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Sew Your Own Christmas Decorations

Like to make your own advent calendar you can hang on the wall and fill with your own special treats for the kids? How about making your own Christmas stocking to hang by the fireplace, or make your own gift bags for all those Christmas presents? In this article I'll show you how you can easily sew these at home, and for a fraction of the price you would pay at the shops.

 

Advent Calendar

This advent calendar is basically a rectangle of material, with 25 pockets sewn on (all numbered of course) that you can hang on the wall and fill with special treats and sweets for the children.

Suitable Fabrics & Notions

For the backing fabric you need something fairly thick to take the weight of the treats that will be placed in the pockets.

I actually recommend felt for the backing, for the pockets and for the numbers 1 to 25 (denoting the countdown to Christmas). The beauty of felt is you don't need to hem it as it doesn't fray. Try getting 3 different colours – say green for the backing, red for the pockets, and white for the numbers.

We'll also need 2 pieces of thin wood for the top and bottom of the hanger, and some string or rope for hanging.

How Much Fabric to Buy

For the backing fabric, you will need one piece, 50" tall by 22" wide. This allows for a 3" hem to fold over your wood and stitch. If your wood is wider than this, then you will need to get a longer piece of fabric.

Each pocket is 4" square, and we need 25 of these. So you will need 20" by 28".

We will allow 3" square for each letter. So you will need 15" by 15". For a template of the numbers, see the author resource box at the end of this article.

Please note, these measurements do not allow for any  hemming as I am using felt, however if you choose to use a different fabric which requires hems, then you will need to add on a seam allowance for both the height and width.

To Make Up

For the preparation work, all you need are pins or tailors chalk, a ruler, the number templates and your scissors. No pattern required!

First of all, cut out your 25 pockets. You can use a ruler and tailors chalk to mark guidelines for cutting. If you don't have tailors chalk a white coloured pencil will do the trick! The pockets are all 4" by 4".

Now cut out and pin your numbers to the number fabric and cut out.

To attach the numbers to the pockets you can either machine stitch, hand stitch, or use craft glue.

Lay your backing fabric on a table and mark out where the pockets are to be placed using pins or tailors chalk. We will have 4 pockets across, then 6 down, and the number 25 pocket will be on it's own at the bottom (although feel free to change this layout if you wish).

Each pocket has a 2" gap around it. So the first pocket will be 5" down from the top of the fabric (remember we have allowed 3" for the wood hanger to go through) and 2" in from the left. The next pocket is 2" from the previous. To see a diagram of this layout, see the author resource box.

Pin in place, and then machine stitch along the left, bottom and right sides.

Cut your wood pieces so that one is slightly shorter than your width (for the bottom hem, so you can enclose it), and one slightly longer (say 1/2" each side). Drill small holes at each end of this longer piece so you can thread through your hanging string or rope.

When all of your pockets are attached, use your machine to sew the top and bottom hems, and then insert your wood. You may want to close off the edges of the bottom hem if it is likely that the wood could come out. You can do this by hand.

Now attach the rope through the holes in the top piece of wood and hang. And don't forget to fill with treats!

 

Gift Bag

It's simple to make a Christmas gift bag to delight friends and family, and it's reusable!

Suitable Fabrics & Notions

For the bag you need something fairly thick so that it can stand on it's own without any gifts in it. Again, I recommend felt. The beauty of felt is you don't need to hem it as it doesn't fray.

If you'd like to decorate the bag with fabric cut-outs in Christmas shapes, you can use any fabric you like (again, felt is suitable for this). For a template of Christmas cut-outs, see the author resource box at the end of this article.

How Much Fabric to Buy

The bag measures 8" across and 12" high, and you'll need two pieces of fabric for the sides, and one piece 3" wide by 24" long for the side.  Adding on a half inch seam allowance, we'll need a piece of fabric 13" by 24".

The Pattern

To make your pattern, you just need a piece of paper, a ruler, and a compass (or something circular with a diameter of 8" and another with a diameter of 4").

Draw a square on the paper 8" by 8". Now place an x every 2" on the top line of your square. Place your compass on the midpoint (at the 4" mark) and extend it so that it exactly touches one of the outer edges. Now use your compass to draw a semicircle from one side to the other. Then retract the compass so that it exactly touches one of the 2" marks, and draw a semicircle from one side to the other. Cut out the middle and you now have a bag handle!

Don't cut it out yet! We still have to add on seam allowance to the left and right sides and bottom so we can attach the side piece which will join the two larger pieces together.

Draw a line ½" out from each of the left and right sides and along the bottom. This is your cutting template. To see a diagram of this, see the author resource box at the end of this article.

