Make your Christmas magical by knitting your very own calendar featuring mini pockets designed to look like swatches from various projects for a playful patchwork look. Follow the pattern as is to recreate this look or have fun throwing in your own knit swatches to create a calendar that’s unique to your family. No matter which route you take, this advent calendar will be a staple decoration in your home for years to come.
Skill Level: Easy
Size: 21.75” / [54 cm] x 18” / [46 cm]
Gauge: 21 sts and 40 rows = 4” [10 cm] in garter st after wet blocking
Materials
Yarn: Sirdar Supersoft Aran (100% Acrylic; 258 yards [236 meters]/100 grams): 921 Chino (MC, 3 balls), 830 White (CC1, 1 ball), 907 Rarin’ Red (CC2, 1 ball), 924 Helter Skelter (CC3, 1 ball), 927 Trunkie (CC4, 1 ball), 932 Bear Hug (CC5, 1 ball)
Needles: US size 7 (4.5 mm) 24” straight, US size 7 (4.5 mm) 24” DPNs.
Notions: Waste yarn for provisional cast-on, cable needle, tapestry needle, dress making pins, a nice stick/branch or some doweling rod.
Special Stitches
C6B (cable 6 back): Slip next 3 sts onto cable needle and hold at back of work, k next 3 sts, then k sts from cable needle.
C6F (cable 6 forward): Slip next 3 sts onto cable needle and hold at front of work, k next 3 sts, then k sts from cable needle.
Garter Stitch
Row 1: Knit.
Rep Row 1 for patt.
Pattern Notes
The back panel of the calendar is worked first, then the i-cord border is applied.
The pockets are worked and the numbers are embroidered on or are added with duplicate st.
Pattern
Back Panel
Using MC, CO 110 sts.
Work in Garter Stitch until piece meas 17” / [43 cm].
BO all sts.
I-cord Border
Using MC and DPNs, CO 5 sts using a Provisional Cast-on.
Row 1: K4 sts, slip 1 st, pickup and knit 1 st from the edge of Back Panel, psso.
Push sts to other end of DPN.
Repeat Row 1, pick-up and knit 1 st for every st along the CO and BO edges, and for each garter st ridge along the row edges, working 2 sts into the same st at each end of each side of the panel to turn the corners.
When you have completed the border all the way around, graft the sts to the Provisional Cast-on.
Large St st Pockets
These are for numbers 17 and 18. Make one each in CC2 and CC4.
CO 28 sts.
Rows 1-28: Beg with a k row, work in St st for 28 rows.
BO all sts.
Small St st Pockets
These are for numbers 4, 9 and 15. Make one each in CC2, CC3 and CC4.
CO 19 sts.
Rows 1-24: Beg with a k row, work in St st for 24 rows.
BO all sts.
Moss St Pockets
These are for numbers 6, 10 and 23. Make one each in MC, CC1 and CC4.
CO 19 sts.
Row 1: *K1, p1; rep from * to last st, k1.
Rows 2-28: Rep Row 1.
BO all sts in pattern.
Small Striped Pockets
These are for numbers 5 and 8. The colors for pocket 8 are in parentheses.
Using MC (CC4), CO 19 sts.
Rows 1-4: Beg with a k row, work 4 rows in St st.
Change to CC5 (CC2)
Rows 5-8: Beg with a k row, work 4 rows in St st.
Rows 9-16: Rep Rows 1-8, continuing to switch colors every 4 rows.
BO all sts.
Large Striped Pocket
This is for number 20.
Using CC1, CO 19 sts.
Rows 1-4: Beg with a k row, work in St st for 4 rows.
Change to CC3.
Rows 5-8: Beg with a k row, work in St st for 4 rows.
Rows 9-36: Continue working in St st for 28 rows, switching the colors every 4 rows.
BO all sts.
Heart Pockets
These are for numbers 3, 7 and 16. Colors for 7 and 16 are in parentheses.
Using MC (CC4, CC1), CO 13 sts.
Rows 1-2: Beg with a k row, work in St st for 2 rows.
Row 3: K6 in MC (CC4, CC1), k1 in CC2 (MC, CC2), k6 in MC (CC4, CC1).
