Embroidered Felt Advent Calendar

For children all over the world, the countdown to christmas is a favorite pastime.  As early as 1851, advent calendars were used to make this countdown even more exciting.  Traditional calendars were simple cardboard structures with little cut out doors, but slowly over time people have become increasingly creative with their advent calendars.  When Joelle and I saw the arrival of our new wool felt in its beautiful spectrum of colors, we knew immediately that we wanted to use it to make an advent calendar.   Ours is made with bold contrasting colored pockets that can be filled with anything from candy to jewelry, but we think it's even better to fill them with heaps of notions for the knitter or sewer in your life!  

This contemporary yet timeless calendar can be handed down from generation to generation so we put in the time and effort to make it extra special.  Embroidering each number might take a bit of time, but I embroidered these with my sister over a few evenings of chatting and wine and it made the whole project fun, fast and meaningful.

If you would like to make your own Embroidered Felt Advent Calendar visit our Project Journal, grab a friend or family member, get cozy, and have fun!

Enjoy --Page

Comments

[julie adore]

colorfull!

[Ann]

I love how clean this looks. This just may have to be added to my list of things to make on Thanksgiving for the holidays.

[Cathie]

Ohhhhhhhhhh I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!
thanks for sharing - this is so awesome - you guys did a great job!

[Trying Traditional]

Very clean and pretty, great choice of colors!

The best part is this would be useful year round in homeschooling or even just for organization...but that would take a bit of the special excitement away when it's time to pull it out and set it up, would't it.

Guess I'll have to make two, one for the holidays and one for the rest of the year.

[carolina p]

how very cute!! i think i would like to make one each for my two kiddies...let them pick out the color combos and i will sew it together/embroider the numbers. they can hang them on their bedroom doors and get to pick out their own daily goodie!!

[elliebelle]

That is so cute! I would love to be the recipient of all the little notion-y things. ;)

[Jennifer Ladd]

This is such a great idea - I love the bright colors and the simple elegance of the design!

[Denise Felton]

This SO rocks! I just posted a link to this article. I hope it brings you a few extra clicks.

Denise
http://needlework.craftgossip.com

[Carolyn]

This is perfect for me! Only I don't have time to make it. I wish someone in my family would make it! :)

[Kendra]

This is wonderful. Even as an adult, the Advent calendar continues to be one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and this is such a great grown-up version!

[sara hoverson]

girls... i LOVE THIS!!! this and the apple bag have been my favorite entries this past fall! this advent calendar is soooo much cooler than the chocolate calendars! xoxo

[Barbara]

What a clever use for an old, solo knitting needle! This project reminds me that Christmas is right around the corner! YIKES!!

[natalie]

love it! i, too, would love being the recipient of all of the notions and bits and bobs!

[Simone]

Love this advent calendar! Beautiful colors and not difficult to make. Gorgeous!!! Ik think I will make it for lmy godchild who is 4 now. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

[Mary Glynn]

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this post! You just gave me a great idea. I can't wait to make some of these! To donate to our kids school to hanging it above my sewing machine and knit area! I love the knit needle to hand it with! That is an awesome idea!

[Rebecca]

How beautiful! What talent you have. It's the best one I've seen yet, and let me tell you, I've been a' lookin'! Lovely, lovely.

[chris]

adventkaleder Megalisious! fantastisch

[brooke]

I love it! The colors are amazing.. I think this would be so cute to use with the kids. You could write a different holiday activity on a card in each pocket and pull one out each day, like... "Make gingerbread cookies" or "Read the Night Before Christmas", etc.

[sammyjo]

oh this is so cute!

[Fanny Spiegel]

This calendar is really so beautifull !!!!! I will make it this week end and hang it up
in my atelier in front door with mini gifts for my friends who come in.
I have a small house atelier in an old vila in the Botanic Garden neighbourhood in
Rio de Janeiro. I love your Purl Soho.Always when I am in NY I visit you.loves.Fanny

[Elizabeth]

Absolutely lovely! I have to ask, where did you get the snippers in pocket #10??

[Debra]

What a great idea!!. It would be something you could make with your family and put up year after year. I have posted a link to this great project on our blog today. Thanks for sharing this.

[redchuckstress]

I love this! It makes every day fun!

[Penelene]

This must be the most beautiful calendar I have ever seen.
This will be the project for next christmas!

[susan]

what a darling calendar! i love it!

[anne]

very simple. Nice!

[Ariella]

That is sooo cute! I don't even celebrate x-mas, and I want an advent calender!!

[trishia]

beautiful! Advent calendars are fun for kids and adults alike, I think! :)

for those mums struggling with coming up with ideas for the calendars, I made up a list of activities that small or large families can do (with more than 3 or 4 kids it can get frustrating having enough for all to do without spending a fortune). You can read it over on my blog, http://birdsofpaper.blogspot.com/2008/11/advent-calendar-ideas-for-tons-of-kids.html

[stef et sa belette]

WONDERFUL
I LOVE TI!

[Catherine]

Anyone interested in making this and selling it to me! We could go through ebay or paypal. I just stumbled on this page and am not very crafty myself but like the calendar.
Thanks

[Jessica]

This is adorable! If it wasn't December 3rd already, I'd probably try to make my own version. Maybe next year.

[S. Leary]

Is there anyone reading this who would be interesting in making and selling one of these? I would like to have a monthly calendar made for homeschooling. I could go through paypal. THANKS!

[Linn]

I LOVE this advent calendar. Yes, it apparently took me two years to find, but it is fabulous. I just shared the link on my organization blog. Thanks!

[nuria de nualan]

OH! I love it!! We just found it, and it's just what i was looking for!!

Can we shared it in our blog?? We`ll publish it and link it to your!

Thanks!!

[purl bee]

HI Nuria-

You can use our photos if they link directly back to this story for the pattern and content. Thank you for your question!