Handmade Advent Calendar

A few observations on creating your own pattern for a handmade Advent Calendar:

1. If you are NOT mathematically inclined you will give yourself a headache.

2. Stars are ridiculously hard to freehand. Why IS that?

3. You will get NOTHING ACCOMPLISHED if you try and cut out your pattern pieces while the Munchkins are downstairs because they will insist on looking over your shoulder, sitting in your lap, ask to help, etc.

5. Bias Tape is not difficult to make, but it is time consuming. Very. Very. Time Consuming.

6. Striped Material gives me a headache if I stare at it too long. Who knew?

7. Detailed diagrams can be done on legal-sized notepads. This doesn't mean they should be done on legal-sized notepads...graph paper is so much better.

8. Polka dots on material still makes me smile. So I feel a little giddy after cutting out all those squares.

9. Accounting for margins & folded-under pocket edges is important! Measure twice, Cut once. Trust me.

10. The satisfaction of seeing piles of neatly stacked, pre-cut material ready for assembly & stitching-up is immense. It will, I imagine, pale in comparison to the satisfaction of having created an advent calendar we can use year after year. It's one of the traditions I remember vividly from my childhood...opening the little doors each day... Ours was a scratch & sniff one if I recall correctly? I've searched endlessly for one just like it but couldn't find one anywhere. This one may be short on smelly, scratchy goodness, but I won't mind hanging it up early or leaving it up a little longer than is strictly necessary.