FAIRMONT - When Joan Thilges retired from the decorating business, she wasn't about to sit around for her retirement.
Instead she turned to a new hobby and, in her first competition, took home top honors, including best in show.
Thilges began first with fashion dolls, and took third place in a competition featured in "Doll Reader" magazine. But she was already looking for a different angle.
"I was frustrated because people wanted more ordinary clothes and I like making things that were more costume," she said. "Jill Jackson with 'Doll Reader' suggested these Asian ball joint dolls."
These dolls are not for play. They vary in size from 12 to 24 inches, but carry a price tag of $250 for the smaller ones, up to $2,000.
"You cannot purchase these dolls in the state of Minnesota," Thilges said. "They can only be ordered online. They're made in South Korea. I don't sell the dolls, just the costumes I make. The dolls are what I use for models. Because there is no industry for the doll body shapes, each costume needs to be adjusted to the specific doll."
As an example, Thilges shows the "White Queen" dress she is making. While intricate with detail, the closure in the back cannot be completed until the owner's doll can be used to model.
"I don't sell these on eBay," she said. "Most of the collectors are in their 20s and 30s and they like a lot of Japanese comic style. Then there are the doll collectors my age. I have customers all over the world, from Japan, the U.K., Canada, Mexico, and all over the U.S."
The elaborate costumes take a lot of attention to detail, from the beading and rhinestone jewels to the tiny pocketwatch in the interior vest of a suit.
"Every layer is meant to be seen," Thilges said. "I'm a research fanatic, so I took months learning about details such as the right way to tie a Japanese kimono. It's all part of the fun while I learn about these other cultures."
Last month, Thilges entered her first competition with the Asian ball joint doll costumes in Austin, Texas.
"The theme was Carnival, and I was sure everyone was thinking Mardi Gras with the feathers and skimpy costumes," she said. "So I researched Venetian carnival, where there is more covering up, which can get you into trouble because no one can see who you are."
The gamble paid off. Thilges' research, attention to detail and unique style earned her first place in the professional category, along with best in show.
"It was my first convention entered, so I thought that was really something," she said. "The judges were from South Korea and they appreciated the research I did."
Because of the details needed in the tiny costumes, people are surprised by how much the costumes fetch.
"My kids can't believe that I sell doll clothes for over a hundred dollars," Thilges said. "But it is much more difficult to make doll clothes than it is to sew for yourself. I do all machine-sewing, and the dolls cost about $600 apiece so this isn't a big money-maker. But I'm having fun."
