Crafty Christmas Countdown
I’ve been banging on about cloth nappies for a while now, but I’ve decided to temporarily abandon my cloth trials in favour of something a bit more festive.
Like Jo & Co at Babi Pur, I’ve been trying to green up my Christmas over the past few years, mainly by getting crafty. Over the next few weeks, I thought I’d share my makes with you, and as its the 1st December where better to start than our advent calender.
Last year DW was old enough for an advent calender for the first time, but I didn’t like the idea of the commercially made chocolate ones. Firstly because I didn’t like the idea of him starting every day with chocolate, and secondly, because I didn’t like them being disposable. This wasn’t just about waste. More to do with the fact that I wanted o establish some form of special family tradition, and create an heirloom that DW could keep and remind him of his childhood.
So I set about making this:
Last night we fished it out of its box and hung it over the fireplace. By this morning Santa’s little helpers had been along and filled the stockings with all sorts of treats! I’m told that there are all sorts of goodies in the stockings – little parcels filled with little toys and crafty bits, tickets to go see the local panto, and even invites to go and meet santa! 🙂
Hopefully, the socks will provide us with lots of lovely festive activities, as well as create some special lasting memories for my little man.
I pretty much made it up as I went along, but in case you want to have a go at making your own here’s a brief outline of how I went about it. They are easy to make, although time consuming, and could be made with all sorts of fabrics and customised with sequins, buttons or anything else your heart may desire!
1. Make a sock shaped template from a bit of cardboard (I usually use cereal boxes for this).
2. Cut out 48 stockings.
3. Pin, then sew the stockings together, remembering to include some form of tab for hanging.
4. Work out what numbers you need, cut them out and then sew them onto the stockings (this is the really time consuming bit, you may want to use stencils or shop bought numbers). Blanket stitch around the top of the stockings.
5. Get a length of nice braid and position your stockings, pinning them in place, adjusting them to make sure they look right, then sewing them on.
6. Tie a loop in either end of the braid, and hang up!
If you’ve made your own advent calenders/stockings, please post some pics. I’d love to see what you are doing, and maybe pinch some ideas for NW’s calender next year! 🙂
Those are really cute! I think this blog may have just solved a teeny dilemma of mine, too – I recently went a bit mad on the Spoonflower website (since they have a 2-for-1 offer on at the moment). I now know what to do with some of the fat quarters.
Hooray!
Oh dear, you’ve just introduced me to yet another ultra tempting way to spend money I haven’t really got. Don’t look Cat, don’t look! 🙂
I’d love to see your fabric btw!
I’ll certainly post some pics for you when it arrives! I think I’m on the slow postage option, though, so I’ve got a few days until it reaches me 🙁
you did what now on spoonflower
Oh, ahem, yes… shhhh. Don’t tell the hubby!
Thanks Cat,
I read your post and for xmas I made some stockings like yours for an advent calender and I’m really pleased with the outcome…..it took half the month of Dec to get them finished and up, as I started a little late…..but luckily my little boy is only 16months so he didn’t notice i was behind, as my husband said when I was stressing to finish them “It’s not like he can count yet, he won’t know”, well next year i’ll be all ready to go now though!
Thanks again, hope you had a great xmas and new years
Kim