Yesterday my friend Sara was saying how she was thinking of making one of these felt advent calendars that they sell at Restoration Hardware.
My mom has one that looks almost identical to this one (which sells for $50) that she made when we were small. My sister and I loved the advent calendar, and would fight over who got to put up the ornament each day, until mom had to implement a system of alternating days.
It would be quite easy to make this, and I found numerous instruction pages on the internet, for example here, here, here and here. Although none of them are exactly like the one my mom made, you could kind of put all the ideas together to make the one that you wanted. The ornament shapes can be cut out using cookie cutter shapes, and decorated with sequins. There are some shape ideas here.
If I had time to make one this year, I would do candy canes, stars, round balls, angels, stockings, and snowmen for ornaments, and I would make the pockets like in the picture and glue on felt numbers. It looks like the Restoration Hardware one has the ornaments hanging off of something, but you could just use velcro as well. Its a cute project, but there’s no way I’d have time to make one this year before the advent starts on wednesday, so I think I’ll just have to put this on my list of projects for next year.
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Okay. I don’t think there is any way that I could make these. I would have glue globs all over the place and then all the sparkles would fall off. Are the brass things that are hanging off just button type things? I was looking on ebay and there are a couple of kits (I think) that are listed. It sounds like it has all the felt and the instructions and stuff. But alas, with exams and such there will be no time. Maybe I’ll draw one and try and trick Matt into believing it’s similar.
11/30/2004 @ 12:02 am
I decided to make a replica of this calendar after I came across it here. It was a solid week’s worth of work–working on it 5-6 hours a day. (And, no, I’m not kidding.)
To do it right, you have to have know your (basic) way around several crafts and be fairly well-equipped as far as craft supplies go. You’ll be glad you have 6 kinds of craft glue, 10 kinds of scissors, 20 different kinds of embroidery needles and dozens of thread colors to chose from, trust me. I also embroidered every single exposed edge, using a simple blanket stitch. Cutting out the numbers took eons, the pockets eons more. Pinning, then basting and then finally handstitching everything was study in frustration. When I saw it here I couldn’t resist it, it’s just the cutest. But now that its done (and mine’s better, of course!) I have to say, I really didn’t know what I was getting into.
12/10/2005 @ 12:38 pm
If anyone knows an inexpensive way to get the numbers for this project PLEASE let me know. I have everything else not knowing the numbers would be the stumbling block. I do NOT want to spend the time cutting them out myself.
Thanks
8/18/2006 @ 9:18 am
To hang the ornaments couldn’t you sew buttons on the tree? I wonder if you could just cut the numbers out of felt using pinking shears and glueing or stitching them on. Pottery barn kids has another cute advent calender.
11/12/2006 @ 10:17 am
I am just getting started on my advent and after looking at many options have decided to embroider my numbers and our family name at the top. This way I can really use cute numbers and it will be easier than cutting and glueing and then blanket stitching each number. I figure my children are young and this advent will last a lifetime and even be passed down to one of my children.
11/12/2006 @ 4:13 pm
I am using old antique buttons to hang the ornaments and red rickrack to decorate the tree. I am also using cream rickrack around the whole calendar with a plaid piping. I think I may use the plaid with fusible interfacing for the back to stiffen up the whole calendar.
11/12/2006 @ 4:22 pm
I am making this advent calendar this year, too. My mother made one identical to this with the white fuzzy trim back in about 1962. We hung the ornaments with stick pins, but I’m stitching buttons and beads and will hang the charms with thread. I am going to stuff my tree with some extra wool batting I have and blanket stitch or satin stitch all around. My only stumbling block is the numbering, too. 1″ self stick white numbers are available by Stick-it at Michaels. I’ve also thought about taking my pocket strips down to the local embroidery shop and having them embroider the numbers.
11/20/2006 @ 4:18 pm
I too made an Advent Calendar for my kids when they were small, in the 1980s, that is very similar to the one you have here. My kids also fought over who got to hang up the ornament each day until I created the “take turns” rule just like your mother. I came across your website in my search for another pattern or old kit like the one I had so I can make another one to give to my grandkids. There are just no really cute Advent Calendars out there with the same appeal as the big green Christmas tree and the small pockets with the ornaments for each day! I have given it to my granddaughter but now my grandsons need one! Can anyone help me??? Thank you! Joyce
12/2/2006 @ 7:16 pm
I have this advent calendar, too - my Mom made it for me when I was little, and I just hung it up yesterday. Love it dearly! I used to use pins to attach the ornaments, but a couple years ago, installed little velcro dots all over the tree, and on the backs of the ornaments. I made this design for my uncle several years ago, and used pearl-white puff paint to make the numbers — it worked pretty well. Thank you for posting this!
