Print Free File: Halloween Countdown Calendar
A couple friends and I combined our efforts and made the Pottery Barn Halloween advent calendar last year. I made mine skinnier to better fit my walls. And yes, I’ve hooked you up with a tutorial on how you can make one too!
Use each pocket to put small toys, stickers, candy, etc in as a fun countdown calendar for Halloween. It’s a fun family tradition that gets everyone excited for the big day.
Materials Needed:
8 1/2 x 11 Felt: black, white, red, forest green, yellow, purple
Orange felt for 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 square pockets
Orange Rick-rack
Black Felt (about 3 yards) for base
2 wood dowels with end caps
Black paint (to paint dowel rods)
Black and orange sewing machine thread
Ribbon to hand the calendar
(The iron in the picture is just some iron I had hanging there. I didn’t to take it down before I took the picture. Sorry.)
Embellishments:
Halloween buttons (such as spiders #21 & #14, candy corns #6, ghosts #28, etc.)
Halloween foamies (such as cats #6, tombstones #14, pumpkins, Frankenstein #12, etc.)
Silver glitter paint for spider web (#21)
How To:
1. Iron on under-wonder to strengthen the orange felt pockets so they won’t stretch.
2. Cut out 32 squares of orange felt to make the pockets 3 1/2 x 3 1/2. I used a circular cutter.
3. Cut out the numbers out of felt.
4. Design the pockets and glue on the numbers and embellishments with fabric glue.
5. Sew around the orange pockets with black tread. ( I didn’t sew around the top. You can sew each one on, but it’s difficult to keep straight.)
6. Make the “Happy Halloween” letters out of orange and white felt. I used a Sizzix machine but you could trace the letters and do it from scratch.
7. Double check your dimensions first, and then cut out the black felt.
8. Fold the top 2 inches over and sew 1 3/4 inches down to make a hole for the dowel rod to go through.
9. Glue on all the pockets starting the top of the first row 4 3/4 inches from the black seam you made for the dowel. I used Arleene’s fabric glue or for everything. Be sure to only glue on 3 sides to keep the top open for the pocket. (You can sew each one on, but it’s difficult to keep straight. Another tip, lay a couple rulers down to help keep everything straight.)
10. I glued the pockets about 3/4 inches apart from each other horizontally leaving 2 inches on the outer side. I also glued the pockets 1 inch apart vertically, leaving at least 6” on the bottom.
11. Glue on the “Happy Halloween” letters you made from orange and white felt on the top.
12. Make the hole for the bottom dowel rod the same way you did for the top. (Double check your dimensions first and cut of any extra at the bottom.) Fold the top 2 inches over and sew 1 3/4 inches down to make a hole for the dowel rod to go through.
13. Use orange thread to sew the rick-rack around the calendar. I believe I left 3/4 inches on each side and from the seams on 1 inch from the top and bottom seams form the dowel rod.
Disclaimer: Be sure to double check all the figure first and make sure these are the dimensions you’d like to use. My friends did theirs more like the Pottery Barn Kids (square) where I wanted mine skinny and tall to accommodate the space.
{ 2 comments }
This is so cute! I love all the fun details for each pocket! Countdown Calendars are so much fun. I can’t believe I don’t have one for Halloween yet.
This is so adorable. I just have to make this, even though October is half over. My kids will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! Thanks for the tutorial.
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