I love this time of year so much. I got an early start of my festive making with a sew your own Advent Calendar fabric panel from elephant in my handbag. It’s always lovely to make your own decorations and gifts (time permitting!) and I really enjoyed putting my Advent Calendar together over a couple of evenings.
I chose the Winter Wonderland panel, designed by Bethan Janine for Dashwood Studio. The panel is 100% cotton and the instructions are cleverly printed at the top of the panel. Once you have the fabric panel you need to buy wadding and some pretty fabric to back the advent calendar. The pockets are large enough to hold chocolate coins, a little toy or note.
I’ve been sharing some pics of my progress on Instagram but I’d thought I’d tell you a little more about how to put together a fabric Advent Calendar using a pre-printed panel.
Equipment needed to make a fabric Advent Calendar panel:
Oneย Advent Calendar fabric panel
Cutting mat
Rotary cutter
Pins
Wadding
Fabric for backing
Iron
First cut up the panel along the dotted lines to leave yourself one large panel, the instruction panel and pockets. Then cut the pockets into two strips of pockets and the individual pockets.
I used a rotary cutter, a self healing cutting mat and quilting ruler I got free with a magazine to make sure I had straight lines.
I ironed everything to make sure there were no creases and started folding and pressing the pockets. Then I pinned them in their correct place on the fabric panel. I gave them a quick press again to make sure everything stayed in place and fitted.
Then I started sewing everything according to the instructions. First I did the individual pockets then the two longer strips. I took my time with the longer strips as you need to make box pleats and pin them in place making sure they fit correctly. I admit it took me a few attempts and a phone call to my mum!
When I reached this stage I sewed on the longer strips, removed my pins and gave it another press.
There were no detailed instructions for finishing it off so I trimmed the panel a little, measured and cut my batting and backing fabric. I placed the two pieces of fabric right sides together with the batting on top and sewed around the four edges, leaving a small gap to turn the panel the right way. I hand stitched the edge closed, making sure the corners were all pushed out.
You can quilt the panel as you like so I opted for simple lines around the red to look like binding and along the two long sides. You could hand quilt around the tree and deer if you liked. The finished panel measures 50x60cm and I’ve hung it up on my quilt gallery wall as it looks lovely on its own without the sweet treats.
Altogether it took me a couple of hours to make and I really enjoyed the process. You could probably hand sew the fabric panel but a sewing machine makes this a quick make. Of course I have 2 children so I’ll be making another panel as they are not interested in sharing Advent treats yet!
Win a Winter Wonderland fabric Advent Calendar panel from elephant in your handbag:
I’ve teamed up with fab fabric shop elephant in my handbag and have one extra Winter Wonderland fabric panel to giveaway to a reader of the gingerbread house. For your chance to win please answer the question and leave a comment on this post via the Rafflecopter widget below. The giveaway ends on Friday 13th November and the winners name will be announced on this post. Find more competitions at www.theprizefinder.com
148 Comments
Helen Heaton
November 3, 2015 at 11:36 amI would love to find little sewing essentials in my advent calendar this year… I always seem to run out of the basics!
Angela McDonald
November 3, 2015 at 11:52 amI’d love to find some Fluffy socks!
tracy k nixon
November 3, 2015 at 11:56 amA Christmas themed Yankee Candle!
Victoria Thurgood
November 3, 2015 at 12:26 pmi would like to find candles
Bonnie King
November 3, 2015 at 12:28 pmAnything crafty. I’m always after new sewing and soap making ideas and projects.
iain maciver
November 3, 2015 at 12:35 pmsome sweets
kim plant
November 3, 2015 at 1:02 pmnice perfume x
Dawn Jermy
November 3, 2015 at 1:39 pmI’d love to find some gorgeous fabrics in my advent calendar xx
ashleigh allan
November 3, 2015 at 1:44 pmbeauty products!
charlotte
November 3, 2015 at 2:46 pma little sweet treat everyday ๐
Laurie
November 3, 2015 at 4:14 pmBeautiful prize
Hannah Ingham
November 3, 2015 at 4:38 pmNail Polish!
Samantha O'D
November 3, 2015 at 9:25 pmcharms for my bracelet
Shirley Evans
November 3, 2015 at 10:50 pmWould love to find a perfume
Rachel clayton
November 4, 2015 at 8:43 amI’d love to find some new make-up each day.
Ruth Harwood
November 4, 2015 at 9:32 amSome lovely Chocs!!
