Keepsake Advent Calendar

Each year I make one very special heirloom calendar for someone to start their own family tradition.
This is a truly eco friendly alternative to our throw away culture. Not only does it create wonderful childhood memories for generations but it utilises small remnants of fabric and wadding. This allows me to keep the cost at a minimum as I don't charge for the fabric!
There is beautiful base layer of cream and red Christmas tree cotton fabric, eco quilt wadding made from recycled water bottles and a Christmas tree made with sage green reclaimed linen .
The quilt is festooned with embroidered pockets which hide fabric baubles. Each bauble is individually embroidered with wadding inside, lined and has a buttonhole added to button onto the tree. The pockets are large enough for you to add a personal message and a small treat as well as the bauble, so no more cheap and nasty chocolates hidden behind a cardboard door!
On the 25th find a beautiful gold raw silk star to top off the tree
I have buttoned a spare bauble on the back in case one gets lost or for you to mix it up each year! The back is lined in cream, rescued fabric from an eco laundry. Christmas ribbons allow the calendar to be tied onto hooks, a pole or piece of drift wood. Finally I hand stitched red binding around the edge.
It takes over 25 hours, singing away to Christmas songs, to embroider the baubles and pockets and create this beauty! And it could be yours to use year after year and pass on through the generations. It comes in a handmade bag made to keep it safe for the other 11 months.
Watch Little Ted demonstrate, he had so much fun and had to lie down after filming!