DIY Advent Calendar

Handicraft is part and parcel of the time preceding Christmas – and Advent is nigh! A handmade Advent Calendar is a fantastic gift for a special person: think boy or girlfriend, mum or granddad. Or your best mate would be glad to get one as well. The beauty of it: people can look forward to receiving a little something every day in December, which serves as a constant reminder of your appreciation for this person. Find out more here!

What you need:

–        1 T-shirt

–        pins, a needle, thread, scissors

–        1 clothes hanger

–        String/lace or gift ribbon

–        24 small gifts (chocolate, sweets, little poems, a candle, photos etc.)

–        24 numbered cards (buy them, write and create them yourself, example: here)

How it goes:

1) Pick a slightly larger T-shirt such as a Man’s T-shirt in XL. This will afford enough space for the pressies. Ideally, choose a Chrismassy colour such as red or black, and add a winter design. Reindeer would be a tip here. Of course you can also take a plain T-shirt. Use textile paint and small accessories (rivets, ribbons, iron-on foil) to adorn it al gusto.

2) Start by sewing the button of the T-shirt together. Turn the T-shirt inside-out, and use the needles to stitch up the front and backside of the T-shirt in a straight line. Then sew up the T-shirt with needle and thread. If you have a sewing machine, this will make it even easier.

3) Now turn it inside-out again, it is time to put the cord or ribbon along with your 24 pressies (wrapping them up individually makes it look nicer) and the numbered cards into place. The number corresponds with the calendar day in December, so it’s up to you to decide what little gift will be opened on any given day. The number cards should be attached to the upper end of the string, the gifts at the lower end. Use different string lengths.

4) Put the T-shirt on a clothes hanger. Then put the gifts through the T-shirt’s neck and let the numbers hang out over the T-shirt. You can also use nice little wooden pegs to adjust the strings more nicely on the T-shirt. Now all you need is a bit of ornamental decoration: use pine twigs, stars, glitter and whatever you can think of to adorn the Tee Calendar.

Now you need to find a nice place for the pleasant surprise. Maybe hide it in the lucky recipient’s wardrobe. And get ready for the songs of praise!!

Please do let us know how it worked for you and leave a comment below. And if you feel like sharing other handy DIY ideas, we need to find out about them!!