Again an advent calender but with crochet and wood

3rd  December

So not being happy with one advent calendar, I decided it was time to be greedy!  I have seen various versions of wooden calendars for a while and have coveted them.  Having had some built in shelves made last month, I cheekily asked the carpenter if he had any old bits of plank that he didn't need that I could have.  A few days later along with his cheery son in tow, he produced a fantastic old piece of wood that he had also kindly sanded down for me too.  Thank you Simon ♥

This is a quick make and I mean very quick, as long as you have the items to hand.

Testing out the pyrography pen

You will need

♥   rustic piece of wood
♥   wooden clothes pegs
♥   glue gun
♥   hanging hooks & wire
♥   pyrography pen or felt tip pen

Using the pyrography pen
was not as easy as I had hoped!

Laying out the pegs to obtain the correct spacing before gluing

Add a good amount of glue

This is a wide advent calendar
and you will need a big wall

Testing out to see if the crochet idea might work

I opted for crochet bags

Crochet bag pattern:  

These too are a quick make, but if you really need speed you can just peg your item up without making any bags!  However to make the bags follow the pattern...

To make the base of the little bag:
♥  Make a magic circle and chain 1
♥  Row 1:  6 sc into the circle, pull circle closed
♥  Row 2:  2 sc into each stitch, total 12 stitches
♥  Row 3:  *2 sc in the first stitch, 1 sc in the next stitch*  repeat the pattern between ** until the end of the row, total 18 stitches
♥  Row 4:  *2 sc in the first stitich, 1 sc in each of the next two stitches*  repeat the pattern between ** until the end of the row, total 24 stitches
♥  Row 5:  *2 sc in the first stitch, 1 sc in each of the next three stitches*   repeat the pattern between ** until the end of the row, total 30 stitches
♥  Row 6:  *2 sc in the first stitch, 1 sc in each of the next four stitches*   repeat the pattern between ** until the end of the row, total 36 stitches.  Slip stitch to finish the row.
We have completed the base of the little bag.

To make the sides of the little bag:
♥  Row 1:  Chain 1.  dc in each stitch, you should still have a total of 36 stitches
♥  Row 2:  sl st into the first stitch of the previous row, not the chain!  Repeat row 1
♥  Row 3:  Chain 3, then skip a stitch.  dc into next stitch.  *Chain 1, skip a stitch, then dc into the next stitch.*  Repeat pattern between ** until the end of the row.  Slip stitch into the second chain.  You should now have little spaces in the row where the ribbon will be threaded through later.

♥  Row 4:  Chain 2 then dc into each stich until the end of the row.  Slip stitch to finish and weave in ends.  This row creates the edge of the bag after the spacing row.

Row 4 comprising of dc to complete the sides

To finish the bag, thread, ribbon, yarn or any pretty thing you can find to tie it up.  I have made so many of these in the past couple of weeks as I have been giving them away with a cookie inside.  they make fabulous homemade token presents.  Take a look...

Mini crochet bag with cookie inside

I must confess this has left me a tad short on bags, so I am beavering away in the background trying to finish.  This was an indulgent advent calendar and one I am keeping for myself and not sharing with the family!!!  Although if my sister were here, I would share today's treat with her as I always have done historically on

♥  3rd December ~ Happy birthday Nina  ♥

To see previously made advent calendars follow the links below: 

 

2013

2014