Good morning, friends.

Do you remember topsy-turvy dolls? They were the dolls that had two faces: the one you were playing with showed, the other was covered by a long skirt. If you wanted to switch, you flipped the skirt up over the doll's head, turned it over and voilà, you had a different doll to play with! The dolls I remember seemed to split into three categories: awake/sleeping, everyday/party dress, and Red Riding Hood/The Wolf.

I'm thinking about these because Make+Do reader Laura sent in a request for some help finding a topsy-turvy doll pattern for her to make with her young granddaughter, so this morning I spent a little while poking around the internet to see what I could find.

Unfortunately, I didn't find any free sewing patterns, though I did find blog posts about topsy-turvy dolls people had made for themselves. There's a very tall topsy-turvy doll at TreeFall Design and a slightly smaller one at Wee Wonderfuls. Also check out this post from SouleMama about a flip doll she made, using a kit from Umbrella Prints.

There did seem to be a wide variety of topsy-turvy doll patterns for sale. (Keep in mind I'm not endorsing these sites, they're just ones I found with a Google search. Buyer beware, etc.) There was a Red Riding Hood/Wolf doll pattern available here for about $10; or find 21 different doll patterns, some vintage, each about $5, here.

If you'd like to crochet a tiny Red Riding Hood/Grandma doll, make sure you go here. And if you're looking for a no-sew option, these spool dolls look neat.

It might also be worth searching Etsy and Ebay, or even taking a trip to the fabric store. You never know what you'll find in those pattern catalogues! Come to think of it, why not go to your local library and see what they've got in their craft book section. You never know...

Oh, and here's a history of topsy-turvy dolls in the US.

Laura, I hope this helps. If anybody's got more information they could share, we'd appreciate it if you left a link in the comments!

Photo from www.operationsockmonkey.com.

Hi friends,

When I got back to the office on Wednesday it was to find my cubicle festooned with pins and business cards from Operation Sock Monkey. (I work with a bunch of practical jokers, can you tell?) It's been three days now and I'm *still* seeing new pins every time I look up...and business cards seem to shower out of my dictionary at every opportunity. The constant barrage of sock monkeys achieved critical mass this morning, and finally the penny dropped. "Hey!" I thought, "I should blog about that!" (Just call me "master of the obvious.")

From their website:
Operation Sock Monkey is an initiative in support of Clowns Without Borders South Africa (CWBSA) providing laughter, hope and healing to communities affected by HIV/AIDS. Handmade Sock Monkeys can be purchased for you or someone you love or sponsored to be sent to children in need of a smile. All proceeds donated to CWBSA.

Photo from www.operationsockmonkey.com.

There are many ways to get involved: you can sponsor a sock monkey (in which case the monkey will be sent to someone in need), buy a sock monkey (you can keep it for yourself or give it as a gift), or you can make a sock monkey (or more than one!) to donate. Operation Sock Monkey also hosts sock monkey–making workshops, parties and Sock-Monk-athons. What a great idea for a girls' night in, unusual bridal shower, or even a special event for your Girl Guide or Pathfinders group. I hope you'll check it out.

Have a good weekend, friends, and tune in on Monday for a special book review and giveaway!