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ADVENT CALENDAR

YOU WILL NEED

■ Dashwood Cosy Christmas collection advent calendar panel

■ Plain fabric: 60x100cm (backing)

■ Lightweight wadding: 60x100cm

■ Patterned fabric:30x10cm (tabs)

■ medium-weight, fusible interfacing:

50x90cm

■ 50cm long wooden dowel (1.5cm diameter)

■ cord: 70cm

■ Basic sewing kit

NOTES

■ Use a 1cm seam allowance, unless otherwise stated.

FABRICS USED

■ The fabric panel used is from Cosy Christmas Collection by Jane Farnham for Dashwood Studio , Advent (ADVENT2263)

PREPARING THE PIECES

Step one Cut out the pockets section of the calendar panel. Then iron the interfacing onto the Wrong Side (WS) of the panel. Step two Cut out each of the pocket strips, as per the instructions given on the panel.

ASSEMBLING THE CALENDAR

Step one Lay out each of the pocket strips, Right Side (RS) down and fold the top edge over by 5mm twice - folding the natural coloured section on to the back. Pin in place. 01

Step two Sew along that top edge of each strip. Lay out the strips, RS down, and press the natural coloured bottom and side edges over by 1cm. Step three Cut out the backing section from the calendar panel and lay on the wadding RS up. Step four Line up the right-hand edges of the top pocket strip and the top row of pictures on the backing panel. Pin in place. Pin the left-hand edge in place in the same way.

CREATING THE POCKETS

Step one Line up the dotted lines with each picture edge on the backing panel - bunching up the pocket strip to do this. Pin in place. 02

Step two Sew along the side edges and along the dotted lines. Repeat for each of the pocket strips. Step three Concertina fold the inner edges of each pocket so that they sit flat. Pin in place and pin along the bottom edge of each strip. 03

Step four Sew along the bottom edge of each strip to hold the concertina folds in place. Step five Trim away the excess wadding.

ADDING THE TABS

Step one Cut a 24x6cm strip of the patterned fabric. Fold the long edges in to meet in the middle and press. Fold in half so long edges meet. Step two Sew along each long edge approximately 2mm in. Step three Cut into three 8cm long strips. Step four Fold each strip in half and place with the raw edges lining up with the top edge of the panel, one at the centre and two 2.5cm in from the left and right edges. Pin in place. 04

FINISHING

Step one PIn the backing fabric and the panel, RS together, and trim the backing fabric to match. Step two Sew around the edge, leaving a 6cm turning