Fabric Advent Calendars

We have a video tutorial which guides you step by step through the process on our YouTube channel. The easiest way to make a fabric advent calendar is with a printed panel. Cut out the numbered pockets, press their edges under or bind them, then stitch them onto the backing panel. Layer the panel with wadding and backing fabric, bind the outer edges and add a hanging tab or a casing for a dowel.

You can buy advent calendar panels to sew from The Sewing Studio, a family-run sewing shop in Redruth, Cornwall. Our collection includes printed panels from Makower, Moda, Lewis & Irene and Thread & Ink, plus panel bundles and make your own kits. We deliver across the UK, with free delivery on UK mainland orders over £99, so you can start sewing well ahead of 1 December.

A panel bundle is the simplest place to start, as it includes the printed panel, backing fabric and wadding, so you know everything matches. The pockets are printed ready to cut out, and most of the sewing is straight lines, which means it suits anyone comfortable with the basics on a sewing machine. Our make your own advent calendar kits work the same way.

Yes, you can sew your own advent calendar by hand, although it takes longer than machine sewing. Cotton panels can be hand-stitched with small running or slip stitches. For a simpler hand-sewn calendar, cut pockets from felt squares, which don’t fray, so the edges need no hemming. If you’d like to speed things up, take a look at our beginner sewing machines.

Alongside your panel, you’ll need thread, backing fabric and quilt wadding to give the calendar some body, and bias binding to finish the edges. Add a length of ribbon or a wooden dowel to hang it. Our panel bundles already include the backing and wadding, so check the product description to see what’s included before you order.