Last November I decided that I wanted to make an advent calendar for my family. When I was a kid my family had one and we all enjoyed taking that day’s ornament and placing it on the tree. (We also argued about which ornaments went where on the tree, but that’s a whole other blog post.)
I did a search to find some photos of what I wanted my advent calendar to look like and it actually caused more problems – I found too many advent calendars that I liked and I couldn’t decide which one to make.I spent the last part of November and the first week of December trying to decide what to do and then finally realized that it was too late and would have to wait until next year.
Fast forward to November 2010. I did another search to find some sample calendars – I even created a gallery on flickr. I sat down and drew out a sample using the parts of each calendar that I liked the best (quilting from one, colors from another, using buttons as hangars, etc.)
I foraged through my fabric stash and my craft bin and found most of what I already needed. I knew that my sister also wanted an advent calendar and conveniently enough her birthday was right around the corner so I decided to make two calendars. At first I did both calendars at the same time, but then time got short and I needed to finish Kristi’s first. Right now mine is still needing 24 white buttons and some binding, but an hour or so tonight will fix that problem.
Here are some pics of my sister’s finished calendar:
decorated and then undecorated with the ornaments in their little pockets:
Here are some close ups of the little ornaments. The pockets each measure about 2” deep and 3” wide so the ornaments are all a bit smaller than that. I used tiny green ribbon for the hangars and all of the ornaments are made with cheap-o felts and a glue gun – worked beautifully!
Here are the ornaments all tucked away in their pockets…
I went back and forth on how to hang the calendar. In the end I went for simple: I sewed two pockets on the top corners of each calendar (on the back.) A wood stick slips right in there and then can hang on a nail or two tacks.
I’m super happy with how the calendars have turned out, and boy is it nice to have them done! (oh and happy birthday Kris!)
I’m linking up:
wonderful job!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE LOVE LOVE my advent calendar! Thanks a ton! :-)
ReplyDeleteSo cute!
ReplyDeletecutest calendar that I've seen yet, good job andy
ReplyDeleteYou are officially my hero. We have an advent calender that is pretty similar to this, but was made with a panel by an aunt before any of us kids were born, and now that we have all moved out we have been fighting over who gets it for years. I don't know why I never thought of making it like this! your amazing! thank you! I think I am going to start making them now I am so excited!
ReplyDeleteThis makes me happy as it is a near replica of the advent calendar that I grew up with. It's a memory that I cherish deeply and seeing your post and this lovely wall hanging has touched me a great deal... quite unexpectedly so. Thank you! :)
ReplyDeleteThis calendar is awesome! I want to try and attempt something similar but I've never really made anything before so I'm not too sure where to begin. Could you post dimensions? That might give me a starting point.
ReplyDeleteHow did you do the numbers? I'm so excited to make this and I know my girls will love it!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Last year I started one like yours and was able to get it all done in a week except the pockets. Mine is on pre-quilted fabric so no added snowflakes and I used silver buttons to look like little bulbs. I'm trying to get my pockets and numbers done before I need to hang it again this year. I want with a rod and string to hang mine as it fits better in a space where a picture is normally hung.
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful but I thought the pattern was free?
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful but I thought the pattern was free?
ReplyDeleteIt is very pretty however I think someone made a mistake, at the top it says the pattern is $8.50 but in the email for A Bright Corner website it has a click here button for the Free Tutorial! Is that an OOPS? Or is it free???
ReplyDeleteThe TUTORIAL is free .... not the PATTERN. It was a bit tricky to include it with Pat Sloan's FREE quilt patterns. It caught me off guard too.
DeleteHi there- I'm not sure where you saw the email stating that it was a free pattern. I'm sorry for the confusion! I'm afraid someone else must be sending people here under the assumption that it's a free tutorial. I've only ever offered it as a PDF purchase.
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