The Jean Greenhowe knitted Nativity set

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

It was thanks to a post on MN that I found this a few years ago, so thought I’d post this for anyone else interested. At the time I was looking for an unbreakable Nativity Set for little Gdcs.

You only need basic knitting skills - cast on and off, k and p and simple inc. and dec. - her instructions are crystal clear and meticulously detailed, and if you follow them exactly the result does turn out like the illustration. Obviously it’s quite time-consuming though, and needs lots of different colours of yarn, though of course very cheap and cheerful is fine.

The pattern is in her Christmas Special booklet, and there’s an add-on donkey in her Christmas Treasures booklet.

I’m now on my 3rd. Having asked whether they’d like it (Yes please!) I donated no. 2 to Gdcs’ pre school last year.

It’s entirely small-child safe.

This is my first.

So cute! I'm very impressed.

Thank you. My knitting skills are currently at "passable scarf" level but my mum can knit and enjoys making things for my dc. I might point her in this direction.

My late DM and DGM knitted so many of Jean Greenhowe’s patterns over the years - it’s lovely to see them again.

DM loved the charm in her characters’ faces and, like you, the fact that if you followed the meticulous instructions carefully you would get a result which looked exactly like the illustration.

That is gorgeous! Approx how many hours did it take you?

Off to google...

My Mum bought herself that booklet a few years ago, but I think she only got as far as two wise men before she stopped. She was having eyesight issues at the time and needed an eye operation. They are very sweet.

Following for later!

I wouldn’t like to guess how long - if you didn’t have too much knitting time I’d say probably around a week for each figure - there are lots of bits! But several bits are very small. And the stuffing and sewing up takes quite a while.
So starting in plenty of time is the way to go.

I do them in twos now - knit all the bits and finish them before starting the next, or else all the stuffing and sewing up can seem a mammoth task. You need a pair of compasses, cardboard (cereal box type) and probably glue too, to make the circular base inserts. I now get several of these ready first, doesn’t take long and less of a faff in one go.

Oh, and for safety you do need those pins with bobble heads, so they don’t disappear into the knitting.
It’s all done in any double knitting, all on 3mm (no. 11) needles.

I made one for Dgc several years ago, I agree, there's lots of little bits! DH's niece is pregnant so I'll be dusting the pattern off and starting another one shortly.

Oh my gosh, my mother and I knitted one of these when the children were wee. It comes out every year, more than 20 years old now!

Wow, those are really good! I love knitting itself, but hate the making up/sewing part. I'm terrible at it! I like how you've done their faces, it looks really professional.

@73kittycat73, I’m honestly not remotely artistic - I just followed the precise instructions about where to put eyes and nose, it was very easy. Because of the beards, then except for Mary, there’s no mouth to have to bother with!

The sewing up is also easy, just oversewing, no fiddly e.g. mattress stitch. Designs mean you can hardly see any of the seams anyway.

Yes that’s where a lot of home-made dolls fail - they give you a pattern and then say “finally add the eyes, nose and mouth in cross stitch” and if you don’t have an artistic eye your impeccably knitted doll ends up looking like a serial killer who’s had cut price cosmetic surgery.

Because JH’s patterns say “For the eyes, make stitch X at position Y, then count three rows to the left and make stitch Z” you end up with a face which looks exactly as intended.