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Sewing up a blasted sheep….

(31 Posts)
Witzend Tue 18-Oct-22 21:56:15

…knitted, that is, and trying to get the effing thing to stand up afterwards!
For my 5th Nativity set - you’d think I might have got it sussed by now.
Yes, I know I’m mad, but apart from the first, they’ve all been for Gdcs’ school Christmas fair raffles.
And I’ve still got another pesky sheep to do battle with. The donkey was a doddle by comparison.
Apart from that, it’s all done. I really think I’ll call it a day after this one.

Septimia Tue 18-Oct-22 22:04:01

You can guarantee sheep will be awkward. Henry Brewis, in one of his humorous farming books commented that you can give a sick sheep "£40 of wonder drugs" and it will still die on you.

If you haven't already done so, perhaps you should knit a sheepdog to help you control them grin.

B9exchange Tue 18-Oct-22 22:06:21

I do admire your perseverance! I find if the legs are splaying, it helps to stitch the top of the inner legs a bit closer together?

Would love to see photos of the finished set? smile

MissAdventure Tue 18-Oct-22 22:07:35

I love your sewing projects. smile
Are you going to post a photo when lambsy is done, please?

OnwardandUpward Tue 18-Oct-22 22:10:44

Good idea about the sheepdog grin

Im seeing sheep jumping over a gate, so it must be bedtime!

SueDonim Tue 18-Oct-22 22:21:03

grin

My farmer son-in-law says sheep just up and die for no reason whatsoever. They don’t keep sheep now but they have a sheepdog. She doesn’t like bad weather and won’t go outside if it’s raining. ?

OnwardandUpward Tue 18-Oct-22 22:24:20

I watched Jeremy Clarkson's Farm and he was complaining about all the money he spent on vets bills and food for the sheep but he only got £40 for them when they went for meat and sheepskins were ridiculously low priced and barely covered by all the work of shearing. I hadn't realised they were so low profit.

Funny creatures! grin

MissAdventure Tue 18-Oct-22 22:25:18

I always wanted to be a farmers wife when I grew up.

I'm not sure there is still time, now.

Callistemon21 Tue 18-Oct-22 22:35:46

I bought two sheep, Witzend, one is lovely and the other looks more like a dog ??
The lovely one is a New Zealand sheep, he's rather large ?, the odd one is from the Cotswolds.

They just need a N set (Jesus and Mary are finished)!

I always wanted to be a farmers wife when I grew up.
Don't do it!!

OnwardandUpward Tue 18-Oct-22 22:37:33

I always wanted goats grin

MissAdventure Tue 18-Oct-22 22:40:13

I love animals, but not goats.
We went to a sanctuary place where children could go in and feed them, and a goat chased me around and knocked me over.

OnwardandUpward Tue 18-Oct-22 22:58:08

Oh no! They are strange creatures and a little freaky how they look at you sometimes. I liked them because the ones I knew were very affectionate, although I think a dog is better all round company, less damaging to your garden ( and a lot less smelly!)

Witzend Tue 18-Oct-22 23:00:21

Sheep number one does look particularly gormless - a sheepdog would def. be a good idea - but at least I’ve got it to stand up.
Number two will have to wait until tomorrow - I haven’t even knitted it yet. According to the pattern there should be a number three, too, but stuff that.

My younger sister is demanding a nice little pile of donkey poo to add authenticity to the scene (I did make one for Gdcs’ set - 3 ‘holly berries’ done in brown and stitched together) but I’m not sure quite everybody at a C of E school fair would appreciate it.

MissAdventure Tue 18-Oct-22 23:01:31

They have funny slitty eyes, and I always think of that book "the devil rides out" when I see them.

Did it have a goats skull on it?

Dennis someone?

MissAdventure Tue 18-Oct-22 23:03:14

Dennis wasn't the goats name.
At least I don't think so, but he didnt introduce himself.

MissAdventure Tue 18-Oct-22 23:07:03

Dennis Wheatman?

Namsnanny Tue 18-Oct-22 23:14:15

Wheatley I think

MissAdventure Tue 18-Oct-22 23:16:24

That's it.
It was on a small dark table, with a candlestick near it, in a little holiday flat we stayed in when I was small, and I used to run past it.

Namsnanny Tue 18-Oct-22 23:26:15

I guessed it was you Witzend when I read the title.
I dont know how you have the patience. Each year I promise I will make a Nativity, but as soon as Christmas is over, the impetus wains.

Namsnanny Tue 18-Oct-22 23:27:15

The goat or his book?

MissAdventure Tue 18-Oct-22 23:29:08

The whole table.
Book, candlestick, all of it gave me the heebie jeebies.

Namsnanny Tue 18-Oct-22 23:33:40

It was a scary cover. I remember my parents had it. The goats face was red, I think?
That table ect., sounds very Agatha Christie.

Witzend Tue 18-Oct-22 23:38:11

Dennis Wheatley!

Callistemon, have you actually sewn up some of your languishing bits? If so, ??!
I thought at first that you meant real sheep, as in mint sauce! If one looks like a dog are you sure it’s not a Bedlington Terrier instead - they do look rather like sheep. But very sweet.

Witzend Wed 19-Oct-22 11:10:58

You couldn’t make it up! - but in the better daylight of this morning, I’ve realised that I’ve done the gormless animal’s back legs in white instead of pale cream - it’s very noticeable now - and will have to effing well unpick and do them again. ?

NotSpaghetti Wed 19-Oct-22 11:17:52

Witzend

Sheep number one does look particularly gormless - a sheepdog would def. be a good idea - but at least I’ve got it to stand up.
Number two will have to wait until tomorrow - I haven’t even knitted it yet. According to the pattern there should be a number three, too, but stuff that.

My younger sister is demanding a nice little pile of donkey poo to add authenticity to the scene (I did make one for Gdcs’ set - 3 ‘holly berries’ done in brown and stitched together) but I’m not sure quite everybody at a C of E school fair would appreciate it.

I would put them in a little bag and put a tag on it ? that read something like "manure optional". Or "free poo with every set"...