Mini Stocking Advent Calendar

The Christmas season is such a lovely time of year.  I truly enjoy teaching my children about Christ's birth, and the joy of giving.  As my girls get older, it is great to involve them in gifting, service, and learning during Christmas.  

One of the ways I enjoy doing this, is through an advent calendar!  We do have an advent calendar with cubbies, but I wanted to do just a 12 days of Christmas advent calendar this year.  Plus, we had this perfect spot on the mantel, just begging for a cute strand of mini stockings!

These little stockings hold a small piece of chocolate candy for each of the girls, and a little card that gives an activity that we'll do that day.  We have things like make cookies and deliver them to neighbors, visit relatives, attend our church Christmas party, act out the nativity, watch a Christmas movie, make gifts for siblings, and things like that.  So far, it has been really fun.  

So here's a quick how-to:

For each stocking, I cut 2 pieces of lining fabric, and 2 pieces of outer fabric.  The shape of the stocking can be found here.

For the outer fabric, put right sides together and sew around the stocking with 1/4" seam allowance (leaving the top of the stocking unsewn, like a regular sock).
For the lining fabric put right sides together and sew around the stocking with 1/4" seam allowance, but leave a 1" gap at the bottom of the stocking for turning.  Leave the top of the stocking unsewn, like a regular sock.

Turn the outside of the stocking right side out.  Then stuff it inside the lining fabric (which you have left inside out).  See above.  Line up the top opening of the stocking.  Then, sew around that top edge with 1/4" seam allowance.  

Pull the whole thing right side out through that hole you left in the lining fabric.  It will look like the middle stocking above when you have pulled it out.
Below, you can see that I then sewed the hole in the lining closed.
Then, push the lining fabric inside the outer fabric, and fold the top down a bit.  It will look like the stocking on the right in the photo above.

Here are a bunch of them made and folded over.

To add the numbers I found numbers that I liked on the computer, made them the right size, and printed them out.
Next, I ironed heat n' bond on the back of a piece of dark fabric, and traced the numbers onto it.
If you are tracing numbers onto the back of heat n' bond, make sure you trace them upside down.  That way when, you cut out the number, and iron it down to the stocking, it will be the correct direction.  This is a good time to iron your whole stocking nice and flat.

Finally, I sewed a little loop of twine into the top side of each stocking for hanging.  Then, I strung them on a longer piece of twine.

I love the way they look and the girls are so excited to open them find their candy and activity each day.  

Do you do an advent calendar in your home?  What kinds of things do you put inside?

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