Handcrafted Advent Calendar Tutorial

Happy Christmas Cheer! Here it is.  My 1st Handmade Advent Calendar.

This advent calender tutorial is based largely on the beautiful work and templates of Allsorts.  Please check out her blog, it is home to a very talented illustrator and designer, Jenny B Harris.

You will need:
2 x Red cotton fabric 60cm x 90cm (this includes allowances)
Wadding 55cm x 80cm
White felt (1 metre was more than enough)
Various red buttons - all shapes and sizes, the more the merrier
Red embroidery floss
Red cotton thread
Ribbon 1metre
Cane 70cm long
11 x Envelope templates from Allsorts
Use the finished envelope square template for 12 x pockets

Step 1:
Pin the envelope template to the felt and cut out x 11
Pin the square template to the felt and cut out x 12
Use two envelope templates, pin and cut out x 1

Step 2:
Fold all envelopes up from the bottom to the top, leave flap bit open
Using an Over Stitch sew all around the envelope, start at the bottom right hand corner at the fold, stitch up and over the top of the flap and down the other side until you reach the left hand bottom corner.
Fold the flap down, embroider with a Back Stitch the number 1
Sew on a red button
From the middle of the inside of the envelope thread a piece of thread with a knot in through
Wrap the thread around the button to secure the envelope closed

Repeat this process with all odd numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23

 I embroidered the numbers in a variety of different styles, shapes and sizes

Step 3:
For the square pockets I purchased ready-made red felt numbers from Felt Better on EBAY
Using all-purpose or fabric glue, stick the felt numbers on the middle of the white felt square

Step 4:

Sew the red fabric pieces together with a 2cm seam allowance, leaving the top open
Turn the right way out, press

Step 5:
Insert the wadding
Ensure central and flat

Fold 2cm hem at the top, press

Fold again 6cm, press

Sew across the top to seal in hems, leaving a space to insert the cane 

Insert cane
Tie the ribbon at each end to hold cane in place and hang

 I added 2 sparkling heart buttons at each corner with contrasting white thread

Step 6:
Remove the cane and ribbon, so you can feed through the sewing machine
Lay out all the envelopes and square pockets in order with a 1.5cm gap between them side by side and top to bottom

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

6, 7, 8, 9, 10

11, 12, 13, 14, 15

16, 17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23

24

Pin the pockets and remove the envelopes for the time being, just while you sew the pockets on

 Sew the pockets down across and up, leave the top open

Step 7:
Using all-purpose or fabric glue, stick on all the envelopes
Rest heavy books on top  of the whole calendar for an hour

Step 8:
Insert a special treat in each pocket

Your Handmade Advent Calendar is complete - Congratulations!

Select a very prominent place to hand your advent calendar - mines in the kitchen - above a very hot radiator, so no chocolates for Little Miss P this year!

A big thank you to Jenny B Harris - you were an inspiration.

So tomorrow evening we will be joining in with the village 'Christmas Lights On' event!  I am hoping for lots of mulled wine and a hog roast.

When and how will you commence the Christmas Cheer?  Would love to hear what everyone is up to over the next few weeks.

Nice to see you again

Xxx.

Elf Time - The Christmas Countdown

Well it is almost here. The beginning of December and the beginning of the Christmas Countdown!

I am soooooo excited this year. It must be the new house! I can not wait to fill the enormous bay window with a beautifully decorated tree, bursting with overly coordinating baubles, beads and bells!

Is this weekend a little to early to start filling the house with Christmas Cheer?  the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.  It is definately not too soon to introduce Poppy to ELF.

In an aim to control some of the unnecessary expenditure on further festive fancies, I began my Christmas Crafting and have made a handmade, embroidered advent calendar. You will find the tutorial here, just in time, fingers crossed!

In preparation, I spent a longtime looking for the perfect handmade advent calendar and was overwhelmed by the choice of handcrafted delights available.  I thought I would share a few of my favourites.

In the end I decided on an adaptation of this adorable tutorial by Allsorts.

Now I just have to wait for all the advent gifts to arrive in the post, then I can fill up all the pockets with lots of little surprises!  I can not wait to hang it up and see Poppy's face the morning of the 1st December 2011 and each morning after that!

I just like to smile, smiling's my favourite!  Just two more sleeps till December!

Nice to see you again

Xxx.

