Tis the Season

At Ally Pally this year I bought a Advent Calendar panel to quilt. I knew that I could have created my own/ knitted something/ generally used more creativity to make something similar, but some times you just weigh up your ability to get creative with the time you have, plus the ability for your brain to squeeze out some creativity and for me the quicker, brain soothing option won.

That being said, making the calendar was not a doddle. I had some pocket issues, binding issues and hanging issues. Also I've literally just finished hanging and filling it with only minutes to go before December 1st dawns on us. But it's up and ready to go for the festive season kicking off this weekend. Tonight I feel achievement!

There was another unexpected issue that faced me with this calendar. Not to do with it's construction but with the filling of it. I don't like the idea of Flo expecting a chocolate treat every morning and then perhaps even worse having to deal with the aftermath of taking the daily does away from her come December 26th. I discussed it with my knitting girls and there were lots of suggestions of puzzle pieces, plastic jewellery, tiny toys, fruit etc but most of these I felt she was still too little for or wouldn't be exciting enough.

Then this evening I had an idea. I suddenly remembered that I had bought a nativity set at Ally Pally from Clare Beaton. She is a brilliant artist/ author of children's books. She hand stitches elaborate scenes to accompany well know nursery rhymes as well as original stories. Flo has had one of her books since her first birthday and we love it. When I saw her stall at Ally Pally I was actually a bit star struck when meeting her as we love her books so much. The little nativity I bought from her is part of her 'pop and slot' range. All of the figures come neatly packed within the box which becomes the stable. Then you pop out each character and slot the pieces together so that they stand up.

The set laid out at Ally Pally

So instead of chocolate I have put a little figure in each pocket, ready to slot together and add to the stable each day. It's quite cute to see some of the larger figures poking their heads out of the pockets at you and especially amusing that the donkey has its bum sticking out. There are a few pockets of chocolate coins through out the calendar, although these are strategically placed on weekends or days that the Mr or I will be with her. I'm not a total humbug after all.

The Bush Jumper

I received a lovely surprise this week from Knitting magazine. A reader all the way from Australia had sent me a parcel! Bronwyn Benn from Burwood, Victoria had read my article about my growing collection of knitting related children’s books and decided to add to it.

The Bush Jumper by Jean Chapman and Ali Beck is a story that Bronwyn’s own children loved to read as they were growing up. As it’s full of Australian animals, plants and imagery I don’t think I’ll ever forget who we received this lovely gift from.

The book tells the story of a little Koala call Mitti who wants her Mum to knit her a jumper. But whilst knitting the second sleeve her Mum runs out of yarn; it’s happened to the best of us! So instead she knits a multi coloured sleeve in all the colours of the Bush. Mitti doesn’t like the jumper but her friends love it and want to try it on, which is when all the trouble and fun begins!

The book is beautifully drawn and coloured in pencil and I particularly liked the accuracy of the knitting process.

“Clicketty-click-click-click! Koala knitted and knitted. She knitted the back of the jumper, then the front, then one sleeve”

I wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d have described how she washed, blocked and sewn each piece too!

This is a lovely book and is a very special one to add to the collection that so far consists of: Knitting Nell, Little Bear’s Big Jumper and Mr Nick’s Knitting. Thank you so much to Bronwyn for thinking of us and sending us such a thoughtful present. Mwah!