Advent Garland :: Ta-dah!

I've been wanting to make some sort of Advent calendar/garland type thingy for many years now, but until this year I've never been organised enough to get my creative thinking cap on in time. Arriving at the very last few days of November and suddenly wanting to create a handmade advent something-or-another is not really possible. Way too rushy and stressy for it to be worthwhile.

But this year, lo and behold, I have actually managed it. Yaaayyyyyyyyy for me!!!!! I feel very impressed with myself I have to confess, and even though technically speaking I haven't quite finished stitching all twenty four numbers yet, I am overlooking that weeny little fact and giving myself a pat on the back anyway.

The idea for my garland came about when I started making these fabulous crochet granny stars, you probably remember my post about them from a few weeks ago (see here). I was originally intending to string a dozen or so of them into a garland to hang over my fireplace (to replace my heart garland for the festive season), but as with many projects of this nature, I found that once I began making these stars I simply couldn't stop. Soon my starry pile was growing a little out of control and when I finally stopped hooking and started counting, I found I'd made sixteen instead of twelve. And that was when it suddenly occurred to me that if I made just eight more, then sixteen would become twenty four and they could indeed be turned into something Adventy.

So twenty four stars were made and strung onto some pink yarn to make a very looooong and colourful garland. But as festive and pretty as my garland was, my stars were Numberless. And no Advent garland would be complete without a set of twenty four numbers, would it??

I needed numbers of some sort then...hmmmm.....well I pondered and I thought, scratched my head and browsed through this amazing Flickr group for ideas and inspiration and eventually came up with a Number Idea.....

I cut twenty four circles out of coloured felt and lots of numbers out of red cotton fabric, then used iron on bondaweb to attach the  numbers to the felt.

A bit of white embroidery thread and some extremely enjoyable and theraputic hand stitching, and there you have it.....a whole bunch of Advent Numbers!

On the reverse of each number circle (which is visible when they're hung up), I added a circle of bonded cotton fabric (embellished with a button and some stitching) to stiffen the felt and stop it going floppy.

And the final thing was to add some coloured paper clips as an easy Hanging Mechanism.

I'm really rather pleased with how it's turned out.

So are the Little People.

They declared that Mummy did a Good Job.

So shall I show you how it looks?

When it's all hung up?

You'll have to excuse the quality of the following pictures I'm afraid, the light is very poor here today (more rain and gloomy dark skies) and I struggled to hold the camera still enough without wobbling.

ok..

here

it

comes.....

Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a good 8 or 9 ft long and beautifully stretches across the whole width of the archway which divides our living and dining areas downstairs.

And today being the 3rd December, the first three numbers are hanging in place, marking the date and the Big Countdown.

In true, homespun, colourful Attic24 style.

I'm really pleased with my Advent Garland.

In fact I Love, love, love it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Comments

[Casa Roca]

so nice and so beautiful! drives me, to try it - you do a good job ;-)

[Nastya]

Dear,Lucy!Thank You very much for ideas and inspiration you give us!Please,say,what kind of yarn do you use?

[so yon]

I like you^^

[Andrina]

OHHHH! May be one of the cutest things I've ever seen! How can you take that down after Christmas? LOVE! Now there's another thing to my "learn how to do" list!

[coriene]

hey, i love your work! but i have a question.
After i washed my acrylic creation several times it starts to pill, so i wonder what type of yarn you use?

Greetings,
Coriene

[Belmont Yarns]

Hi Lucy,

Just a quick question. Just wondering if you used a standard word font for the numbers and if so which one and what size? I'm working on a different type of advent calendar and really like the look of your numbers. Maybe you did them free hand in which case I am even more impressed!!

It's not too early in August to be thinking of christmas is it?

I hope you don't mind me bothering you with this question and you've been so kind in the past replying to me which I really appreciate.

Thanks as always for the inspiration

Helen xx

[Susan Osborn]

My goal for Christmas 2012...get 5 sets of these made! Think I can do it if I start right after Christmas 2011!!

[Susan Osborn]

Thanks so much for this, and so many of your other inspiring projects! I'm off to find my tote of leftover wool!!!

[Angie Goodrow]

Adorable!! I love reading your stuff!! So bright, fun and beautiful!!

[Sheila Wood]

I've just found your site and have been trotting through your ta-dah moments,and that is exactly what they are! Wonderful, colourful and inspiring. It's nice to see someone as enthusiastic about all things crochet as me! Keep up the good work!

[Liz]

Hi Lucy, I love this so much I'm in the process of making one. Stars, check. Felt circles, check. Looking at your numbers and wondering if chainstitching them would be easier, lol!! I've never used bondaweb (new to this craft thing!) did you cut out the bondaweb as numbers as well as the red material??? :O or, just come to me, bond a large piece to the red material, then cut out the numbers from the bonded red, peel off and then iron onto the felt circles?
thanks :o)

[Olive Appleby]

wow.. what an original idea, you are clever. how can I fit making that in to my schedule... doh dont think I can! it gorgeous... xxx

[Kelli Woodall]

I love how you've decorated. When my son moves out my daughter and I are going to make ourselves a craft room. You've got the kind of look I would like for my area. Just beautiful!

[Mimi and Tilly]

This is gorgeous! I am in the process of learning how to crochet via youtube videos, and would love to be able to make a glrland like this once I've got the hang of it all! Sending smiles, Emma x

[djamila malki]

Ton site est magnifique j'admire ce que tu fais moi aussi je suis artiste je suis berbere je m'inspire de ton site je te souhaite rencontrer un jour

[Tina]

I am new to attic24 and love it. I found my way here via posy gets cosy. I've managed to read back to October and I look forward to cozying up on the couch with your blog for many evenings to come.

[Carmen]

Happy Xmas Lucy & Family from Titchfield Nr. Southampton. No snow but nevertheless big and little people are V.excited !! Your house looks gorgeous, thankyou so much for all your inspiration, and go careful in the snow !!! We don't want a real live Attic 24 Snowman now do we ??!!! Enjoy the rest and time with your family xxx

[Amy]

I love love love it too! I wish I had seen this a few months ago, so pretty.

[Cecilia]

WOW, it's absolutely beautiful. Brilliant idea!!!

[charlie pOp]

Hmmmmm !
beautiful !

[beth]

This will be on my to do list for next year for sure...love it!!!

[rita]

¡¡¡SÚPER!!!
I like it so much this stars(my english is so bad :'(...)

Thank You four your blog... its cool!

[Greedy Nan]

It WILL be mine ... eventually! I have started crocheting but am presently making the garland on Dottie Angel's blog [because it looks easier for my meagre talent in crochet-world] and I'm LOVING it. Slow-going but it will be finished which means the next project will be your one. Roll on Christmas 2010 to see the results ...

[lucylaine]

Your garland is beautiful!! i do one too, in red, thank you for sharing!!

[Ivana]

Brilliant!!!
I'll have a try too.
Tnx
Ivana