Fold the bag fabric in half, right sides together. Pin on your bag template and cut out.

Now fold out the remaining fabric flat, and cut a long rectangle 24" by 4" (this allows for a ½" seam either side).

To Make Up

If you are going to decorate your gift bag with Christmas cut-outs, do it now before we assemble the bag. The cut-outs can either be machine sewn, hand sewn, or attached with craft glue.

To make the bag, take the long rectangular piece of fabric and, with right sides together, pin it to the front of the bag. Sew. Now attach the back of the bag along the other edge (right sides together) and sew.

Turn the right way around, and you're done!

 

Christmas Stocking

Home made Christmas Stockings can be personalised for each family member – why not involve the kids in making and decorating them!

Suitable Fabrics & Notions

The sky's the limit for Christmas stockings. Some beautiful fabrics include velvet and velveteen, faux fur, plush, as well as patterned cottons and ginghams. Search through the remnant bins, or just check out all the red fabrics at your local fabric shop.

You may also want to get some white faux fur as a trimming for the top of your stocking, and some fabric for Christmas cut-outs to decorate the stocking.

What does look nice is a contrast trim with each child's name on it.

How Much Fabric to Buy

The stocking basically consists of one rectangle 6" by 14" and a square 6" by 6". You'll need two of these for each stocking, so, including a ½" seam allowance, you'll need a piece of fabric 14" by 15" per stocking.

You'll also need some matching braid to hang the stocking, or you can make a hanger using the leftover fabric.

The Pattern

To make your pattern, you just need a piece of paper, a ruler, and something circular to round off the corners. (To see a diagram of this pattern, see the author resource box at the end of this article).

Draw a rectangle on your paper 15" long by 7" wide. Now draw a square touching the bottom left hand side of your rectangle which goes out for 6½" and up for 7", then join it back on to your rectangle.

You should now have a shape that looks like a backwards capital L. Now all you need to do is round off the heel and toe of your stocking using something circular (or do it freehand).

Fold your fabric in half with right sides together, and pin the stocking pattern to the fabric. Now cut out.

If you are making a contrasting trim for your stocking, you'll also need to cut out a rectangle 13" long and however wide you want your trim (plus ½" seam allowance).

To Make Up

If you are going to decorate your stocking with Christmas cut-outs or appliqués, do it now before we assemble the stocking. The cut-outs can either be machine sewn, hand sewn, or attached with craft glue.

The same goes for your contrast trim. Any thing you ant to attach should be done before we sew it on to the stocking.

To make the stocking, pin the two stocking pieces (right sides together), and sew from the top of one side all the way around to the top of the other side. If you are not attaching a contrasting trim, turn over your top hem and pin, remembering to insert the braid or fabric for the hanger before you sew the hem.

If you are using a contrasting trim, turn your stocking inside out so that the right side is now facing you.

Stitch the trim together at the ends so you now have a circle of fabric. Place your trim inside the top of the stocking with the right side facing towards the inside of the stocking. Match the top of your trim to the top of the stocking, and pin in place.

Take your braid or fabric for the hanger, and insert it where you want it between the trim and stocking with the open ends flush with the top of the trim and the stocking. Now sew around the entire top of the stocking. Turn the trim right way around, and you're done!

About the Author

Diane Ellis has been sewing since she was very young and got her first sewing machine at 6 years old (albeit a miniature one!). She sews purely for friends and family, and enjoys making her own patterns. She is the co-author of the website Sewing4Dummies.com where you'll find other great free patterns and templates for Christmas Gift ideas. Also, for a limited time, you can sign up for a free 6 part sewing course called Easy Fun Sewing Projects.

Where can I find innovative interactive dog toys for the smart hyperactive dog?

Our dog is an australian and half german? (got her from the shelter). She's extremely hyperactive and does chew through the lesser toys. Loves the kongs, ropes, bones, and this super XL plush jack toy. We keep around 10 or so toys out and play with her several times a day, she's goes nuts in a large space full of wild vegetation / hideaways, . but alas, not enough! She still tends to have those tear up the flower bed moments! eek and still loves to bark at the neighbors, who look down on part of our property, their voices perhaps become distracting. Toy suggestions please?

Would love to get her a maze she can crawl through or a tetherball stand for dogs? (does this exist), or other unique extremely interactive toys besides the basic ones at your local petsmart.

You may want to enroll her in some type of agility class - she will burn lots of energy (physical and mental). Also, you need to rotate her toys - don't give her all 10 all the time, just 2 or 3 max and then put those away and give her 2 different ones the next day, etc. Buster cube is a good one to try.

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