Cinderella Topsy-Turvy Doll

I knitted a Cinderella Topsy-Turvy doll for the clever girl for Christmas!  The clever girl is about as girly as they come right now (does this change eventually??) and I knew she would enjoy a Cinderella doll.  The pattern is from Jean Greenhowe's Christmas Special knitting patterns.  Jean Greenhowe designs these amazing intricate patterns using a DK or worsted weight yarn and size 2 needles, so the knitting is super tight.  She has it all figured out down to the smallest details.  Note the tiny roses on happy Cinderella's dress and hair, complete with tiny green leaves that come out from each side of each rose.  Or note the tiny patches on the sad Cinderella's dress, and the little plaits in her hair with bows on the end.  Phew.  It was a labor of love.  Every time I thought I'd be finished with one part of the doll, I'd look closer and realize I had missed something!

If you aren't sure what a topsy-turvy doll is, here is another photo that might help:

Cinderella does not have legs.  Underneath the dress of one side is the head and dress of the other.  She does stand up, she just stands on the head and arms of the inside doll instead of legs!  She is about 12 inches tall from the bottom of her skirt to the top of happy Cinderella's bun.


I changed the pattern in the following ways:

• I used whatever yarn I had on hand instead of the colors/yarns the pattern called suggested.
• I made happy and sad Cinderella's hair blond.  The pattern had happy Cinderella's hair white, and sad Cinderella's hair brown, which I really do not understand.  Are sad girls brunette?  Did she wear a powdered wig to the ball?  Why don't they match??
• Sad Cinderella is supposed to have some knitted braids instead of twisted plaits.  I didn't care for the look of the braids so I made two 3-stitch I-cords, twisted them together, and sewed them on instead. 
• Happy Cinderella is supposed to have some knitted curls, which I didn't like the looks of either, plus I was running out of my yellow hair yarn, so I made a 2-stitch I-cord, folded it, and sewed these on as the curls.
• Happy Cinderella is also supposed to have a dance card that says "prince, prince, prince" for each dance.  I (a) was running out of time and (b) just don't like the idea of a dance card so I didn't make one.  

This was a joy to make, though it did take me quite a while to complete.  Most importantly, the clever girl thinks she is WONDERFUL and has told all of our extended family about her.  She thinks the fact that there is a Cinderella hiding underneath another Cinderella is just amazing.  Cinderella was one of the first presents the clever girl unwrapped on Christmas morning, and she (Cinderella) then helped open most of the other gifts. 

If you are a knitter I suggest looking into Jean Greenhowe.  Her patterns are nothing short of incredible.  The Christmas Special also has a Nativity scene, complete with Mary, Joseph, Kings, Shepherds, sheep...  I just may have to do this one some day....  In my free time...

What is free time, anyway?