Christmas countdown

15 min read

Deck the halls with this stunning advent calendar quilt and count down to the big day in style!

Designed and made by LYNNE GOLDSWORTHY

ADVENT CALENDAR PROJECT

BEHIND THE QUILT SNOW SIMPLE!

“All of the blocks in this quilt are made to 6in square – that is to say, they will measure 6in square when pieced. A 5in square piece of wadding is basted to the centre of the back and the block is quilted. The edges of the block (each ½in wide) are then folded over, pressed and top stitched to the back of the block to create the 5in square pocket front. As all the fused pieces in the advent calendar are so tiny (e.g. the snowman’s scarf, the ribbon on the wreaths and all the numbers), they are attached using fusible web. Edge stitching would be too fiddly and risk destroying the shape of the pieces, so they are simply fused and quilted in place. This would not be sufficient for a quilt that is going to be washed, but is fine for a calendar, which is taken out and hung up once a year.” – Lynne Goldsworthy

You will need

■ Red fabrics – Four (4) FQs

■ Beige fabrics – Two (2) FQs

■ Pink fabric – One (1) FQ

■ Green fabric – One (1) FQ

■ Background fabric (BKG) – 3½yds

■ Binding – ⅓yd

■ Backing – 1¼yds

■ Batting – One (1) 42in square and twenty-five (25) 5in squares

■ Fusible web – ¼yd

■ Black embroidery thread

■ Greaseproof paper/baking parchment

■ Templates – Sixteen (16) pairs of the Star template, sixteen (16) Bauble templates, four (4) Tree templates and the number template set

Finished size

■ Quilt: 35in square approx.

■ Advent pocket fronts: 5in square

Products used

Fabrics: Jolly Good by Basic Grey

and Sugarberry by Bunny Hill Designs for my.modafabrics.com

Batting: Cotton Mix 279 from www.vlieseline.com/en/

Fusible web: Bondaweb from www.vlieseline.com/en/

Threads: Aurifil 50wt for piecing and 40wt for quilting from www.aurifil.com

Basting: Odif 505 spray from www.odifusa.com

Notes

■ You may wish to use more prints for variety as Lynne has done.

■ Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted.

■ Press after each seam.

■ Press seams open, unless otherwise instructed.

■ WOF = width of fabric approx.

42in.

■ WOFQ = width of fat quarter, approx. 21in.

■ BKG = background.

■ FPP = foundation paper piecing.

■ Since all the fused pieces in the advent calendar are so tiny (i.e. the scarf, the ribbon on the wreaths and all the numbers), edge stitching would only destroy their shape – so they are simply fused and then quilted in place.

■ The quantities of fabric shown in the cutting instructions will be enough for all of the blocks of that type you will make – not just for one (1) – whether there is one (1) of the block, four (4) of the block or eight (8) of the blo