Rose Smith
November 4, 2015 at 9:55 amI’d love to fingers an engagement ring in my advent calendar!
– I know it won’t happen, but a girl can dream ๐
Sarah Cocker
November 4, 2015 at 11:06 amA miniature bottle of rum ๐
Judith Newton
November 4, 2015 at 11:53 amLove seeing all the beautiful fabrics and accessories so anything in the Calendar would be lovely!
laura stewart
November 4, 2015 at 3:47 pmchocolate xx
danielle stewart
November 4, 2015 at 4:29 pmI would love to just wake up and see my children’s faces ๐ im not fussed for myself but a nice rum would be nice so I can relax on the evening with a lovely mojito ๐ bliss!
claire woods
November 4, 2015 at 4:36 pmsome charms
Julie D
November 4, 2015 at 5:17 pmanything! not fussy, its nice to be a surprise!
Charlotte Moore
November 4, 2015 at 5:52 pmCandles and chocolate ?
ELAINE DALE
November 4, 2015 at 6:10 pmluxury chocolates
Claire D
November 4, 2015 at 6:14 pmThorntons chocolates
sarah rees
November 4, 2015 at 6:34 pmperfume
chloe brill
November 4, 2015 at 6:51 pmHandbag
Jennifer Potter
November 4, 2015 at 6:58 pmSome jelly bean sweets as I’m not a fan of chocolate
Mark R
November 4, 2015 at 7:56 pmPosh chocolates!
KATHY D
November 4, 2015 at 8:04 pmsome nice perfume
Kirsty Webb
November 4, 2015 at 8:04 pmYankee candle wax melts
Laura Pritchard
November 4, 2015 at 8:18 pmTiny bath bombs!
Chantelle Binge
November 4, 2015 at 8:29 pmChocolate sweets
nicola clarkson
November 4, 2015 at 8:30 pma chocolate orange
Nicki Ramsay
November 4, 2015 at 8:49 pmIdeally I’d like to find a winning lottery ticket, but failing that I think that an advent calendar with a different flavour teabag every day would be quite novel.
Deb Alexander
November 4, 2015 at 9:17 pmI would love a Yankee Candle x
Lisa Pond
November 4, 2015 at 10:00 pmDifferent jewellery everyday ?
Jessica Powell
November 4, 2015 at 10:59 pmChocolate, always chocolate ๐
Caroline Blaza
November 4, 2015 at 11:23 pmI would love to find a different nail varnish each day x
Clara Bee
November 4, 2015 at 11:56 pmI’d love some lindt chocs
karen cowley
November 5, 2015 at 3:38 ama nailvarnish themed calendar would be lush x
Michaeleen
November 5, 2015 at 6:08 amCoupons for hugs and kisses
Laura Tonks
November 5, 2015 at 9:50 amLindors ๐ xxx
Wendy Gould
November 5, 2015 at 12:08 pmMaking an Advent calendar kit is a great prize
betony bennett
November 5, 2015 at 1:42 pmChocolate ๐
katrina adams
November 5, 2015 at 6:09 pmI would love a selection of my favourite things i.e. my favourite nail varnish, a sample bottle of my fave perfume, a yummy chocolate. Something like that would be lovely and would be incredibly thoughtful. I have made my own advent calendar this year and the hubby is putting goodies in the even numbers and myself the odd numbers for the other person so neither of us know what is in it ๐
Danielle
November 5, 2015 at 8:56 pmI’m happy with chocolate but a crafty one but be brilliant!
Kelly Dutton
November 6, 2015 at 11:57 amMake up
Dawn Brodribb
November 6, 2015 at 3:36 pmLittle pieces of paper reminding me of some of the happiest times at Christmas and maybe a little choc!
Vicki H
November 6, 2015 at 4:08 pmChocolates
Kelly Wells
November 6, 2015 at 7:22 pmAnything from Tiffany!
antigone
November 7, 2015 at 6:47 amI would love to find shoes…..
Andy Kadir-Buxton
November 7, 2015 at 11:20 amDumbbells. They would be a bit heavy for Santa to carry, though.
Amanda A
November 7, 2015 at 2:45 pmA miniature bottle of Baileys!
Fiona K
November 7, 2015 at 6:30 pmI’d like a nice warm pair of socks for when I work outdoors. My feet get really cold and then I get miserable.
Gill
November 7, 2015 at 8:43 pmStationery!
Suzanne
November 8, 2015 at 5:18 pmBeautiful keepsake for a fun Christmasn tradition.
lorna kennedy
November 8, 2015 at 5:20 pmi would love to find some yankee candles x
sohadre A
November 8, 2015 at 5:40 pmI would love anything with lavender.
