Edna Clapper

There are any number of combinations that you might like to try for your double doll, such as Peppy and Sleepy, Suzy and Sammy or a couple of clowns. We have chosen Happy and Dumpy.

BODY: Take a tuck in the heel of the sock so that you have a straight tubular sock. Cut off the cuff. Stuff plumply and firmly and sew opening closed. Tie off the middle to divide the sock into two dolls; then tie off the head about half way down from each end (Figure 1). Do not tie tightly or doll will be too wobbly.

Fig. 1

FEATURES: The big differences in these two dolls are the features which are exactly the opposite. Both faces have the same type of nose made by pulling a piece of the face into a ball or lump and then tying off with yarn or thread. The eyebrows are embroidered in black yarn. Happy’s eyebrows are curved in a convex manner while Dumpy’s are concave. Use large bright buttons for eyes, centering them under the eyebrows. Embroider a few tears running from Dumpy’s eyes. Dumpy has a turned down mouth made of red felt while Happy’s mouth is turned up in a big grin. Cut the two mouths identically and merely reverse the points. A few frown lines can be embroidered with brown yarn on Dumpy’s forehead (Figure 2).

HAIR: Make the hair from pom poms, choosing a style from page 32. Happy and Dumpy can be either boys or girls or one of each. Make Happy’s hair from yellow or red pom poms; Dumpy’s from black or brown. Set Dumpy’s hair lower on the head to accentuate the frowning look. If one or both heads are boys, add ears of semicircular felt to the sides of the head.

ARMS AND LEGS: Actually these are one and the same. The legs of one doll serve as the arms of the other and vice-versa. Make them from a second sock. Cut out four rectangles about twice the length of the head. Sew the long edges together and across one end. Turn and stuff lightly. Sew to the shoulders so that they hang freely. When the doll is flipped over, one pair should flop to the sides for arms while the other pair hangs down for the legs (Figure 3). Tie ribbon around the wrist/ankles.

DRESS: Make a wide flaring skirt from a pattern design on page 29. For greater contrast sew two different colored pieces together so that when the doll is flipped over a different colored skirt will appear. Add blouses, bows, hats or any other bits that you think will make the dolls look cuter.