So my friends, how was your Thanksgiving? Are your scales tipping a bit heavier now, like me? We had a fantastic holiday, spent with my family in Louisiana (where they really know how to cook). So now with the season of thanks turning to the season of joy... let's talk about Christmas crafting! Like I mentioned last week, I will be recapping and updating some of my most popular patterns and tutorials from the last few years. Did you realize I've been doing this Allsorts blogging thing since December 3rd of 2004? Yikes! Along the way I've shared some projects that many of my current readers may not know about. So what do you say we start with my Advent Calendar Pouches? They first showed up on my bedroom mantel in 2006, as seen below, and appeared again last year, when they were incorporated into the above arrangement in my studio.
These are super-simple to make, but of course you'll need to make 24 or 25 of them!
Basically what you do is cut the long shape from white fleece or felt, embroider the number on the rounded end and add a button where shown. Then fold up the square end and whip stitch around the edge and add a length of floss to he rounded end. Fill your pouch with your selected treat (the pouch size happens to be perfect for a square of Ghirardelli chocolate) and a little paper 'dangle' ~ then fold the pouch closed over your garland and wind the floss around the button to hold it closed. Each day as a pouch is opened, you hang the dangle from the button, to show the progress towards Christmas Day! Like this:
Click -->here<-- to download the printable for the dangles. Just print on card stock, then cut out and attach a loop of string or thread.
I love that there are so many creative Advent calendars out there. In fact there is a Creative Advent Calendars group on Flickr for people to share photos of any kind of calendar they've made. Check it out, and add your own pics if you like!
Cheers,
Jenny
