Reason for the season

Sorry about the chunk of writing to follow I promise there are some awesome pictures to come below.
I'm an involved member of our local parish church, its been my church all my life and after joining the choir on a regular basis just over three years ago I've been roped in to various other aspects of it as well.
This winter the church is undergoing major roof work and we have had to vacate for several months and hold services at various other locations around the village. During a committee meeting how to handle the Christmas services was discussed including our very popular family Crib service on Christmas Eve afternoon, Where we tell the Christmas story and prepare the crib with our rather old and large traditional figurines. The point came up that moving them from place to place and carrying them about might not be the best idea. Our vicar commented about seeing a nice knitted set at another church and maybe something like could be produced in time for the service. This is where I got looked at as the "crafty one". Now I don't knit but I do crochet so I said I would see what I could do, a quick look on pintrest for some suitable free patterns pulled up these. A blog by a lady called 5 little monsters, I loved the gentle look of them, less cartoony than some of the designs available. I quickly hooked up Mary and Joseph ready for the Sunday service and with the teams approval I set to work on completing the set.  When I had finished the set I was so proud of them I thought they deserved some really good photos so I took the set to another church in the group to create a proper photo shoot with the help of my awesome other half Alex.

This is the full set, there are some alterations and additions to Erica's lovely patterns which I will discuss as we go through the groups. 

First up the main group Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus in his manger and the animals a donkey and ox I call them Daniel and Ollie. The first addition to the set is Ollie the Ox. There wasn't a pattern for him, but I know our traditional set has an Ox and normally him and the donkey are the first characters to be placed in the Crib scene as we remember that it was their home before that special night and they didn't mind sharing. The ox is based on the donkey pattern in a more suitable ox colour with a shorter neck and wider/shorted head. I also added some little cream horns.

Next is the shepherds they consist of a Shepherd, Shepherd boy and three sheep (well lambs maybe they are quite dinky.)  The pattern calls for a wire to be placed inside the crook but I decided to just sew it on to the hand of the Shepherd and at the base of the body as well and I think it works well. I also made his headdress in stripes just to give him abit more difference from Joseph as them as pretty much the same pattern. The sheep are done in three different colour combinations white and brown,  black and white and brown and cream. The pattern calls for chunky wool to give a textured look but I hadn't got any so after stuffing I stitched some loops on to them to make them woollier. Yes of course they have names too, Barry, Larry and George.

Next up are the wise men, Although we don't really know how many there were its traditional to have three each one with a gift. I did these in brighter colours to give them an opulent and distant look. The patterns all for thinner yarn and tiny hook but I just used smoother dc cotton and a slightly smaller hook, this has made them come out bigger than Erica's but I rather like how they look and aren't over large.
The camel isn't part of the 5 little monsters set and we don't have a camel in our traditional set but I like a camel in a nativity scene like the often missed out verse from a favorite carol In the bleak midwinter " The ox and Ass and Camel, which adore. "  The pattern for him came from here  which was in Spanish so needed translating before I could start. I left out some details like the beaded edge to his blanket and safety eyes to make him match in with the set more. He's called Humphrey and is a big hit with the team at church so I'm very glad to have gone the extra mile and make him.

 Another character which isn't present in our traditional set but often features in scenes is the Angel and since there was a pattern for her as part of the set I made one. Shes done in white with white sparkly wool for her wings, which for some reason I found a tricky bit, (there might be a spare set at home which aren't even) Her hair was also I little tricky with the braid around the front. There's also a star which is such a lovely shape I may use the pattern to create some for hanging on my tree.

Another addition to Erica's stunning pattern I made at the suggestion of another member of the church team. It is a recreation of our Vicar and his faithful beagle dog Archie who attends services. The vicar is based on the standard Joseph pattern with suitable colour changes to make it look like a cassock with surplice over and a couple of stitches of white yarn after stuffing added the dog collar. I them crochet a stole in green making it slightly narrower with Slst in the middle so it would sit around his neck. The dog is a pattern from Teeny Tiny Crochet. Which I did in normal dc but used a much smaller hook than the rest to make him as suitable size as i could, I also added some brown crochet spots on his back for his colouring.

So there you go quite a project but it will be used to tell the wonderful story this year and hopefully will find a use at church for years to come.
Huge thanks to 5 Little Monsters for the pattern and for saying on her blog that I'm allowed to sell items I make using them. I will consider making sets to order for next year (after my wedding) If you are interested please get in touch.
I wish all my readers peace and best wishes for the coming season.