NEW! Treasure Pocket Advent Calendar Sewing Tutorial by Mary Mulari

Treasure Pocket Advent Calendar Sewing Tutorial by Mary Mulari at The Nancy Zieman Productions Blog Feature Photo

NEW! Treasure Pocket Advent Calendar Sewing Tutorial by Mary Mulari

November 28, 2020

Sew a fun and unique countdown to Christmas calendar with Mary Mulari’s Treasure Pockets project from her Adventures with 5-inch Fabric Squares book! Each pocket features a hanging loop and front pocket – an ideal space for applique numbers. Hang Treasure Pockets on a wall, or mantel, with jute roping or wooden dowel. Mary’s individual Treasure Pockets also make great Christmas tree ornaments, gift card holders, and tooth fairy pockets!

Mary’s Adventures with 5-inch Fabric Squares book includes 15 creative projects to make with pre-cut 5″ fabric squares! And/or, cut your own 5″ fabric squares to make any of Mary’s projects, including her Treasure Pockets. Make 12 or 25 Treasure Pockets to make the Treasure Pocket Advent Calendar below. Find the numbers applique patterns on page 22 of Mary’s Book, Adventures with 5-inch Fabric Squares book.

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NEW! Treasure Pocket Advent Calendar Sewing Tutorial by Mary Mulari

This project uses 1/4″ seam allowances. Read all instructions before beginning.

Approximate finished size: 5″ x 5″ ea.

Treasure Pocket Advent Calendar

Supplies Listing

Adventures with 5-inch Fabric Squares book by Mary Mulari
Christmas Traditions 10-inch Fabric Squares Bundle by Riley Blake Designs.
6″ Squares Red and/or Green Cotton Shades Quilting Cotton Fabric, or fabric from your stash, – for number appliqués
1 yd. Pellon Sof-Shape Fusible Interfacing
1 pkg. Pellon-Wonder Under
2-1/2 yd. 1/4″-5/8″ grosgrain ribbon – for hanging loops
Schmetz Denim Needle Sz. 80
Black Metrosene Plus Sewing Thread
Clover’s 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge
Clover’s Wonder Clips
Clover’s Straight Awl/Stilletto
Bordeaux Scissors Set for Applique
Non-Stick Teflon Pressing Sheet
EZ-View Pressing Cloth
Pencil
Iron
45 mm Rotary Cutter and Pinking Blade
Optional: Open Toe Sewing Machine Presser Foot

Cut Fabrics, Interfacing, & Wonder-Under

Note: Follow directions below for making one Treasure Pocket!

For each Treasure Pocket, cut three assorted 5″ fabric squares from Christmas Traditions 10-inch Fabric Squares Bundle: One for Treasure Pocket front, one for Treasure Pocket back, and one for the front pocket.

Cut 5″ squares with a 45 mm Rotary Cutter and Pinking Blade. To extend the live of the mat, cut on the reverse side of the mat.

After steam pressing and preshrinking our 10-inch fabric squares, we then cut the 10-inch squares into four equal sections – yielding four 4-3/4″ fabric squares from each 10-inch precut fabric square. If your fabric squares measure 4-3/4″ like ours did – also cut your Wonder-Under and Sof-Shape squares as 4-3/4″ x 4-3/4″.

Cut two 5″ squares from Pellon Wonder Under.
Cut two 5″ squares from Pellon Sof-Shape Fusible Interfacing.
Cut one 3-1/2″ length of ribbon.

Cut one 6″ square from Red and/or Green Cotton Shades.

Create the Number Appliqués

With pencil, trace reverse appliqué numbers (page 22) on smooth paper-side of one Wonder-Under 6″ square.

Following manufacturer’s instructions, place rough side of Wonder-Under to wrong side of red cotton fabric square. Press with dry iron. Allow to cool.

Using 5-1/8″ Scissors, cut out appliqué numbers.

At ironing board, fold outer pocket square in half diagonally. Press.

While you’re at the ironing board, go ahead and press the Pellon Sof-Shape Fusible Interfacing squares to the wrong side of the Treasure Pocket front and back fabric squares – using manufactures instructions along with an EZ-View Pressing Cloth (above).

Remove paper backing from number appliqués. Using a 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge, position number appliqué in center of pocket front.
Using a dry iron, and Non-Stick Teflon Pressing Sheet, press number appliqués to pocket front.

Optional: Stitch Number Appliqués to Pocket Front

Attach Open Toe Sewing Machine Presser Foot to sewing machine.
Set machine for an appliqué stitch, blanket stitch, or medium zigzag stitch (3.5 mm width, 1.4 mm length).
Stitch around number appliqué edges.

When stitching –or appliquéing– appliqués to pocket front, stop with needle down on the outside of appliqué fabric when turning outside curves or corners; and stop with needle down on the inside of appliqué fabric when turning inside curves and corners! Always test stitches on a sample appliqué number– fused to a fabric scrap.

Create Treasure Pocket

If you haven’t already, fuse the Pellon Sof-Shape Fusible Interfacing squares to wrong side of Treasure Pocket front and back fabric squares – press using an EZ-View Pressing Cloth.
Place Treasure Pocket front and back squares wrong sides together.
Remove paper backing from the remaining 5″ Pellon Wonder-Under square.
Place Pellon Wonder-Under square between front and back layers.
Fuse layers together using a Non-Stick Teflon Pressing Sheet.

When fusing Treasure Pocket front and back fabric squares, avoid fusing the top 1″. The ribbon hanger will later be inserted into this opening.

Place pocket on lower front Treasure Pocket. Wonder Clip.

Beginning near pocket top edge, topstitch around outer front pocket edges, at 1/4″ from edges.
Use Clover’s Straight Awl/Stilletto to assist in feeding front pocket edges under presser foot.

Fold ribbon in half, meeting cut edges.
Insert ribbon between layers at top edge.
Continue stitching around entire Treasure Pocket.

Fill each day’s pocket with a prayer, names of special people to remember, acts of kindness to do for others, or seasonal candies.

Hang on fireplace mantel, or on a wall, with wooden dowel or with jute roping.

Treasure Pockets also make great Christmas tree ornaments and/or gift card holders!