Give this Christmas a handmade countdown with our favourite DIY advent calendar kits and ideas. Let's face it it's never too soon to start the holiday season craftathon. In this post, we've rounded up our favourite kits to buy and free patterns to make. We've filled this post with every type of DIY countdown a maker could dream of – you'll find pop-up cardboard kits, wooden advent calendars, fabric advent calendar panels and advent calendar boxes– plus we've popped in a few free projects for DIY calendars too if you're looking for a daily dose of creativity in the run up to Christmas. So pop on some Christmas carols and enjoy a festive craft session!

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Having handmade decorations in the run-up to Christmas is one of my favourite ways to make the festive season feel a little more unique and personal (plus it's a huge Christmas trend this year), and we are big on the Christmas traditions in my house. We deck the halls early and the first day of advent is a big deal. There are lots of DIY advent calendar projects out there for all makers – whether you're not really a crafter but just want to try your hand at making a family heirloom, or you've got a craft stash overbrimming and are quite happy to tackle more advanced DIYS.

If you're ready to tackle a DIY advent calendar we have all the ideas you need, from complete DIY advent calendar kits to fabric and paper varieties to make at home. Read on and pick your favourite. You might also like our sister guides to the best yarn advent calendars, wildlife-themed advent calendars and non chocolate advent calendars.

Main image © Yuliya Kashirina

DIY advent calendar

Best DIY advent calendar kits and ideas to make at home

Sew them, fold them, decorate them – which of these DIY advent calendar kits will you get making this December?

1

Sew Your Own Advent Calendar Kit

Needle and Ned Ltd we salute you, this is a beautiful DIY advent calendar and it comes with 5 star reviews from fellow makers on Etsy. You get a printed tree fabric advent panel, pockets and loop. Your finished calendar will measure 60 cm high and 55 cm wide, the panels are designed and printed here in the UK (so you'll need to leave a little longer for delivery if you're based overseas).

DIY Advent calendar kit
2

Crochet your own Advent Calendar

The only crochet kit in this round up, it's the perfect choice for yarn lovers. Make your own calendar completely suited to your taste with Wool Couture Company. You can personalise the kit by choosing your four colours and select whether you need a crochet hook!

make your own advent calendar 1
3

Personalised Winter Christmas Advent Calendar Hanger

If you're looking for a really unique DIY advent calendar, this personalised hanger, completed with your family name is a great idea if you're not up for days of crafting but like the thought of hanging individual gifts from the pre-punched holes! Each hanging comes topped with a festive cityscape design and includes 24 cut holes for you to tie gifts with string. It's made to order out of natural birch wood.

More like this
Personalised DIY Advent Calendar Kit
4

Cross stitch advent calendar

We absolutely love the Nordic-style vibes of this cross stitch Advent Calendar, featuring all sorts of Christmas motifs from one of our favourite traditional cross-stitch brands – Historical Sampler Company. It comes with Zweigart fabric, a computer printed black and white chart and DMC pre-sorted stranded cotton. Finished size is 27cm x 27cm and you can choose between a kit with 16 count aida or a Luxury Gift Box with 16 count aida.

Cross stitch advent calendar
5

Candy Cane Stripes DIY Advent Calendar Kit

Simply pop up these red and white candy stripe boxes and fill them with sweets and little treats – one of the easiest DIY advent calendar kits in this round-up, we love the modern, merry and bright design and gold foiled finishing touches. Why not hang them from your tree? Each kit includes 24 boxes & 24 number stickers plus red and white butchers twine.

Make your Own Advent Calendar Kit
6

Wooden Nordic Village DIY Advent Calendar

We can never resist a Scandi Christmas project, and this makes your own wooden advent calendar ticks so many of our boxes for the perfect make. Once complete, each of the drawers pulls out so you can add whatever you like.

make your own advent calendar 4
7

How to make an advent calendar – free tutorial

Of course we've got our own DIY advent calendar projects here on Gathered, if you'd rather make your own from your own stash, head to our pair of tutorials for how to Make your own advent calendar at home.

Make your own advent calendar - step 7
8

Advent Calendar Kit Christmas Village scene

This really sweet idea is giving us the urge to drink hot chocolate and curl up by a warm fire wearing some Fairisle knitting. One of several papercraft kits in this collection, your advent village comes ready for you to cut and assemble, complete with 50 festive activities to place in your houses for each day of the festive countdown! Make your own advent calendar village by adding your own family traditions onto the blank activity sheets provided, or add your favourite sweet treats.

DIY Advent calendar kit cardboard village scene
9

Fill your own Silver Star Christmas Boxes Advent Calendar Kit

Pop-out each of the individual silver star-shaped advent boxes, assemble, and fill with sweets and little treats. A beginner-friendly make with no previous craft experience, these little advent star boxes would look lovely displayed in a large glass jar or hang them from your tree.

Make your own advent calendar kit stars
10

12 days of stitchmas

It is hard to put into words how excited we are to learn that Make & Mend has released a stitchmas Calendar! Their 12 days of Stitchmas kit comes complete with a set of envelopes that are filled with a different stitchy pattern every day. Embroider each design and create a garland of Christmas decs for your home.

make your own advent calendar
11

Sew your own fabric advent calendar

Been hoarding your favourite festive fabrics and now you need something to sew with them? This gorgeous free fabric advent calendar pattern it's easy to sew and you can then fill each pocket with little treats!

Fabric advent calendar tutorial
12

Forest Friends Advent Calendar by Dashwood Studio

Rather than a full kit, this is a printed fabric piece that features beautiful Forest Friends Advent Calendar square panels by Dashwood Studio. The pockets feature Christmas animals and birds with metallic gold accents. It comes with instructions for how to turn it into your very own DIY advent calendar too. You'll need to supply the additional sewing stash to turn it into a finished calendar though – see full details of what's included in the Etsy listing.