12/4/2006 @ 9:16 am
A question: I noted the Advent calendar on your website. Do you sell the felt numbers that appeared on the calendar? I have searched various sites for felt numbers. I keep coming up with felt number and LETTERS. I am looking for just NUMBERS.
A reply would be appreciated.
B. Milne
2/17/2007 @ 6:11 pm
this is lovely! some people have asked about the numbers, they can be cut using a sizzix or ellison die cutter machine. the thin dies work with felt too.
9/12/2007 @ 2:32 am
I am currently making three advent calendars (October, November & December), I just went to a scrapbook store and paid $10 for a months membership to use their die cut equipment. I cut out the squares, numbers 1-31, a bat, moon, spooky tree, black cat, jack-o-lantern, and ghosts and it took me one hour! TRUST ME - you can not beat the die cut machines it is a snap!
9/30/2007 @ 12:37 pm
In regards to the numbers, could you just use puff fabric paint or a permanent marker? It would speed things up.
11/17/2007 @ 9:10 pm
[…] Ones with with felt pockets like the one shown here. […]
11/26/2007 @ 12:54 pm
[…] I’ve got bookmarked, to give you an idea. Craftzine.com blog: HOW TO - Make a cool advent calendar thimble ? Felt Advent Calendar a peek inside the fish bowl Gingerbread Man Advent Wall Hanging __________________ Doing your […]
12/2/2007 @ 6:30 pm
[…] special activities, and not only does she illustrate her project, she points to many others. Like a traditional felt calendar, and cute little felt pockets, and a version with little magnetic […]
12/5/2007 @ 10:35 pm
I took the advice of a poster above and went to a local scrapbook place that had a die cutter. The people weren’t sure that it would work on felt (one was positive that it wouldn’t) but it worked like a charm, and in 1/2 an hour I had all my numbers for free.
11/1/2008 @ 7:21 pm
check out the adhesive felt numbers here
http://yourmemoriesbydesign.ca/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=6
3/2/2009 @ 6:42 pm
I think this is great!!! My mom put together an advent calendar just like this when me and my siblings were little. I have replicated the Calendar and it turned out good. I have seen kits out there to put them together and it does take a lot of work. They aren’t simple. BUT I am actually in the middle of creating a Felt Advent Calendar Pattern and hopping to sell it when I get finished for a very cheap price in the next few weeks.
9/19/2009 @ 6:19 pm
My Aunt made on almost identical for us also we we were little & we fought over who was 3rd - you got to put up Baby Jesus. Each item is glued onto a felt triangle with a verticle slit. There are small round wooden buttons to hang them on. You could also use wooden beads. I got an alphabet template from the art supply store for the numbers & glued on. We both sewed on the trees as that much glue would be really stiff & hard to roll up for storage.
10/26/2009 @ 9:47 am
My mother has an Advent Calendar just like this, I too wanted it and she is not giving it up yet. So as she did I got a group together and we are all making one or two ornaments for each person. So I am making 16 Trains and 16 Reindeer, it is much similar that way. We are getting together one Sunday afternoon to cut and sew. Numbers are an issue - no way I can cut out felt ones that nice. What is a die cutter?
That sounds like a plan if I can find one. Help - Amber
11/3/2009 @ 5:40 pm
My Aunt made one of these for us when we were young. She used small gold safety pins to hang the ornaments. Permanent marker was used for the numbers (and it looks fine if it’s done right). All of the ornaments were small items she had attached the pin to…they were not all homemade ornaments. They were plastic miniatures of different items related to Christmas. There was a star in the pocket for the 24th to top the tree with. I have a handful of miniature ornaments that I bought awhile back for a very small Christmas tree…they are gift boxes, trains,jack-in-the-boxes,dolls and various toys that I am thinking about using for this. She also used silver rickrack for the garland instead of using a stitch.
11/10/2009 @ 11:13 am
After hearing about the die cuts from above I found a website that die cut all of our numbers for us — 16 sets, $5.00 a set. They look great and were here in 4 days. We are glueing them now! Little Extras is the company. I had to call and ask if they could do the felt numbers, they had never done it before only felt animals. They tested it out and it worked great. Hopefully they will update the website if not call — wonderful to work with. Good luck to all those who are creating calendars — Dec. 1st isn’t to far away.
http://www.littleextrasdiecuts.com
11/14/2009 @ 7:13 pm
My kids grew up with this advent (80’s) and my daughter wants one real bad. I am going to make her one, does anyone have the dimensions for this project? For example: is it 24″ X 36″ or what? Does anyone have a template for the Christmas tree? And the dimensions for the overall banner?
Thank you and Merry Christmas.
12/13/2009 @ 1:22 am
I am trying to locate the pre-cut numbers for this advent calendar but could find no source from all of these comments. Do you sell them? I would like a large quanity as this may be a fund raiser for my church. Help!!
1/23/2010 @ 7:10 pm