It's the fabric countdown! Treat a sewing lover to this unique advent calendar

What you need...

• Tape measure, inches
  
• Fabric: dotty, red, blue; floral
  
• Ribbon: blue, 5mm; gingham
  
• Yarn, pink
  
• Beads, pink
  
• Cotton reel
  
• Pin wheel
  
• Thimble
  
• Wire, craft
  
• Pinking shears
  
• Pliers
  
• Tape, double-sided

instructions

1. Remove the metal stoppers from a tape measure and put them to one side, then cut at the marked 25.5” point. Stick double-sided tape along the length on the back. Snip 25, 10cm lengths of yarn and thread a pink bead onto each. With the bead in the middle, draw the yarn ends together and secure to the back of the strip at the 1” mark. Repeat with the remaining 24 pieces, placing them at 1” intervals.

2. Cut craft wire just shorter than the tape and stick to the back using double-sided tape, then cover with gingham ribbon. Next, make a hole at the top of a thimble and thread blue ribbon through, securing with a knot. Adhere the ribbon to the beginning of the tape measure, then add a length to the end to create a hanging loop. Replace the metal stoppers with a pair of pliers to cover the joins. Add a pin
   wheel and a reel of thread to the hanging loop. Curl the tape measure into a spiral shape.

3. Trim eight strips of both floral and blue dot fabrics and nine in red dot, 4cm x 12cm. On one strip, fold 1cm in at the base and 4cm at the top, then fold and press another 3cm from the base fold and secure with pins. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

4. Add buttonholes to the top-centre of the folded strips, 1cm in length, using a sewing machine or by hand. Cut out the centres. Next, sew down each side 5mm away from the edges to form a tiny pocket, then use pinking shears to decorate. Thread the beads through the holes to finish.