Osborn Fiber Studio

Merry Christmas! I’ve been behind the eight ball these last couple of weeks, and having a lot of fun into the bargain, so you’re hearing this update early Christmas morning. I know it’s not Epiphany yet, but I bring you: the three wise men.

I have to admit: I’ve been looking forward to knitting the three kings for this whole project. Not the dolls themselves, so much, as their outfits! I saved all the most flamboyant bits of colorful handspun for their clothes. I knit them so quickly that they were done in time for Christmas, even though they won’t really arrive until Epiphany.

Meet Gaspar. He’s bringing gold, which may or may not actually be a massive cake of maple sugar. He has a quiet love of pastels.

Robe: #8 True Woolen Targee/Suffolk
Trim: #30/31 Merino/Silk
Hat: The Blendlings, with #48 Battlings in Vancouver for trim
Belt: #48 Battlings in Vancouver
Cape: #11 Semi-Worsted Targhee
Gift: #48 Battlings in Vancouver

A note about #48 – everywhere in the pattern where it called for gold crochet thread, I used #48. It’s yellow and gold and orange, it has gold sparkle in it, and I love it. It also has some pretty special memories attached. And this way I got to meet my goal of making this set 100% handspun. 😉

As before, these were used for all the dolls:
Hair, eyes: #7 Icelandic Both Coats
Mouth: #30/31 Merino/Silk
Bodies: Chrysler Spin

Melchior has the frankincense in a decorative green jar. He likes his colors as bright as possible, and in great variety.

Robe: #10 Semi-Woolen Targhee
Trim: #17 Energized Merino Singles
Turban: #11 Semi-Worsted Targhee
Belt:  #30/31 Merino/Silk
Sash: #15 Soft Singles Merino, with #48 Battlings in Vancouver for trim
Gift: #15 Soft Singles Merino
Beard: #15 Soft Singles Merino

I just pulled #15 apart into some of the many colors inside it, and used it for a variety of lovely things. A great use for a wild battling spun into soft singles.

Balshazar brought a bottle of myrrh. He cleverly chose a hat to match his gift. He looks modest, but he’s all about the bling in his gold trim.

Robe: #51 Speediest Alpaca
Trim: #48 Battlings in Vancouver
Hat: #15 Soft Singles Merino with a shot of #48 Battlings in Vancouver sewn in the brim
Belt: #17 Energized Merino Singles
Vest: #3 Long Teesdale
Gift: #15 Soft Singles Merino
Beard: #14 Yarn I Processed Myself

They are less blinding when they’re walking away from you.

And where would the wise men be without their star to follow? Here we see one more glorious appearance of #48 Battlings in Vancouver.

Due to a case of COVID-19 in town, and several others popping up in small communities around Nunavut, we found out last minute that we will be having a lockdown Christmas. So after all our preparations, we did not get to tell the nativity story at church. But we have this little cast of stuffed characters, which we used to share the story on our facebook page this afternoon. We were delighted to be joined by some of our parishioners, and even by a crowd of the kids cousins back in Maryland! Disappointments will happen, but we have so much to be thankful for. May you enjoy this vigil of our Lord’s birth with true joy and solemnity, whatever your circumstances.