Welcome to Day 1 of the Christmas Traditions Advent Calendar sew along!
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1. The first thing you will want to do is to cut the directions edge off of the panel. Just cut along the outer edge of the snowflake print, detaching the directions. Do not worry about cutting off the selvages or trimming up the panel yet. Just cut off the directions.
Note: We will be using a 3/8" seam allowance throughout this entire project unless otherwise noted.
2. Next, fold pocket row 19-24 to the line below pockets 13-18 and press well. You may have to roll the fabric slightly. Make sure that the snowflake print in not visible in between the two rows.
3. Pin in place.
5. Repeat this process for row 13-18, row 7-12, and row 1-6, pressing and pinning well for each row before moving on to the next.
6. Carefully flip the panel over and press the pockets from the back, making the folds crisp and sharp.
7. With right sides together, lay your pinned panel on top of your coordinate fabric, matching selvage to selvage at the top with cut sides of fabric to the right and left.
8. Carefully cut away excess coordinate fabric.
9. Cut off selvage on opposite end of your coordinate fabric. Then cut 5 strips of coordinate 2.5" wide by length of fabric. These should be 2.5" x 24" and will form your binding for your calendar.
Note: I wanted a bit of the snowflakes on cream background on my panel to show along the pocket edges. If, however, you would like your binding to butt right up to your calendar pockets please cut your binding strips 3" x 24".
10. I wanted to include hanging loops at the top of my calendar. If you would like to do so as well, cut those now. I cut mine 4" x 8" and they were perfect for what I wanted. Please cut 3 loops.
11. Fold each of your binding strips (2.5" x 24" strips) in half with wrong sides together. Press well.
12. Grab two binding strips. lay one strip with right side up and place the second with right side down on top of the first like the image below.
13. Draw a diagonal from the top left edge where the two fabrics intersect to the bottom right corner where they intersect.
14. Sew along this line joining the two binding pieces. (I wing it and don't actually draw a line.😆)
15. Trim down your seam.
16. Continue attaching all 5 of your binding strips into one long strip.Press seams open, then fold the long binding strip in half pressing well.
17. If making hanging loops, grab them, fold them right sides together and sew down the long side forming a loop.
20. Lay your pleated panel carefully on top of the fleece with right side up. Be very careful and make sure that all the folds in the back are flaying flat and not folded onto themselves. Double and triple check. Go slow at this point because you don't want to make a mistake here.
21. Slowly and carefully press the panel onto the fleece. A few good shots of steam as you go will help. Be careful to NOT slide your iron back and forth. Press, steam, and lift. Press, steam, and lift. Pay close attention to the edges and be careful to not place your iron on any of the overhanging fleece or you will need to clean your iron. 😬
22. Trim off excess fleece.
23. Flip your panel and fleece over, cover with a pressing cloth, and carefully press from the back making sure the fleece and panel are securely attached to each other.
24. Place your cut coordinate backing wrong side up. Place your panel fleece side down on top of your backing.
25. Pin all three layers together. Be generous in your pinning.
That's it for today's lesson. Thanks for joining me!!
Happy Sewing,
Danielle Storm
www.whimsicalfabric.com
