Change of my last post's title

After a rather obscure response from a far off land offering escort services I thought it was perhaps a good idea to change the title of my last post.

The search for a particular knitting pattern can be problematic!

I have to admit that I can be obsessive.  Not so much in my latter years but occasionally something  will still grab my attention and I really want it.

So what is it that has got me all fired up?

A knitted Nativity scene.

One of the blogs I read had a set that the blogger had made.  It is enchanting. As nowadays I much prefer knitting small items I thought this would be perfect for me to make and there would be no rush to complete it, after all Christmas is 11 months away!

So I set about googling and found a couple of books on the Alibris site, one was called "Knit the Christmas Story" by Jan Messant, I knew from the cover that this wasn't the same Nativity scene but it was a pattern book for a nativity.

Another was  'The Christmas Handbook" by Malcom Bird and Alan Dart.  I knew that Alan Dart created patterns for toys etc. so I hoped it would contain the pattern for the nativity scene that the blogger had made.  Sadly, it didn't but it is a charming book and it took me right back to Christmases as a child in the late 50's and early 60's.

I also found a third book which I knew would not have the pattern I was looking for but it did have some lovely patterns for knitted toys.  This one was called "knitted Toys - 21 easy to knit patterns for irresistible soft toys" by Fiona McTague.

These books were all published in the 80's but are in excellent condition and definitely worth the money. Alibris is a used book site and the prices were very reasonable but the postage wasn't particularly cheap.

It cost under $7 for all three books but the postage was $11 so a total of $18.

After I had placed the order I found out that the patterns I was looking for were actually authored by Jean Greenhowe who has retired but still has a website with details of the booklets available and links to where the booklets can be ordered from.  They are mostly in the UK.

On her site the details of the booklet Christmas Special show that the Nativity scene is included in the 28 page booklet as well as many other delightful Christmas things to knit and I found a supplier who sold it. BUT, there is always a BUT isn't there? On this supplier's site the booklet does not show the Nativity scene but it does show all the other items listed on the Jean Greenhowe site and it does have 28 pages.  So, I ordered it in the hope that it has the scene included and it was an error on the part of the supplier to not show it.  So another $11.

So now the total is up to $29 spent and I still am not 100% sure I will get the patterns I am looking for.

Now for the good BUT! I have the book 'Knit the Christmas Scene' I bought mentioned above and I can access pictures of the Nativity scene I want on the Jean Greenhowe site so I am sure I can modify the patterns in my book to look like hers.  At least I have a guide as to number of stitches and rows etc. from my book.

And if all else fails I can download the Alan dart version of the Nativity scene from his website for 2.50 UKP.

Meanwhile, while waiting for the Christmas Special booklet to arrive, I have started knitting a cute monkey from the Fiona McTague book.

I know this is a long winded post but I wanted to get it recorded for when I need to look back on what transpired.

Not a lot of anything going on right now

Today it is sunny and fairly warm outside.  I took Maggie for a nice long walk and run.  I don't take her every day especially if it is too hot or too cold but please do not think she doesn't get any exercise, she does, we have 20 acres and I take her out many times a day and she can run around to her heart's content.  She stays withing my sight which is a good thing, the going for a walk thing is really for my benefit and I do not do it enough!

Christmas came and went and all was very nice.  We had to go to Columbia just before and just after Christmas for my husband to get his immunotherapy infusions so we stayed home alone so he didn't get in contact with anyone and risk getting anything.  They suppress his immune system intentionally to slow down the autoimmune disease but it does leave him vulnerable to infections and viruses.

I made the apron mentioned in a previous post for my neighbour.  It is a good job she is a smaller build than me because it sure didn't fit me very well!  It was fiddly to make but she really liked it as did some of her grand daughters.  I will not be taking orders. 😌 I didn't take pictures which is most unlike me.

In case it didn't work for her I also made a plastic shopping bag holder out of a new tea towel, very quick and easy to make.

Not much else going on in the crafting world.  My husband is setting up his office/studio and I have been helping him with that a bit so I have not been idle.

A blog friend has asked me to make a dog collar for her dog and as soon as it warms up for more than a day or two I will get out to the workshop and make a start on that.  I really enjoy the leather work and it is something we both get involved in.  My husband cuts the leather.  I attach the hardware and do the patterning and the holes, then he colours it.  I then gum trag the edges and the back so a real joint effort.

Not much else happening, waiting on a call back to see if I have to go in for a D&C after my bout of woman's problems.

Hope 2019 will be a good year for everyone.