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Original poster

Felt Calender - moral support thread!

47 replies

tricot39 · 31/08/2012 13:42

Hi
i need some moral support and motivation to finish a PAIR of advent calenders. I actually started in January! I am not too far off finishing but i have run out of steam! Anyone want to join in/show me how it's done/get me motivated to finish before December!!
Thanks!

I am making a version of this:
inchmark.squarespace.com/inchmark/category/advent-calendar

OP posts:
Some0ne · 31/08/2012 13:47

I started one last year and never finished it. Now I can't face taking it out of the attic.

I can't offer support, or promise to join you, but I can certainly empathise.

Some0ne · 31/08/2012 13:50

Ooh, I like that one. Maybe I could summon up the enthusiasm? It'd be nice to get it done. Thought I want to do stockings and santa sacks this year (in the possibly mistaken belief that they would be less fiddly?).

Why, oh why, don't I stick to crochet, which I actually know how to do, instead of trying to sew, which I don't?

KinkyDorito · 31/08/2012 14:16

I wish I hadn't clicked that link.

That is gorgeous. I have a weakness for Christmas felt crafts.

TimeForCake · 31/08/2012 17:58

Oh dear. I clicked too and love it. I'm fairly certain I'd never get it finished though & actually, I'm not very good at sewing, though I love the idea of all these type of things. I managed to make a fabric stocking for DS's first Christmas & with dc2 due at the end of Nov, am already feeling like I should make a start on another one. But...oh...the advent calendar looks sooo lovely.
Am so hopeless at starting & finishing projects. .
Go on Op, you can do it!

Original poster
tricot39 · 31/08/2012 18:30

Excellent. I have done all the cutting out for a couple of mini christmas wreaths. Hopefully i can stitch them together tonight.

I have to do it now i have you guys checking up on me!

OP posts:
flubba · 01/09/2012 09:32

Haha ~ funny timing for me as I'm literally in the middle of making two advent calendars but had to escape to MN for 10 mins for a break; just in the middle of pinning all the second set of pockets and trying to minimise their wonkiness! All Hmm I have left to do now is to pin the second set, sew all 48, cut out numbers 1-24 two times and stick them all on. Simple (very tired sigh.....)

I'll hold hands with you... :)

flyoverthehill · 01/09/2012 09:52

tricot thanks thats a lovely calendar, I just accidently wandered onto craft, now I've found something else to start, but if I keep popping back here.........good luck. I want to start some christmas bunting this week

Original poster
tricot39 · 02/09/2012 00:04

Marvellous! Glad you are with me!
Not sure why i started this other than some perverse objection to chocolate advents.... I am very pleased with how my wreath ornaments turned out tho. I think it will be father christmas next....

OP posts:
NeverKnowinglyUnderstood · 02/09/2012 00:09

that it awesome.... hmmm do i have time???

juniperinNZ · 02/09/2012 01:47

Oooh, I so want to make that now! Have about six different projects on the go at mo, so may add it to my list... Never enough time in the day :) (not helped by 3 kids 4 and under!). Have quite a few felt decorations I made for our real tree so this would look great alongside... I am going to bring out my felt collection now and see what I've got... DH rolling his eyes...!

flyoverthegoldenhill · 02/09/2012 12:10

mini christmas wreaths sound good too, where can I get a pattern ? please dont make it be a sight thats sooooooooo good I'm stuck on it all day !

Original poster
tricot39 · 03/09/2012 15:23

I made up a pattern based on scaling measurements off screen then was "winging it" on ornaments as i have made some copies and some of my own. Pm me and i can give you the measurements i worked out for mine.

OP posts:
flubba · 03/09/2012 21:31

Right, I now have two sets of advent calendars with 48 little pockets sewn on. Just got to cut out the 78 numbers and attach them...

How are you getting on?

Original poster
tricot39 · 03/09/2012 22:19

That sounds like quick work!
I am a wee bit ahead of you seeing as i started in january Blush but have not yet managed to finish!

I have my base cloths done with trees and pockets attached plus embroidered numbers. I am on ornaments and (only) 5 pairs to go. After that i need to fuse backing to them all (to cover my messy stitching), sew on the buttons and do the hanging tabs and dowels. I might put thick fusable interfacing on the back of the main cloth too to make it a bit more robust.

I know that is a drop in the ocean compared to what ive done, but then i get distracted by life and other projects.....

It is great you are on a similar project to keep me on track! What is the design you are working to?

OP posts:
ethelb · 04/09/2012 09:08

I'm just about to start mine! Do they really take a year?!

flubba · 04/09/2012 10:40

No, I started mine last week. So far my two (and I'm sewing the canvas and the pockets) have taken me about three hours each so far, am cutting out the felt numbers which I reckon will take about 45 mins to cut out each set of numbers and then another 30 or so to stick them down. It's just finding the time (and the space!) to get on with it all.

I'll post a link to a pic when I'm done.

Original poster
tricot39 · 04/09/2012 18:45

No i "gave" myself a year so i didnt have to do an intense burst and two at once. I think if you could do a bit every night you could easily complete one calender in a month at quite a relaxed pace - all hand sewing. Much quicker if you did the basic canvases by machine.

OP posts:
flubba · 07/09/2012 14:09

Done! Phew :)

ethelb · 07/09/2012 14:21

pics?

flubba · 07/09/2012 16:38

Should be a link on the word 'done' in previous post? Let me know if it doesn't work...

ethelb · 07/09/2012 16:41

wow its lovely! could you get away with making them smaller? Say 50cm x 70cm do youthink?

I have already started eyeing up chocolates to put in mine!

flubba · 07/09/2012 18:36

Thank you :)

I'm sure you could make it smaller although things like numbers would get fiddlier (or they'd be bigger in proportion to the pockets) - I wanted mine to be a big wall hanging one which could take different sized things (like small hardback books and little haribo bags for example). I reckon 50x70 would be fine - and you'd save on material too! :)

Original poster
tricot39 · 07/09/2012 22:13

Very nice Flubba!!
Now you have shamed me a bit by whipping yours up in just over a week!
I will have to console myself with the fact that I managed my pockets and base sheets in a similar slightly longer time and am now taking an age to make the ornaments. Only 4 more ornaments designs to go (4 x 2 = 8). Think I better crack on with the father christmas face - shame I have distracted myself with knitting a new cardigan for DD. I better crack the whip on myself or I will run short of time!

OP posts:
flubba · 08/09/2012 20:04

Haha, sorry tricot - I'm a bit like a dog with a bone when I get started on a project, and I also have a zillion other 'makes' I need to be starting, so I had to get a wriggle on. Mine was also quite simple in layout, so each one only (!) took me about 5 hours from start to finish.

coldcomfortHeart · 09/09/2012 19:43

Oh lordy I make these. I totally sympathise tricot39 they sap all my energy- but I sell them and they really help with the cost of Christmas. My poor DC don't have their own one though so I might keep one back this year. It's the decorations that are the killer. Aiming for 6 this year

Last couple of years' here