This is the first of 24 ornaments and an Advent wall hanging originally published on my blog, December 1-24, 2005. I’m considering redesigning some of the ornaments and releasing them, every other month, as a year-long Advent knitting project. If that sounds like something you’d like to participate in, please email me and let me know: knitandcrochetwithsuzann@outlook.com.
I’m posting on Twitter @textilefusion and Instagram @suzannthompson, too. Hope you’ll follow me to see all 24 ornaments—or search #KnitAdvent.
It’s the First of December, and that can only mean one thing for households with children—opening the first door of the Advent calendar. When I was growing up, my Oma always sent Advent calendars to my brothers and me, from Germany. I loved opening the doors and finding the quaint little pictures of gifts and Christmas motifs.
When my mom became an Oma, she made sure my daughter had Advent calendar, only those calendars had a piece of chocolate behind each door.
Back in 2002, I decided to knit an Advent calendar. It shows a Christmas tree with buttons on it. Twenty-four knitted ornaments, mounted on felt, are hung, face down, from a row of buttons that runs along the bottom, as in the photo, above.
Each ornament has a number embroidered on the back with free-hand zigzag on the sewing machine. Every morning, starting December first, we find the ornament with the proper number, and hang it from button on the tree. When the last ornament is moved to the tree, it’s Christmas Eve.
Follow along this month, when I’ll post an ornament each day, ending on December 24. The first ornament is a star, which we hang so that it rests at the top of the tree. I really like this one, because it is dimensional.