter- |

rational cos es. :
Ferguson say: eghe used to
give away some“of her
finished dolls, and -*g,ow
Tegrets not having the ‘ir-
replaceable treasures. But

funnily enough, she says ‘1.

never used to admit my en-
thusiasm for costume collec-
ting, because in the late °4Qs,
people thought you were
weird if you collected doils,”’
whereas today, people col-
lect all sorts of things.

Before Ferguson begins a
doll, she rounds up all the
information she has in her
file. Then she begins with
the underwear and pet-
ticoats, and works on each
clothing layer. ‘*] then cut
patterns for the different
items of clothing, since |
don’t like to do them free
hand.””

All the clothing is sewn by
hand, since Ferguson says
the detailing is too picky for

ATIO.

CLOSING-

-

OUT

SAL

VT AEE BLOC ATIONS
BEGINS TTY Lith

THE PATIO SHOPS

.
a2ee»e @ &
=o ge eeeeaeenrewseenwene aes ®&

JANET FERGUSON, who works at NV City Library, poses
back

with ethnic dolls,

playing with

row | to sr, Portugese,

Czechoslovakian, Italian, French and Irish, front row,
Yugoslavian, Welsh and English. Her dolls recently graced
the library’s Folkfest display window, which won 2nd place.

a sewing machine. Some of
the clothing includes em-
broidery work on aprons,
hats and dresses; lace trim
on the edges of skirts, cuffs
and collars; ribbons and
bows to trim; felt, straw, or
fabric hats and caps; and
beadwork on bodices, vests,
jackets and pantlegs, with

THE NATUKAL CUT follows the tiow of the
hair and ts cut exactly as the hair talls
Comb and let dry or blow dry

THE NATURAL
PFEKM

tollows the flow of the
hair and is curled
exactly as tt falls
Shampoo and let it dry

*35

FOR YOUR HAIR

ZEZ SINTRA Hails °28

and very lovety set of
nails sculptured for you alone

@ lastog

660 Clyde Near P&PR*Royal ew ee we om

some beads used as buttons
and small embroidered loops
used as buttonholes.

All the work is tedious
and time-consuming, but the
fintshed product makes for a
very authentic costume, fit
for the dolls who wear them,
representing the style of ther
country

INCLUDES
SNAMPOO &
CONDITIONING
with
THIS AD

EXPIRES
AUGUST 1

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10 AM-7PRM ,

~~ Newsroom 985-2131

~

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