I know there’s not much time to crochet this before Advent starts on Tuesday, but I just spotted this free crochet pattern on Rowan’s website to crochet an advent calendar.  It looks really simple – just lots of pockets with numbers on them, hung from a pretty hanger – for you to fill with whatever goodies you like.

Free Rowan crochet pattern for an unusual advent calendar

The pockets are actually felted and the numbers stitched with Rowan Shimmer

You can download the pattern here.

We’ve been getting ready for Christmas for a little while now and in the past few days we whipped up these advent calendars.

We love the idea that you can fill them with whatever treats you like, and they can be brought out from year to year and even passed down to the next generation eventually.

They’re dead easy to make too…

Each fabric panel contains the backing piece and the pocket pieces and is clearly marked where to cut and where to sew.

1. Cut out the backing piece.
2. Cut out the pocket pieces.  Pockets aren’t always singles.  Sometimes the pocket are in strips of 2, 3, 4 or 5 depending on the advent calendar design.  Pay close attention to the correct cutting lines indicated on the panel.
3. Iron over the seam allowances at the top of each pocket strip.
4. Stitch along the top edge.
5. Make box pleats between each pocket on a strip by bringing the sides together to meet on the dotted line and ironing.
   
6. Press over the other seam allowances at the sides and bottom of each pocket to enclose the pleat.
7. Pin each pocket and pocket strip in place on the backing piece and tack in place.
8. Stitch the pockets on to the backing piece.
9. Layer the calendar onto a piece of wadding and then onto a piece of christmassy fabric.  The back layer should have an allowance of an inch or two around the sides and bottom and 3 or 4 inches at the top.
10. Tack the 3 layers together.
11. Quilt the calendar by stitching along various parts of the design, e.g. around the edge of the sleigh or tree and around the edge of the whole calendar.
12. Fold the side and bottom edges of the christmassy fabric over and stitch to the front, to create a neat border.
13. Fold the top over to create a sleeve in which you can slide a pole to hang the calendar up.

You can buy the sleigh advent calendar, christmas tree advent calendar and christmas fabric from our shop.