A Little Happy Sew Along ~ Advent Calendar ~ Pockets

Welcome back ...today is week 2 of the A Little Happy Sew Along to make the Advent Calendar I designed.  You can read the introduction post HERE and find the first weeks instalment for all the embroidery HERE.  I hope that you enjoyed all last weeks stitches!  This week we'll be adding all the trims to the pockets and sewing them together.  

BEFORE STARTING Always Remember to:

1. Read all instructions before you begin.
2. RST means right sides together.
3. All seam allowances are 1/4”.
4. FWOF means width of fabric.
5. If you need any help, please do get in touch!

Lets get stitching!

You will need the Fabric E 3 1/2" squares that you cut last week.  You should have 24 squares in total, 3 in each of 8 different fabric.  You will also need a selection of pretty ribbons, lace and buttons to trim them with, plus the numbers that you embroidered last week.

You will see from the photo below how I positioned my pockets, numbers and trims...feel free to choose your own layout.. you may for example prefer your numbers in numerical order.

I chose to had sew all my numbers and trims using Aurifil 50wt thread, but again if you prefer machine stitch them in place.

There are 6 different styles of trims, so you will make 4 pockets in each style, again used the photo below as a guide to their overall position on the advent calendar.

The following photo's give details of the number and trim placements of each style of pocket.  Remember you will make 4 pockets in each style of trim.

For the button trim pocket, I sewed the number in position and then added a small button to one of the corners.  I varied the position of the button on each of the 4 pockets (refer to the picture above).  For contrast, I  used the 12 wt that I had used previously for the embroidery for sew the button in place. 

For the two horizontal ribbon trimmed pockets and the lace trimmed pockets, you will see that I cut my ribbon a teeny smidge larger that 3 1/2" just in case any frayed slightly whilst I was sewing.  I then trimmed then to size once they were sewn in place.  (If you purchased a kit from us, we allowed aprox 10cm per pocket)

For the Heart ribbon, I simply folded the ribbon using the printed heart as a guide and positioned it so the raw edges (aprox 1/2") were hidden underneath the number..... I added a few little stitches near the raw edges to help secure the ribbon and then sewed the number on top.  I left the rest of the ribbon visible on the pocket, as a little loop.

For the 6th and final design, I simple sewed the number in place and using the contrasting Aurifil 12wt thread, I added a row of running stitch around the edge of the number square.

To complete the pockets, sew each of row of (6) pockets together.  Press the stitches to 'set' them, then press the seams open.  Each of the (4) rows should measure 3 1/2" x 18 1/2" .

You are now going add the Fabric F Pocket Linings.  You will note that the pocket linings measures 3 1/4" deep and the pockets measure 3 1/2" deep.  The reason for this is that when you turn the pocket through, with the lining being slightly narrower causes the pocket fabrics to overlap on to the back with the lining fabric.  So when they are sewn in place you will not have any lining peeking in to sight on the front of the Advent Calendar...good hey!

So.....with RST, place a Fabric F pocket lining and one of the pocket rows together.   Sew along the top edge measuring 18 1/2".  Press the stitches to 'set' them.

Next, you will need to pin the bottom edges together, because of the difference in depth.  Once pinned, sew along the 18 1/2" edge, remove the pins and then press the stitches to 'set' them.  You have now effectively made a tube with the shorter ends open.

Turn the pocket through one of the open ends and press.  Repeat for the remaining three rows.

That's it for this week, next time we'll be piecing all the front together.

Please remember, so that mum and I can follow your progress, if you're sewing along and sharing on social media please use the hashtags:

#alittlehappysewalong or/and #prettyfabricsandtrims