Anyone making an advent calendar?

[LaTrucha]

Every year I think about it and never do it. I've just been looking through pinterest and I'm not wowed by anything, although some are nice.

Does anyone else fancy doing one? Or is anyone doing them and care to share what they're up to?

[TheWoollybacksWife]

I made one last year from a quilting kit I bought at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace. It was surprisingly easy to do and the pockets were plenty big enough.

My only gripe is that I haven't yet worked out how to add some tension to it - it's quite floppy.

I'll try to put a picture up but for some reason my pictures area only lets me post one photo at a time, plus I'm on my phone so I need to work out how to do it.

[LaTrucha]

That would be good Woolybacks.

If I search of rtoilet roll advent calendar will I come up with it? Sounds fun.

[TheWoollybacksWife]

It was this one I backed mine with some red and gold fabric.

[SchrodingersHat]

I made one last year. Mini felt stockings with numbers on.

[Showtime]

I made one last year, starting with heavy fabric about 60cm wide, 1m long, then a simple Christmas Tree shape made from green baize fabric, leaving space for 24 pockets underneath tree shape. Pockets numbered 1-24, each containing a Christmas symbol made from felt, number 25 (Christmas Day) being a star which attaches to top of tree. Pockets have room for a sweet or note too, being about 7cm wide.
I wrote each number (biro but could embroider) spaced over tree with eyes from hooks-and-eyes to attach a symbol every day. It was easier than I thought, particularly after working-out the dimensions, and using felt and baize reduced sewing.

[Stitchthis]

I made a felt garland one a couple of years ago and a quick one last year.

The garland was worth the effort but my dc liked the quick one best!

[JamNan]

My God you ladies are SO ORGANISED.

[TheWoollybacksWife]

JamNan to be truly organised I would have to remember to:

1. Dig the Advent calendar out of the cupboard by 30th November at the latest
2. Hang the Advent calendar up
3. Remember to buy chocolates/gifts to fill the pockets
4. Not eat the chocolates once I'd bought them

[Stitchthis]

Seriously NOT organised...I was stitching the garland each night...the 6th done on the evening of the 5th etc but it was worth it in the end. The tube one was a spur of the moment thing...last minute layabout, me ;)

[LaTrucha]

Sorry - I will be back. Got a bit tied up.

This advent calendar is clearly not going to made if I keep this up!

[LadyFace]

Last year I made one similar to the Lakeland make your own advent calendar. I bought a few christmas buttons from ebay and some christmas stencils from Hobbycraft to decorate the pockets. I started diligently sewing each piece on but by the end the fabric glue had to come out

[WaftInsulation]

I have this pattern and am going to make it for my DD (she is 22 but I want to knit this, so she will have to have an advent calendar )

[LaTrucha]

I keep umming and ahhing about this. I can't make up my mind. I think I will do a Christmas tree or a house but I have two children and I'm not sure how to make the pockets big enough for two sweets/ toys without making it massive.

[LaTrucha]

That knitted Shirstmas tree is really sweet. I just saw this on Pinterest too

[LaTrucha]

I love this too but I have no idea where to even start.

[coldcomfortHeart]

yes... I make them every year to sell, every year I say this will be the LAST year, and then in Jan I think, oh, it wasn't sooo bad/time consuming I will make more...

This year I am doing 6 and am determined to keep one for my own children!

[LaTrucha]

What kind of thing do you do coldcomfort?

[coldcomfortHeart]

these they're the bane of my life at the moment!

[TheWoollybacksWife]

They are lovely coldcomfort. They must take you ages.

[LaTrucha]

That is reall lovely. Can you tell me how you do the pockets please? (Just roughly)

[Stitchthis]

I love your calendars coldcomfort

[paleandinteresting]

I've just bought this pattern and should hopefully have it done in time for December!

[coldcomfortHeart]

Thanks all; I love them when they're done! The pockets are made from two strips of felt, one laid on top of the other. The bottom piece is then folded in half, so I end up with three rows of pockets. The first calendar I made (as a gift for friends) only had two rows, but the calendar ended up being enormous, so I now do three shorter rows and the calendar ends up more compact. A few (old!) pictures of them here I still haven't come to the perfect solution for the numbers- I prefer the look of the embroidery, and it's less faff than felt numbers, but it takes ages.