Row 4: P5 in MC (CC4, CC1) p3 in CC2 (MC, CC2), p5 in MC (CC4, CC1).
Row 5: K4 in MC (CC4, CC1), k5 in CC2 (MC, CC2), k4 in MC (CC4, CC1).
Row 6: P3 in MC (CC4, CC1), p7 in CC2, (MC, CC2), p3 in MC (CC4, CC1).
Row 7: K2 in MC (CC4, CC1), k9 in CC2 (MC, CC2), k2 in MC (CC4, CC1).
Row 8: P2 in MC (CC4, CC1), p9 in CC2 (MC, CC2), p2 in MC (CC4, CC1).
Row 9: K2 in MC (CC4, CC1), k4 in CC2 (MC, CC2), k1 in MC (CC4, CC1), k4 in CC2 (MC, CC2), k2 in MC (CC4, CC1).
Row 10: P3 in MC (CC4, CC1), p2 in CC2 (MC, CC2), p3 in MC (CC4, CC1), p2 in CC2 (MC, CC2), p3 in MC (CC4, CC1).
Continue in MC (CC4, CC1) only.
Rows 11-12: Beg with a k row, work in St st for 2 rows.
Rows 13-14: Knit.
BO all sts.
Vertical Striped Pockets
These are for numbers 12, 13 and 21. Colors for 13 and 21 are in parentheses.
Using CC1 (CC4, CC2), CO 17 sts.
Rows 1-2: Knit.
Change to CC2 (MC, CC5).
Rows 3-4: Knit.
Rows 5-28: Rep Rows 1-4, changing color after every 2 rows.
Rows 29-30: Rep Rows 1-2 in CC1 (CC4, CC2).
BO all sts.
Using CC1 (CC4, CC2), pick up and k17 sts along one row edge of pocket.
Rows 1-2: Knit.
BO all sts.
Christmas Star Pockets
These are for numbers 2, 19 and 22. Colors for 19 and 22 are in parentheses.
Using CC4 (MC, CC2), CO 19 sts.
Rows 1-2: Beg with a k row, work 2 rows in St st.
Row 3: K6 in CC4 (MC, CC2), k1 in MC (CC1, CC1), k5 in CC4 (MC, CC2), k1 in MC (CC1, CC1), k6 in CC4 (MC, CC2).
Row 4: P6 in CC4 (MC, CC2), p2 in MC (CC1, CC1), p3 in CC4 (MC, CC2), p2 in MC (CC1, CC1), p6 in CC4 (MC, CC2).
Row 5: K6 in CC4 (MC, CC2), k3 in MC (CC1, CC1), k1 in CC4 (MC, CC2), k3 in MC (CC1, CC1), k6 in CC4 (MC, CC2).
Row 6: P6 in CC4 (MC, CC2), p1 in MC (CC1, CC1), p1 in CC4 (MC, CC2), p3 in MC (CC1, CC1), p1 in CC4 (MC, CC2), p1 in MC (CC1, CC1), p6 in CC4 (MC, CC2).
Row 7: K2 in CC4 (MC, CC2), k7 in MC (CC1, CC1), k1 in CC4 (MC, CC2), k7 in MC (CC1, CC1), k2 in CC4 (MC, CC2).
Row 8: P3 in CC4 (MC, CC2), [p2 in MC (CC1, CC1), p1 in CC4 (MC, CC2)] twice, p1 in MC (CC1, CC1), [p1 in CC4 (MC, CC2), p2 in MC (CC1, CC1)] twice, p3 in CC4 (MC, CC2).
Row 9: K4 in CC4 (MC, CC2), [k3 in MC (CC1, CC1), k1 in CC4 (MC, CC2)] 3 times, k3 in CC4 (MC, CC2).
Row 10: P5 in CC4 (MC, CC2), p1 in MC (CC1, CC1), [p1 in CC4 (MC, CC2), p2 in MC (CC1, CC1)] twice, p1 in CC4 (MC, CC2), p1 in MC (CC1, CC1), p5 in CC4 (MC, CC2).
Row 11: Rep Row 9.
Row 12: Rep Row 8.
Row 13: Rep Row 7.
Row 14: Rep Row 6.