Debs Bream
November 8, 2015 at 6:20 pmAdvent calendar chocolate is always a win.
Corinne Henson
November 8, 2015 at 6:24 pmI think a Pandora bead would fit in one of those pockets quite nicely ๐
rominy colville
November 8, 2015 at 6:29 pmmoisturiser and perfume minis
Anne Bostwick
November 8, 2015 at 6:55 pmA Gingerbread Man would be very welcome.
sarah birkett
November 8, 2015 at 7:00 pmA little puzzle for each day, something to occupy me on the train to work
Clare H
November 8, 2015 at 7:37 pmalways chocolate!
Jo m welsh
November 8, 2015 at 8:15 pmI’d like a mini bottle of gin everyday …..well maybe not everyday alternate between that and fudge
Jen English
November 8, 2015 at 8:38 pmI would love to find gift cards in my advent calendar
Stephanie Tsang
November 8, 2015 at 9:13 pmDiamonds!
Lyn Burgess
November 8, 2015 at 10:01 pmI’d like a chocolate for each of the days 1 to 23, and on the 24th a small keepsake , such as a glass tree bauble.
Caroline H
November 9, 2015 at 12:51 amLittle mini nail polishes would be lovely.
caroline walliss
November 9, 2015 at 9:16 amSome yummy Dark Chocolate.x
Christine Dodd
November 9, 2015 at 12:52 pmA tube of smarties
Ruth Thomas
November 9, 2015 at 1:57 pmA diamond ring (but I’d be happy with a luxury candle!) x
Michelle O'Neill
November 9, 2015 at 2:54 pma winning lottery ticket lol
Charlotte Davids
November 9, 2015 at 4:29 pmI would like to find good health and happiness for all my family in my stocking this year.
Katie Walker
November 9, 2015 at 9:52 pmSomething nice for the bath
leanne weir
November 9, 2015 at 11:09 pma warm pair of slippers!
Maria P
November 9, 2015 at 11:41 pmtheatre tickets ๐
Isabelle Smith
November 10, 2015 at 12:59 amchocolateeee
Jo Carroll
November 10, 2015 at 10:47 amTickets to a Panto for the whole family would be great. x
Lizzy Cooper
November 10, 2015 at 2:56 pmLots of money please! ๐ ๐
Keith Hunt
November 10, 2015 at 4:19 pmfamily bar of chocolate as im cheap to run.
Rachael O'Mara
November 10, 2015 at 4:21 pmDiamonds pleeease
Eileen Tingle
November 10, 2015 at 4:35 pmA new ladyshave
Kat Lucas
November 10, 2015 at 4:57 pmGift vouchers
Eleanor Powell
November 10, 2015 at 11:38 pmshower gel
Amanda noble (@Noblejaneamanda)
November 11, 2015 at 2:22 amI would like to find a piece of jewellery in each pouch! โบโบ
Stephanie Whitehouse
November 11, 2015 at 10:27 amA golden reindeer to add to my ever growing collection
Sharon L Johnson
November 11, 2015 at 12:20 pmwould love a bottle of vodka lol x
Rebecca Howells
November 11, 2015 at 4:47 pmA different sweetie each day! (@PeanutHog)
jo liddement
November 11, 2015 at 5:12 pmSome nice hand made soap or some scented bath oil.
vickyrosem@aol.com
November 11, 2015 at 9:44 pmWinning lotto ticket!! Failing that, chocolate.
Victoria Prince
November 12, 2015 at 9:26 amMoney would be good! And an assortment of festive chocolate – some of the more unusual things, such as Hotel Chocolat’s festive range ๐
donna l jones
November 12, 2015 at 10:33 amsome yankee candles
elaine stokes
November 12, 2015 at 11:34 ama different treat each day, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate, im easy to please
Diane Jackson
November 12, 2015 at 1:46 pmchocolate!
Alice Fox
November 12, 2015 at 1:51 pmยฃ10 note in each door ๐ xx
Kerry Lock
November 12, 2015 at 2:52 pmDaniel Craig …. or am I aiming to high
Andrew Hindley
November 12, 2015 at 3:34 pmChocolate coins
Vera Bahounkova
November 12, 2015 at 4:02 pmsome toys
Lisa Houston
November 12, 2015 at 4:58 pmyankee candle tarts
Rachel Butterworth
November 12, 2015 at 6:27 pmHeadphones
Wendy Guy
November 12, 2015 at 6:46 pmI would like to find a voucher for a theatre break.