20 Gift Ideas for Grandparents

I can not believe Christmas is just around the corner already. I must say I am just a little bit excited this year. Poppy is that age now where she is becoming increasingly aware of seasonal events. The constant rotation of children's toys advertised in between her favourite programmes has resulted in her most favoured phrase "I need one of those!"

While I was composing my initial Christmas gift list for all my family and friends, using this beautiful template,  I thought of my own grandparents and was instantly met with the same grandparent gift fear I get every year. What do I get my nan, gran and granddad?  

Grandparents deserve so much and what a perfect time to reward all their love.

So I set about with some research, window web shopping, coffee and cake with friends. The result was this Top 15 Grandparent Christmas Gift List.

Top 15 Grandparent Christmas Gift List

1. Postcode Puzzle
2. Personalised Photo Calendar/Diary
3. Framed Photograph
4. Sign or letters
5. Grandparents book
6. Herb Window Box
7. Drawer liners and quilted hangers
8. Notecards and writing paper
9. Homemade cake and side plate
10. Handmade cushions 
11. Lavender hearts
12. Gardening tools
13. Apron
14. Umbrella
15. The british home guard pocket book 

I would love to hear all of your ideas and comments.

Keep in touch for my lavender heart tutorial.


Nice to see you again
Xxx.

Cath Kidston Elephant Cushion Tutorial

Welcome to the first tutorial of many for you to enjoy. The first project is a handmade cushion combining applique, embroidery and fabulous fabric from Cath Kidston.

The theme this month at the 'Stitch & Bitch' was cushions. Thursday was one of the first meets at the new house and the evening went so well. I was overwhelmed by the variety of creative ideas of the group. I felt quite despondent as I had no idea what i was going to do, so I spent most of evening occupying myself with one of our previous group projects while I watched in awe as everyone else steamed ahead. I hope to post the pictures of the finished articles following our next meet.

I did not return to my sewing room until late Sunday evening, when I found the in the remnants box, a set of coordinating fat quarters from a Cath Kidston bundle I had brought for my birthday in August. That combined with seeing my daughter playing merrily on "Elvis the rocking Elephant". So I made a contrasting pair of Elephant Cushions for her bedroom.

A Handmade Cath Kidston Elephant Cushion

Tools:

Tape Measure

Needles

Pins

Scissors 

Pinking Shears

Matching Cotton Thread

Coordinating Embroidery Thread

Felt (for eye and ear)

Cushion Inner 25cm x 35cm

2 x contrasting fabric - fat quarters 

Template (I used an elephant from the Cath Kidston mini SEW book)

Sewing Machine - Optional

Step 1:

Cut out 26.5cm x 37.5cm rectangle (this includes 1.5cm seam allowance) from both fabrics. 

One fabric rectangle will make up the back and the other the front.

Pin the template to the remaining fabric that is the same as what will make up the back of the cushion, cut around the template using pinking shears. Pin the ear and eye mini templates to the felt and cut out.

Step 2:

Find the centre of the fabric which will make up the front of the cushion.

Find the centre of the template.

Match the centres and pin the template to the front fabric.

Draw in pencil on the fabric the water from the trunk over the Elephants body.

Remove the pins. 

Step 3:

Using white embroidery thread, start at the bottom of the first water spray (pencil line).

Use a split stitch follow the pencil lines. 

I used an embroidery ring at this point (optional).

Step 4:

Pin the Elephant back to the centre.

Using a straight stitch sew a small stitch at each inward zig zag (created by the pinching shears) to attach to the front panel.

Step 5:

Pin the felt ear to the elephant. 

Attach using a blanket stitch all the way around the felt ear. Use a small cross stitch to attach the eye like so.

Step 6:

Put the finished front panel (right-sides facing) to the back panel. Sew all sides (1.5cm seam allowance), leaving a gap on one width side (to insert cushion inner). You can use a hand or machine straight stitch. 

Step 7:

Clip the corners with scissors. 

Wash the cushion cover (to remove all previous pencil markings) and iron out all creases.

Step 8:

Finally, insert the cushion inner carefully through the gap.

Using a slip stitch sew the opening closed.

Your Handmade Elephant Cushion is complete - Congratulations!! 

The beauty of this project is you can use any combination of beautiful fabrics to suit your style or themes.  I look forward to hearing all about your own creations.  

Nice to see you again
Xxx.