Countdown to Christmas
Materials for Advent Calendar
- Holiday Hoot fabric panel (about 3/4 yard)
- 3/4 yard backing fabric
- 25x28" piece of quilt batting or plain flannel
- 1/4 yard bright solid green for binding
Finished size: about 20-1/2x23-1/2"
Assemble the Advent Calendar
1. Trim fabric along edges of red print to cut out panel piece (dashed lines show cutting).
2. Starting near the bottom of the panel and using marks printed on both fabric edges, fold fabric from edge marks up to bottom of printed red line. Pin fold in place. This fold makes the first "pocket row."
3. Continue folding as done in Step 2 to make a total of four pocket rows, pinning each row in place. Press all pocket rows flat to make calendar unit.
4. Cut a 25x28" piece of backing fabric.
5. Working on a flat surface, layer backing (printed side down), batting, and calendar unit (printed side up). Pin layers together.
6. Beginning at one side edge of calendar unit and working from bottom fold of bottom pocket row to top fold of top pocket row, stitch a vertical line through all layers, centering stitches on red snowflake print "stripe." Repeat stitching across calendar unit to create 24 individual pockets. Be sure to keep tops of pockets open for treats and gifts. (Our black lines indicate stitching lines. Use a matching thread in your own project.)
7. Stitch or quilt top section of calendar unit as desired to make advent calendar top. Our calendar features outline stitching around trees, owls, and other critters. The sky is quilted with loopy lines.
8. Cut three 2-1/2x42" solid green strips for binding. Join strips to make one long binding piece. Fold binding in half lengthwise (wrong sides together) to make 1-1/4"-wide double-fold binding strip. Using a 1/4"-seam, sew cut edges of binding strip to outer edges of advent calendar top, mitering binding at corners.
9. Turn binding to back side.
10. Hand-stitch binding to back of calendar. Add hanging loops or rod pocket if desired.