Row 15: Rep Row 5.
Row 16: Rep Row 4.
Row 17: Rep Row 3.
Rows 18-19: Beg with a p row, work in St st for 2 rows.
BO all sts purlwise.
Large Plait Pockets.
These are for numbers 1, 11 and 24. Colors for 11 and 24 are in parentheses.
Using CC5 (CC2, MC), CO 27 sts.
Row 1: K4, p2, k15, p2, k4.
Row 2: P4, k2, p15, k2, p4.
Row 3: K4, p2, k3, C6F twice, p2, k4.
Row 4: Rep Row 2.
Row 5: Rep Row 1.
Row 6: Rep Row 2.
Row 7: K4, p2, C6B twice, k3, p2, k4.
Rows 8-10: Rep Rows 4-6.
Row 11: Rep Row 3.
Rows 12-14: Rep Rows 4-6.
Row 15: Rep Row 7.
Rows 16-18: Rep Rows 4-6.
Row 19: Rep Row 3.
Rows 20-22: Knit.
BO all sts.
Dal Horse Pocket
Using CC5, CO 25 sts.
Rows 1-2: Beg with a k row, work in St st for 2 rows.
Row 3: K10 in CC5, k2 in CC2, k8 in CC5, k2 in CC2, k3 in CC5.
Row 4: P3 in CC5, p2 in CC2, p8 in CC5, p2 in CC2, p10 in CC5.
Rows 5-6: Rep Rows 3-4.
Row 7: Rep Row 3.
Row 8: P3 in CC5, p3 in CC2, p7 in CC5, p2 in CC2, p10 in CC5.
Row 9: K10 in CC5, k2 in CC2, k7 in CC5, k3 in CC2, k3 in CC5.
Row 10: Rep Row 8.
Row 11: K9 in CC5, k3 in CC2, k6 in CC5, k3 in CC2, k4 in CC5.
Row 12: P4 in CC5, p5 in CC2, p1 in CC3, p6 in CC2, p9 in CC5.
Row 13: K9 in CC5, k6 in CC2, k1 in CC3, k5 in CC2, k4 in CC5.
Row 14: P4 in CC5, p3 in CC2, p5 in CC1, p5 in CC2, p8 in CC5.
Row 15: K8 in CC5, k5 in CC2, k5 in CC1, k3 in CC2, k4 in CC5.
Row 16: P5 in CC5, p2 in CC2, p2 in CC1, p1 in CC3, p2 in CC1, p5 in CC3, p8 in CC5.
Row 17: K8 in CC5, k5 in CC2, k1 in CC1, k1 in CC3, k1 in CC2, k1 in CC3, k1 in CC1, k2 in CC2, k5 in CC5.
Row 18: P6 in CC5, p1 in CC2, p2 in CC1, p1 in CC3, p2 in CC1, p5 in CC2, p8 in CC5.
Row 19: K7 in CC5, k6 in CC2, k12 in CC5.
Row 20: P12 in CC5, p9 in CC2, p4 in CC5.
Row 21: K4 in CC5, k9 in CC2, k12 in CC5.
Row 22: Rep Row 10.
Row 23: K5 in CC5, k7 in CC2, k13 in CC5.
Row 24: P13 in CC5, p7 in CC2, p5 in CC5.
Row 25: K6 in CC5, k5 in CC2, k14 in CC5.
Row 26: P15 in CC5, p4 in CC2, p6 in CC5.
Row 27: K7 in CC5, k1 in CC2, k to end in CC5.
Continue in CC5 only.
Row 28: Purl.
Rows 29-30: *K1, p1; rep from * to last st, k1.
BO all sts.
Hanging Loops (make 4)
Using MC, CO 5 sts.
Work in i-cord until piece measures 4.25” / [11 cm].
BO all sts.
Finishing
Using the photos as a guide, either embroider or use duplicate st to add the numbers to the pockets.
Weave in all loose ends.
Place the pockets on Back Panel and pin in place until you are pleased with their position. Sew each pocket in position. Sew the hanging loops at regular intervals along the top of the calendar. Insert stick or doweling rod through the hanging loops.
Cut a long length of MC and tie to each end of the stick/rod so that you can hang the calendar up.
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