Nativity Pattern

Glenda · #1 09-06-2007, 10:25 PM

My first thread was admitting I was a novice and need much help. I want to thank everyone who welcomed me and offered their advice. The wood from 'HeineckeWood.com' was excellent. I ordered wood for our carving club and we are currently carving a rather large horse. We stared out with the same pattern but we are ending up with our own version.

I have been initiated by a rather unnerving stabbing with a gouge which had definitely slowed me down a bit but it didn't stop me.

What I have been doing lately is scouring the web looking for patterns for a nativity set. There are free patterns for everything else it seems but not a nativity. A person could make any kind of santa. Don't get me wrong, I don't have any thing against him even though I didn't hear much from him when I was a child, I'm just interested in carving a nativity set.

I took it as a challenge to find patterns free on the internet but I have looked for days and hours and hours and found only one which has Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus with manger, three kings and a shepherd. The only sheep is the one the shepherd is carrying. (carvers-creek.com/patterns.html) No horses, no camels, no flock of sheep.

Then when I came here looking at your messages I see you haven't found free sites either. Christmas is coming and I am afraid I'm going to have to break down and buy a book. I'm not cheat just resourceful.

Guess I'll look a few more days and check back here in a day or two just in case. Has anyone got some wonderful news for me?
Glenda

MelNM · #2 09-07-2007, 06:59 PM

Hi Glenda there's a few book out there with Nativity Patterns, ones I know of are by Helen Gibson and another by Shawn Cipa, both are excellent book and have the wise men, shepards and the animals. Just depends on the style you want. I like doing nativities as you can see by my avatar. They are great projects.
Good Luck
Mel

Glenda · #3 09-08-2007, 08:17 PM

Hi Mel, Thanks for responding. I saw and read about your carving that very nice nativity with Mary, Joseph and Jesus. It's very nice.

I have seen nativity books by these people and the closest to what I want is the Flat Plane Nativity by Lynn Diel but it's not exactly what I want either. I'm looking for something basic with rather flowing lines. Our senior carver at our meeting today said I could look for a ceramic or other type of nativity and use that as a model. It makes sense but in the back of my head I keep thinking I need to have words to read to be able to make something.

We have our meeting in Stillwater, OK, home of OSU

s. They were having their first game of the season today. I'm don't know anything about football but being in town the same day as a big game is my only claim to fame.

I digress, Art, our senior carver suggested checking out the library for books on carving. So next week I'm going to try the Library. Hopefully I'll find a book there with a style I like then I can try to get it. I'll be back to share anything new I find out and find out anything new that's going on with you.

Thanks again, Glenda

</IMG>

chpster90bu · #4 09-08-2007, 09:09 PM

Glenda, Mel's right...it depends on the style you're looking for. I do have one book entitled "A Folk Carved Nativity" by Donna Hefty. There are 11 patterns...baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the 3 wise men, an angel, a shepherd, a chicken, horse and sheep. Don't know if this will help, but I thought I'd throw it out there for you....good luck! Bonnie

Hi_Ho_Sliver · #5 09-08-2007, 09:35 PM

I have done about 4 based on Lynn Diehl's book....I like them a lot...you can always do one set then do one and change the style a bit?

Glenda · #6 09-08-2007, 11:32 PM

Bonnie, Thanks for responding, I've the name of that book down and I'll look for it to see what it's like. I do like folk art.

And Hi Ho Sliver! Thanks to you too. I looked at your work and I am impressed. I really liked your nativity sets, especially the little one. And I thought the rat for your hat was great. You and your wife's work is very inspiring. I too am interested in painting, oil and acrylic, and carving besides needlework of all kinds and soft sculpture dolls.

Hopefully one of these days soon I'll get something that I've carved on finished. Don't know if I can share a picture of it though because I have no idea how that miracle is done. At least not right now.

Thanks again,
Glenda

don · #7 09-14-2007, 12:47 AM

Don't forget, if your looking for free books with patterns, your local library can be a great resource.Find and try what you like. Just carve faster than I do, my library has late fees after only 4 weeks. LOL And I like the Shawn Cipa nativity so much I had to buy the book and still need to carve some sheep for my sister's set.

Glenda · #8 09-15-2007, 03:01 AM

Thanks for the recommendation don. Our carving club meets tomorrow and it's just next door to the library so if there's time I want to go in and ask about books. I kind of have an idea of the style of nativity I want but so far the books aren't exactly what I want. I will keep on looking and when I find it I'll be telling everybody.
Guess I best be going. Glenda (Love this little scooter!)

</IMG>