Welcome to a new installment of Odif Ambassador projects. Today's theme is Christmas in July, and I picked an advent calendar, inspired by some advent stickers that have been hanging around without a purpose, and the unavailability of time to make a full Christmas quilt at the moment with four munchkins afoot non-stop. (Sing to the tune of Oh, Christmas Tree) Oh, quarantine! Oh, quarantine, how lovely are your mask-iz. Ok, I'll stop, as song lyrics are apparently not my strong suit. Even the captive children are not amused. Where were we? Oh, yes---a project.
I cut rectangles 16" x 7", and folded these over, wrong sides together for the pockets. I marked 1/2" from the edge of each end for the seam allowance and divided the remaining space into 3" sections. I centered a sticker in each of these sections excluding seam allowance on the bottom raw edge. I applied Odicoat over the front of each pocket as shown in the video, and let that dry.
Then I cut (5) rectangles from the background fabric 16" x 4 1/2". I sewed the top together by laying a background rectangle face up, layering the pocket face down (still folded with right sides outward) with the raw edges matched, then, layered another background piece face down. I stitched the raw edge and then pressed open with the pocket showing. I repeated the process until all sections were added.
I cut a 16" x 6" rectangle for a sleeve. I pressed each short end over 1/2" twice using a Clover Hot Ruler. (You should totally get yourself one for Christmas....in July.) I opened this up, blocked off all but the final 1 1/2" with a Dollar Tree chopping mat (for cutting vegetables in other peoples' households), and sprayed with 606. I folded it back over and pressed. Do both sides. Press in half the long-and-skinny way with wrong sides together and pretty sides outward. Center on the front of the top with raw edges matched up and attach using a 1/4" seam. While you're at it, go all the way around the perimeter to secure the pockets in the upright position.
Measure the front and cut a piece of backing fabric the same size. You may want to coat this in Odicoat for protection too. Cut a rectangle of batting 1" shorter in width and height. Use 505 to adhere the batting onto the backing, centered. Lay the top face-up. Place the back, face-down on top of the top. Pin in place, making sure the sleeve IS NOT sticking out. Sew around the edge, leaving a gap for turning.
Stitch the corners (forward, backward, forward) like so, and then cut off the little triangle just a hair to the outside of the stitching. Turn the whole thing right-side-out. Add a Clover Turner to your Christmas stocking for this effort. Topstitch around the top 1/4" from the edge top which will secure that gaping hole in the side.
To complete the pockets, use and erasable marking pen to mark the pockets into (5) 3" sections. Stitch lines the entire length of the calendar (not the sleeve) along these divisions. Make sure the sleeve isn't getting stitched.
And there you have it!
