Wednesday, October 3, 2012

let's talk nativities

i have drooled over all the beautiful nativity sets that i've seen people working on for the past few years, but i never got up the courage to purchase one of my own. which is weird because nativities are my absolute favorite part of holiday decor! i have a million in my collection, but none that are needlepointed. 

 the one that my heart desires most is this precious and whimsical set by princess and me

photo by what's the point?

i love all the colors and fun stitches in this group!


the other set that i absolutely love is by mile high princess (can you see that there is a pattern developing here?) again, i love the whimsical nature and sweet faces.


the question is...how to get started? buy all the canvases at once? slowly work on a few each year? i would love to hear your thoughts and what your process is in stitching a nativity!




11 comments:

  1. Personally, I'd buy the set all at once at a trunk show and also pick up the background threads all at once, too. Too many designers drop lines or go out of business for me not to be paranoid about it.

    I love Nativities, too, and only own one piece of a set I admire that I managed to get at a good price on eBay. Me bad.

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    1. I would get them all at once--especially Mile High Princess. I fell in love with one of theirs that I saw being stitched and it was discontinued so I got the kings, baby, and some animals for the replacement. My LNS didn't have the other pieces in stock and I didn't get them ordered, I went to get the other pieces the next year and there was again a new set. They are very similar but about two inches taller. I will either have the Three Kings and Baby Jesus or I will have giant kings and a complete nativity.

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  2. Hi Katherine,
    I would also buy the whole set at once. I am always afraid that the canvas I want will be discontinued. Both Narivities are beautiful. It is going to be hard to choose.
    Linda

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  3. ladies thank you for the killer advice! the paranoia creeps up on me too in terms of series being discontinued. and then there's always the fear of "what if they come out with something else next year?" i'm going to bite the bullet and purchase an entire set before i regret it. now...which one to choose?!?!

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  4. You have to choose only 1 set? My friend Ebbie stitched 3 gorgeous sets, and each will probably eventually go to each of her 3 children. As for how to buy them, I also believe you should buy a set all at once (and on sale is a great idea). I have purchased 4 sets so far, and none of them is available any more. 1 of these sets, a very whimsical chicken Nativity by Porcelain Paint Box, recently came back from finisher Funda Scully (courtesy of The French Knot), and I just adore it. Mary, Joseph, 3 Wise Men, 2 shepherds and an angel (she has golden legs)are all chickens, and Baby Jesus is an egg! How can you get any more whimsical than that? Well, maybe with the snowman Nativity I stitched and had finished by Funda for one of my daughters last year! I have part of a 3rd set stitched and have threads pulled for the remaining figures, but have done nothing yet with the 4th set, which is a large and super spectacular set by Ann Spiess Mills that I bought about 30 years ago. It is never to late to get started!

    Regarding background threads, it is a good idea to buy all at once more thread than you think you'll need. I did not necessarily do that, but was lucky that the Rainbow Gallery threads I chose - Gold Rush 18 for 1 set and Silk Lame Braid for 18 count for 2 others - did not have dye lot differences.

    Be sure and let us know what you select!

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    1. Melinda, I am researching, with NH friend Sharon Stephan, Ann Spiess Mills. Please contact me linda.anderle@gmail.com to have your Mills pieces documented in our research project. Thank you, Linda

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  5. I do believe that I am the Queen of Nativity sets. I have stitched a Petei set, a Rebecca Wood set, a Mile High Set, and a Quail Run set. I have Kelly Clark's and Heartstrings' in progress. I strongly recommend you buy the entire set. The Mile High I have is probably the one Margaret is referring to. I got most of the pieces, fortunately, but when I went back to get the rest, poof, they were gone. I wouldn't take any chances. Trunk show, here we come. Can't wait to see which one you choose!

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  6. Needless to say, buy the whole set Katherine. I have 2 sets but haven't started any yet. Maybe we could do it together, one will be pushing the other further.

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    1. I meant "forward". where's that coffee now?

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    2. teehee! yes, let's plan a nativity S-A-L!

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  7. Hi Katherine,

    I'd also recommend that you buy the whole set at one time if you can.

    If not, buy the key figures such as Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus as the can stand on their own as a set. Or buy these three and then an additional piece or two such as an angle and a donkey. This way if the additional figures aren't available in the future, you will still have a nice set.

    Hope this helps! :-)

    Cynthia
    Windy Meadow

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