Karen Howden
November 12, 2015 at 6:51 pmsome money
Caroline Buckley
November 12, 2015 at 7:05 pmSome money!
Samantha Atherton
November 12, 2015 at 8:17 pmlittle perfumes.
Corinne Peat
November 12, 2015 at 9:21 pmChocolate!
Pauline Wilson
November 12, 2015 at 9:39 pmTealights and beauty products
EJ Dunn
November 12, 2015 at 10:26 pmAn engagement ring!
Gillian Hutchison
November 12, 2015 at 10:28 pmI would love to find little IOU notes for things like Running a bubble bath, making breakfast in bed, going out for a meal without the children ๐
Nancy Bradford
November 12, 2015 at 10:35 pmI know it won’t happen but I’d love to find travel vouchers and spending money.
ellie spider
November 12, 2015 at 10:55 pmSome pandora charms would be lovely ๐
Miss Tracy Hanson
November 12, 2015 at 10:59 pmChris Hemsworth – although you’d need a huge stocking considering he’s 6ft 3 lol
Miss Tracy Hanson
November 12, 2015 at 11:01 pmHuge ADVENT CALENDAR sorry ๐
Mandy S
November 12, 2015 at 11:02 pmFerrero Roche x
claire little
November 12, 2015 at 11:09 pma bath bomb
Natalie Crossan
November 13, 2015 at 12:46 amDiamonds ๐
Lyndsay-Rose
November 13, 2015 at 7:51 amA ring
Kelly Summerfield
November 13, 2015 at 7:53 amYankee candle tarts
Maria Jane Knight
November 13, 2015 at 9:38 amMinitures ๐
Kati Whiteoak
November 13, 2015 at 10:23 amAnything to keep my hair tidy – combs, elastics, etc. as I can never find one when I need one.
Emilia nastaly-howard
November 13, 2015 at 10:50 amsome cosmetics ๐
StuartD
November 13, 2015 at 12:32 pmNovelty socks!
jodie harvey
November 13, 2015 at 12:55 pmminiture bottles of baileys ๐
Harley
November 13, 2015 at 1:02 pmNail varnishes I’m obsessed
Jo Glasspool
November 13, 2015 at 1:04 pmA bit of everything, chocolate, yankees & make up x
Kim Lawrence
November 13, 2015 at 1:15 pmA diamond ring would fit nicely in one of those pockets [aims high]!
Lieke van Vugt
November 13, 2015 at 1:29 pmchocolates!
Rich Tyler
November 13, 2015 at 2:34 pmSome white chocolate buttons!
stacey kavanah
November 13, 2015 at 2:47 pma chocolate that i can eat before my kids get to it
Heather Tinkler
November 13, 2015 at 3:06 pmAnything chocolate!!!
Ruthie
November 13, 2015 at 4:24 pmSome rubber stamps ๐
Helen Thurston
November 13, 2015 at 4:42 pmcraft bits, or some really good colouring pens, or minature bottles of Christmassy drinks ๐
Kerry W
November 13, 2015 at 5:26 pmI would really like a good set of scissors.
Matt Brasier
November 13, 2015 at 5:52 pmluxury chocolates
Kim Styles
November 13, 2015 at 6:12 pmA new phone- mine is so old
Gemma Cook
November 13, 2015 at 6:16 pmScented candles xxx
Anne Woodthorpe
November 13, 2015 at 6:37 pmDaniel Craig! …but don’t think he will fit, so maybe just choccy ๐
Denielle Nicol
November 13, 2015 at 7:44 pmMoney!
Aaron Milne
November 13, 2015 at 8:16 pmA few extra days off work
Tamsin Dean
November 13, 2015 at 8:29 pmsome general yummy treats, but different ones each day
Emma
November 13, 2015 at 9:45 pmChocolate
yeb29.dolphin@btinternet.com
November 13, 2015 at 9:56 pmAnything to do with craft work would be great.
Brenda Wilkes
November 13, 2015 at 10:05 pmChocolate
Nafisa
November 13, 2015 at 11:17 pmI would love to find some make up and on the 24th would love it to be filled with snow outside and empty inside ! ๐
Leanne Bell
November 13, 2015 at 11:41 pmI would love to find an engagement ring ๐ After almost 11 years together and two children I think I’ve been patient enough x
Robyn Logan Clarke
November 14, 2015 at 12:00 amChocolate and jewellery.