Bev Yates, 71, has loved creating beautiful and unique dolls since she was a little girl. What started as a hobby soon turned into a fun way to put food on the table.
“I had been making various cloth dolls for over two decades when the new reborn dolls appeared on the market and children wanted them but they were very expensive. The cheapest started at around R400, and the more realistic they are, the more they cost. So I began to create a near-lifelike baby doll that would be affordable to parents, and thus my dolls were born,” elaborated Bev.
Bev also creates custom Disney-inspired night lights. They were an idea she got when a friend had a baby and wanted a night light with a Winnie the Pooh theme.
Also read: Market to boost local entrepreneurs
“All of my crafts are handmade with children in mind. I lost my job in 2013 and became a pensioner without any prospective income, so selling at markets is the only way we put food on the table,” added Bev. She went on to explain that markets are pretty tough and sometimes you’ll have a good one and sell lots of your wares while others will be slow.
Bev also wrote five books on various crafts in the 1990s.
Also read: Crawford Ruimsig entrepreneurs make a difference in the community
“I used to teach art from a studio at my home. Unfortunately, the classes stopped because of the Covid lockdown and never recovered,” elaborated Bev, “It would be impossible to get the classes going again without extensive advertising which, when you’re struggling to provide daily, is near to impossible.”
“I’m passionate about what I do and love the look on children’s faces when they receive a real baby or a night light of their favourite characters,” added Bev.
She designs all her dolls herself.
“I’ve always had an interest in it, beginning with porcelain dolls back in the day. My current dolls are all one-of-a-kind and individually handcrafted. Each face is distinct. I am self-taught and am currently working on another doll that resembles a real baby. I’ve probably made over 200 dolls so far.”
Each doll can take about a week to create from scratch, including their clothes. Bev’s dolls have gone to the UK and even Australia.
To contact Bev about her crafts and support local, give her a call on 082 371 9749.
