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Arts & crafts

Knitted nativity set - has anyone else made one?

(63 Posts)
Witzend Wed 22-Aug-18 21:10:09

Saw a pattern mentioned on mumsnet and thought I'd give it a go - it's a Jean Greehowe (IIRC). Apparently quite easy!
Was going to get a bought nativity for Gdcs but they're still rather little for anything breakable.
Now thinking of how to make a stable to put it all in - some of the empty shoeboxes stored in the garage - the ones dh has wanted to chuck a few times - might come in handy.

mimismo Sun 17-Mar-19 18:56:02

I used my nativity set at school with 5 year-olds for a few years. The characters had many adventures! I always felt it was missing an angel, as well as the ox and ass. Never did get round to making them and now I'm no longer teaching it just sits in it's box/stable. Shame really.

Jalima1108 Sun 17-Mar-19 19:47:07

I've knitted most of it and now it needs sewing up and stuffing!!
However, I've gone on to other projects so this may be put on the shelf until about November.
There is a pattern on Ravelry for a donkey, but not an angel - good thought minimismo.

Perhaps a local Sunday School may like to have yours?

Jalima1108 Sun 17-Mar-19 19:47:37

sorry, I got your name wrong mimismo

mimismo Sun 17-Mar-19 20:10:55

I can ask at the local church. Good idea.

Jalima1108 Sun 17-Mar-19 20:12:24

There was one on our local church at Christmas so I went and had a good look, there was a plastic donkey with the knitted set but I may get around to knitting one at some time.

Witzend Mon 18-Mar-19 18:46:11

Even after various other things, I still have so much yarn to use up, I'm contemplating another entire Nativity set, but waiting to see whether Gdd will have got a place at the preferred primary for September. Should hear next month. Since it's C of E, I thought they might like a set for the classroom.
If not, I could always donate to a charity shop. Or maybe a raffle prize for one of the school Christmas fairs - Gds will be at pre school by then, too.

While browsing in a big garden centre, of all places! the other day, I found exactly the sort of brown, tweedy-mix yarn I'd have liked, but couldn't find last year, for a shepherd's robe. Great big ball for £2.39. ?

BTW, the donkey pattern in one of the JG Christmas books is easier than it looks!

Jalima1108 Mon 18-Mar-19 19:39:14

I couldn't find a brown tweedy mix anywhere!

Witzend Tue 19-Mar-19 08:27:44

It's a Stylecraft Special, 100g, shade Sandstone, in case anyone wants to know.
Looks a bit greyish-brown when knitted up (started last night) but fine for shepherd's togs.

I was amazed at the selection of yarn in the garden centre - miles better for such purposes than my only other yarn outlet locally, John Lewis, so largely more premium/ expensive/natural fibres.

Jalima1108 Tue 19-Mar-19 20:13:30

Thank you Witzend, I think a local shop used to sell Stylecraft but she has closed down now.
I haven't seen any yarns in a garden centre near to us.

Shepherds are all knitted now (grey and brown) and just waiting to be assembled, I'll leave them to rest in the bottom of the knitting bag for a while!

hdh74 Tue 19-Mar-19 20:27:58

I knitted one, but it really turned out quite a disaster. The verdict, quite fairly is that my sheep looks like a rabbit and poor baby Jesus looks like Bilbo out of the hobbit when the spiders wrapped him up. The whole thing is hilariously bad tbh but we put it out just so the family can have a really good laugh at it.

Witzend Wed 20-Mar-19 15:18:11

Love the pic, hdh! Nothing that give your family a good laugh can possibly be a disaster!

The only (quiet) laugh we got from mine last year was when we found Gdd 'marrying' the flashest looking Wise Man to one of our hand-me-down Barbies. Sadly the marriage didn't last - he's banished to a box in the loft, and she's back in the toy box.

Oldandverygrey Wed 20-Mar-19 16:02:22

I have knitted the donkey from Jean Greenhowe patterns, got adventurous and added a few sheep for good measure. The stable is now full to bursting, knitted the nativity set some years ago.