Crack on with Christmas! (Planning, Prepping & Projects)

I've just started to knit a donkey to go with my Nativity set (Jean Greenhowe). I'm keeping my eye out for a camel pattern too. I'm also just starting a "new baby" cross stitch and sorting out wool to knit a baby cardigan (due December). I'm also half way through another cross stitch which will have to wait for now, and plan to crotchet a teddy too. I have two garments hanging on the back of the door of my sewing room to be finished too. I think my tip to myself would be "Get on with it". I love to be creative.

A new baby in December, even more exciting than Christmas!
Actually " Get on with it" is probably the very best tip, I just adore those knitted nativities, would love to have the talent to make one.I dont seem to have gene for knitting despite trying, still love looking in a good yarn shop though. I do have a nativity set and clear off a whole book shelf and display it there with tiny string lights.

I've started to do a prototype for my cross stitch cards. The plans don't always end up making the final cut!
I like to take my time ( and I'm away for most of September) rather than spend October and November on a production line.

Yes Chocolatelovinggran , that's spot on - hoping to relax and enjoy the build up to Christmas knowing most of its done 'n' dusted! I know just what you mean about "the final cut" too.
Will you take some crafting with you in September ? as long as you leave enough room for clothes of course.....

twinnytwin

I've just started to knit a donkey to go with my Nativity set (Jean Greenhowe). I'm keeping my eye out for a camel pattern too. I'm also just starting a "new baby" cross stitch and sorting out wool to knit a baby cardigan (due December). I'm also half way through another cross stitch which will have to wait for now, and plan to crotchet a teddy too. I have two garments hanging on the back of the door of my sewing room to be finished too. I think my tip to myself would be "Get on with it". I love to be creative.

I found a camel pattern online a couple of years ago, but never got around to making it. That was largely because I’d found an ox pattern by the same person, and it didn’t turn out nearly as well as the JG donkey - poor old ox looked drunk!
That was probably down to me, but I didn’t find the instructions so clear and specific as JG’s.

This was by far my most major 🎄make - a few years ago now, and I only found the pattern in the September, so it was a pretty manic rush to get it finished for 1st December. It’s an Alan Dart pattern for Sirdar, but I made some of the inserts from Jean Greenhowe’s patterns. However the mini polar bear (by Alan Dart) is my favourite!

I did have doubts about the knitted-in numbers, but managed in the end. I cheated with the ribbon, instead of knitting it - a faff too far! - it came from John Lewis.

Gdcs love it, and it just fits nicely to hang on a door, so doesn’t take up any space - just as well in their house!
The little robin went missing last year - I need to make another.

Witzend That is beautiful.

Thank you, AreWeThereYet.

That’s absolutely beautiful Witzend. Encouraged by your makes I knitted a Santa Claus (actually the truth is I finished it) last year. This year my DGD wants me to knit a Dickensian Mice scene. I’ll let you know!!

That sounds lovely, DamaskRose - is there a pic you can post?

I'm putting Christmas on the back burner after last week's encounter over the phone.
I have saved my wreaths of dried fruits for an idea that I saw where Ivy was wound around them and then decorated. Too soon to start yet with fresh greenery,
I'm hanging onto wire coat hangers which the GC like to thread coloured baubles on which make lovely wreaths.

I’m the least crafty person in the world I think, but my new sewing machine is being delivered on Friday, I haven’t sewn anything other than hems or buttons since I was 14.
I hate wrapping Christmas presents, so in the January sales I bought a load of half price Christmas fabric in Dunelm, and my plan is to make gift bags with it, so hours of wrapping will become a thing of the past. Wish me luck, I think I’ll need it.

By ‘dried fruits’ do you mean e.g. oranges and lemons Bella23? I’ve often seen those, never bought one, but will now be tempted - we have masses of ivy in the garden! IMO they’ll look even nicer with some added greenery.

Casdon, good luck! (Not with getting to grips with the new machine mind you, but with the temptations of the sewing shop). Love the gift bag idea too.

Witzend

By ‘dried fruits’ do you mean e.g. oranges and lemons Bella23? I’ve often seen those, never bought one, but will now be tempted - we have masses of ivy in the garden! IMO they’ll look even nicer with some added greenery.

Hi Witzend,
I do mean the dried fruit oranges and lemons and slices of orange with an odd cinnamon stick wreathes you hang in the kitchen and they eventually dry out and look a bit grubby. The one I saw was last year and my wreath is on strong wire they wound a long trail of ivy around it about two or three times dependending on the size of it's leaf.It looked really lovely with a ribbon bow and they actually pushed small bunches of holly into it for Christmas. Please excuse any spelling errors my spell check is not working.
The other wreath is for Christmas a large box of odd sized baubles from a Poundshop and the GC sit and thread them on. They look lovely and cost very little. Don't buy the ones with glitter or you will have a terrible mess.

Witzend

That sounds lovely, DamaskRose - is there a pic you can post?

The Santa has been packed away till “near the time” Witzend and the Dickensian Mice is a Sirdar pattern 4132. I’m looking forward to starting but I must finish each mouse as I go along! That why the Santa took me so long! 😂

Found it!
Here it is, in case anyone else would like to see it.

Oh Witzend they look lovely 🙂

Witzend, yr calendar is wonderful (& that polar bear is soooo sweet!)

Bella, I like the sounds of both those wreaths, & plan to try the ivy one.

Christmas work started this month for me - currently working on things now.
I like to plan things in advance b/c I love the anticipation, & it also means having free time later on to enjoy.🎄

Thank you, Bella23.

I have bought one of Corinne Lapierre's books and am making a start on a little tableau featuring animals in a Christmas scene:...plus I'm also making an EPP Christmas table cloth. I'm looking around for some polystyrene balls to make baubles decorated with patchwork.

I love your mice Witzend,
I'm going to pass it on to DD she's the crafter. We both tried felting two years ago she ended up with a family of robins I had a Yeti and very sore fingers.
I can't knit but can crochet and did GD an afghan zigzag patterned pram rug.
The coloured bauble wreath was a copy of one I saw in a shop for nearly £30. If you try it mix the sizes as you go and put them all around the wire not just in a straight line.
I used to be an Infant teacher and am used to doing things cheap. If you want a garland of paper Christmas trees save mainly green coloured pages out of magazines draw and cut two templates out of card one large and one small. Cut them out with pinking shears and stick onto a roll of cheap ribbon. I made bunting for our part of the village using red white and blue pages.
I also made sprout wreaths one year with GC. Scrunch up green tissue paper into a ball and paint on the outside with a PVA glue ,having put your sprouts on a cocktail stick and stick them into a block of floral oasis then thread on to thick red wool with a bodkin it makes a garland or if you wind around a wire circle you have a wreath that you can put a bow on.

Casdon if you don't get around to making the Christmas bags just cut a square big enough with pinking shears pull all the material to the top and tie it with ribbon or the cheap wrapping string you can get that is red green and white. I've seen that done and they look looked lovely.

Casdon

I’m the least crafty person in the world I think, but my new sewing machine is being delivered on Friday, I haven’t sewn anything other than hems or buttons since I was 14.
I hate wrapping Christmas presents, so in the January sales I bought a load of half price Christmas fabric in Dunelm, and my plan is to make gift bags with it, so hours of wrapping will become a thing of the past. Wish me luck, I think I’ll need it.

What a fabulous idea Casdon......can I suggest that you line them with either plain or a non-christmas themed fabric which will make them reversible and all the more re-usable.
Oh, I nearly forgot.......Good Luck