Forest Friends Dashwood Studio DIY Advent Calendar
13

Free advent calendar sewing pattern

This one isn't technically a kit but we couldn't resist including a shout-out to this really simple-sew advent calendar DIY project we have for you to make along at home. Give it a go if you already have a few sewing supplies ready to use. Learn how to make a fabric advent calendar right here on Gathered! For a more grown-up advent calendar make Anna Alicia's Scandi style advent calendar.

Christmas tree advent calendar
14

Hessian stockings Fill Your Own Advent Calendar Kit

A super easy DIY, this ready-to-go advent calendar kit comes with 24 stockings and pegs. Simply hang them from a string above your fireplace, TV, or desk for a lovely simple me-made countdown.

DIY advent calendar 5
15

Needle & Ned Alpine Advent Calendar Fabric Panel

We've been eying up Advent Calendar Panels to sew for years so this article is the perfect excuse to share a few of our favourites out there. This one is around 60 cm high by 50cm wide and is pre-printed with front, pockets loops and binding. It's printed on 100% woven cotton 160 gsm so a nice medium weight to hold your daily treats. It's designed and painted at Ned's studio in the UK and isn't too tricky to piece together as it comes with full instructions. Say hello to your next family heirloom.

Sew Your Own Alpine Advent Calendar
16

Make your own embroidery advent calendar

Enjoy a daily DIY embroidery project with this fab kit by Nelly Makes Embroidery. You'll get 24 mini motifs which you can then embroider onto anything you choose. You'll get two embroidery needles, a mini hoop, a tips guide and all the thread you need.

DIY advent calendar 7
17

Dashwood Classic Red & White Christmas Advent Calendar Fabric Calendar

Treat yourself or a crafty pal to this beautiful 100% cotton advent calendar by Dashwood Studios. Pre-printed, you simply have to stitch it up to make an heirloom Christmas craft project that you'll keep in the family for years and years.

Dashwood Traditional Christmas Fabric Advent Calendar Panel
18

Knit an advent calendar wreath

Reach for yarn scraps from your stash and sew up Simply Knitting's advent calendar wreath DIY. If this advent calendar wreath doesn't take your fancy then head over to our knitted advent calendar with pockets tutorial instead!

Advent calendar wreath detail
19

Decopatch blank advent calendar kit

Some of the kits in this round up come with everything you need, but we also thought it would be nice to include a blank canvas for those of you who have over-brimming craft cupboards in need of a project to use up all that stash! Take this basic cardboard advent calendar and decorate it with your favourite festive papers and embellishments!

Decoupatch DIY advent calendar kit
20

DIY Advent Christmas Garland Kit

The best kit in this collection if you're on a tight budget, we just think it's really cute! Make Your Own Garland Advent Calendar with this child-friendly craft kit. Each kit contains 25 paper bags plus stickers and string for you to decorate as you please.

DIY Advent Christmas Garland Kit
21

DIY dog advent calendar

Your fluffy pets deserve to enjoy Christmas just as much as you. Pick up this dog treat advent calendar which comes with 24 delicious doggie treats and treat your pooch. You can reuse the kit year after year - just replace the treats!

DIY advent calendar for pets
22

Sticker Surprise Advent Calendar

24 days of stickers with gold foil? Yes, please! Why have we been waiting all our lives for this idea? Choose between loads of different colours like rose gold, copper, blush pink and more, then stick them to some DIY advent calendar envelopes.

Sticker Surprise Advent Calendar DIY
23

Decorate Your Own Wooden Advent Tree

Cuteness alert! Have fun with kids counting down to Christmas with this wooden Advent calendar tree – ready to decorate with découpage paper, acrylic paint or Deco pens. Simply decorate, paint and number the draws then fill with tiny treats!

Wooden Tree DIY Advent Calendar Kit
24

Mini stocking advent calendar

Got loads of festive fat quarter projects left that need using up? Turn them into this sweet DIY advent calendar using Anna Alicia's free pattern here on Gathered. She shows you how to sew Advent calendar stockings and if you have spare fabric, thread and a needle you've basically got your own DIY advent calendar kit at home! If you need to pick up some new festive fabrics then check out our round-up of the best Christmas fabrics.

Christmas decorations to sew – advent calendar stockings

We hope you've enjoyed our DIY advent calendar round-up and are ready to make your own advent calendar for 2021. For some sustainable festive makes head over to our eco-friendly Christmas crafts round-up. We also teach you how to make a Christmas wreath from scratch!

For more festive makes, check out our favourite crochet Christmas decorations, free Christmas knitting pattterns, or follow our step by step guide to how to make a Christmas stocking.

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Looking for more ways to keep kids entertained over the festive season? Check out our fun arts and crafts to do at home.

Authors

Zoe WilliamsLaunch Editor, Gathered.how

Zoe is the launch Editor of Gathered.how. She has over a decade of craft publishing experience under her belt. She's a quilter and sewist who works with the UK’s best-selling craft magazines including Today’s Quilter, Love Patchwork & Quilting, Simply Sewing and The World of Cross Stitching. Zoe loves being immersed in Gathered’s quilting content, tweaking our tutorials and publishing new patterns. Zoe has previously written for radiotimes.com, Simply Knitting and The World of Cross Stitching and was previously Deputy Editor of Papercraft inspirations magazine. She has guest-lectured at Bath Spa University. She’s a keen quilter with 5 projects in progress at any one time and another 12 or so planned.

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