Plymouth granny knits 24 festive jumpers for the family

COSY patterned jumpers are a staple of a traditional Christmas – and one grandmother decided to spread the joy by knitting festive sweaters for 24 members of her family.

Christine Rean started work on the mammoth task in December last year, and has spent the last 12 months weaving her way to an impressive collection of pullovers.

Mrs Rean, who celebrated her 74th birthday on Sunday, said: "Every Christmas the whole family try to get together and one of my daughters said it would be a good idea to knit jumpers for everyone.

"So I started right after Christmas last year, I got some wool and tried to get all different patterns, which was quite hard."

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With help from her sister, Mary, Mrs Rean completed the woolly batch just in time for Christmas Day, when the family gathered at her home in Clinton Avenue, Lipson.

She said: "I have four children, so that's where the extended family comes from.

"Some are boyfriends and girlfriends and the youngest is just seven months old.

"It was lovely to have them all here. I didn't think I would be able to fit them in the house.

"I thought 'how am I going to get them all together? because they are always all doing something different.

"They knew I was doing it but some of them didn't even see them until they put them on.

"They loved it, they thought it was brilliant."

The colourful jumpers feature intricate designs including a Christmas pudding, a reindeer's face, Santa Claus, a snowman, a Christmas tree and a simple 'Merry Christmas' message worn by Mrs Rean's husband, John.

"It took a long time," Mrs Rean said. "I did it every chance I got, every time I could fit it in.

"I have knitted all my married life and I have been married for 52 years."

"I have loved the last 12 months. It was a pleasure to do it."