C2C Nativity Advent Calendar | Free Crochet Pattern

Sharing is caring!

Christmas is approaching and so it’s time for some Christmas crochet! I’ve been on the lookout for a Holy Infant nativity advent calendar for the longest time now. When my kids were little, we had one of those felt ones with the velcro but it has seen better days. So it was time to come up with something new.

I was inspired by Repeat Crafter Me’s Gingerbread House Advent Calendar. I made it but it was huge. This thing was 45 inches long. Although beautiful, it was too big. I simply didn’t have wall space available for something that big.  So I set out to do something similar to the Gingerbread House, but smaller and more manageable. I also wanted a nativity scene.

First I crocheted the nativity scene using corner to corner (C2C) crochet. Then I crocheted the little pockets for the advent calendar part.  Typically an advent calendar starts on December 1st and is a countdown to Christmas Eve – so 24 pockets. Then I thought it would be nice to have a start that marks the different days. So that is attached so that it can move from day to day. Put it all together and you have a C2C Nativity Advent Calendar.

**You can purchase an INEXPENSIVE AD-FREE PDF of this pattern in My Shop, on Etsy HERE or on Ravelry HERE!  This  PDF includes the graph and a word chart for this C2C pattern, including how to encase the dowel and make the hanger. It also contains the pattern of the Christmas star.  It is a total of 20 pages including the cover page!

Materials to make the C2C Holy Infant Nativity Advent Calendar

• Yarn in the following colours: green, dark brown (for the wooden stable), lighter brown (for the hay), beige/skin tone, baby blue/light blue, dark blue (for the night sky), yellow and cream (for the star; optional). The main colour is the night sky blue. The rest use smaller amounts so use whatever you have on hand.
  Since this is not an item that will be worn, you can use a cheaper yarn (you know, the scratchy ones).
  I tend to pick yarns based on colour, as opposed to brand, but for this project, I used a mix of Red Heart Super Saver and Impeccable yarns.
• 5mm crochet hook
• sewing needle
• 20-inch wooden dowel rod, about 7/16 thick. You can get this at a hardware store or at Michaels. I found mine at Michaels with all the styrofoam crafts.
• Numbers for the pockets. I found little numbered Christmas tags at Michaels. They are chipboard stickers from Recollections. You could also use sticker felt or even embroider the numbers on. There are many different options that you can choose from. As the stickers wouldn’t be strong enough to stick to the nativity advent calendar, I used E3000 glue to adhere them.

How to Make the C2C Nativity Advent Calendar

First, you will need the graph for the holy infant nativity scene. You can access that in my free Resource Library.

Using the C2C crochet technique, make the nativity scene. I have a number of YouTube videos that show you the basics of C2C that can help you.

Luckily there aren’t too many colour changes and so there aren’t too many ends to weave in.

I didn’t really crochet a border, per se. Instead, I only crocheted a foundation row all the way around. You can certainly do whatever you want. The foundation row provides a nice, neat, small clean edge all the way around.

How to Make the Nativity Advent Calendar Pockets

Next crochet 24 little pockets. These are also done in C2C and are only 3×3. This will be done in the night sky blue. Leave a long enough yarn end so that you can sew them onto the actual advent calendar.

Now is the time to attach or sew (depending on what you are using) the numbers on. I find it easier to do when they are separate and not attached to the big graph. As mentioned, I just glued mine.

Arrange the pockets onto the advent calendar. I did 6 across, for 4 rows. Sew the pockets onto the advent calendar.

Weave in all the ends.

If you need to block your work – do it now before you attach the dowel.

How to Attach the Dowel to the Nativity Advent Calendar

You will want to encase the dowel to the nativity advent calendar. Use the dark blue to make the following:

• FDSC 22; alternately you can ch 23, sc into the 2nd ch from your hook and then across for a total of 22 sc’s
• ch 1, turn
• sc across (22); ch 1, turn
• sc across (22); ch 1, turn
• sc across (22); leave a long tail for sewing; cut yarn

So you have a strip consisting of 22 sc’s and 4 rows. Do this THREE times so that you have 3 strips.

NOTE:  my dowel was 7/16 in diameter. If you are using a dowel with a thinner diameter, you may only need 3 rows.

These 3 strips are used to attach the dowel to the back of the nativity advent calendar. Sew these strips around the dowel, attaching it to the nativity advent calendar. The stripes will encase the dowel. You are sewing 3 sides.

For the end strips, you will sew on 3 sides – the 4th side is the open side where the dowel extends across. Sew one strip at each end. When sewing the second strip, you will want to have the dowel encased as it is easier to sew around it (instead of stretching the advent calendar trying to get the dowel in).

The third strip will be sewed in the centre. You will sew the top and bottom only – leaving it open at both sides.

So you will have 3 strips across the top, holding the dowel in. There will be 2 small openings in between each of the strips.

How to Make the Hanger for the Nativity Advent Calendar

To make the hanger, crochet the following:

• Start with a long end or tail (you’ll use this to sew it on later) FDSC 40; alternately you can ch 41, sc into the 2nd ch from your hook and then across for a total of 40 sc’s
• ch 1, turn
• sc across (40); ch 1, turn
• sc across (40); leave a tail for sewing; cut yarn

Note that you have 3 rows of 40 sc’s.

Sew the ends around the dowel. You are sewing just the short ends – not the entire length. It will go in between the 3 strips that encase the dowel. This will allow you to hang the dowel.

NOTE:  you can easily adjust this by adding or subtracting stitches.

My finished size is approximately 29×19. This is not including the hanger.

How to Make the Star for the Nativity Advent Calendar (Optional)

You can use a crochet star to keep track of the days until Christmas. You would move the crochet star from pocket to pocket as you do your countdown.

I designed this crochet Christmas star to go with my nativity advent calendar. To get the free crochet pattern, go here.

I made the star out of cream-coloured yarn because I wanted it to stand out. I sprayed the star with a stiffener in order for it to keep its shape. Information on this is also included in the crochet Christmas star blog post.

How to Attach the Star to the Nativity Advent Calendar (Optional)

You may wish to attach the crochet Christmas star to your nativity advent calendar with a strand of yarn or string. You could even crochet a chain. This way, when you put it away after Christmas, you won’t lose the Christmas star.

Use the same colour yarn for the chain, as you made the Christmas star and your 5mm crochet hook.

Make a slip knot with the yarn and pull it through the very top of the star. Chain until you reach the desired length.  Basically, you’ll keep it attached on one side of the hanger so make sure it reaches diagonally across to the farthest box. Crochet that length, plus chain 15 more (this extra is to wrap around the hanger).

Put the chain under the hanger so that it is enclosed, slip stitch into the 15th stitch from your hook. You don’t want it too tight and you don’t want it too loose – use your best judgement.

Sl st all the way back to the star. You could sc all the way back – this will make the attachment thicker. I prefer the thinness of doing sl st.

When you get back to the Christmas star, insert your hook again into the top point and sl st.

Cut yarn and weave in ends.

Other Ideas for the Nativity Advent Calendar

Instead of a crochet star, you could also just fill the nativity advent calendar with treats! This is my kids’ favourite. You get to have the treat each day as you count your way to Christmas.

I love how my C2C nativity advent calendar turned out. It’s a good size and is the perfect Christmas project. I’d love to see your versions of this project. Please feel to tag me #wcoastmom in the photos of your finished project.

Want to remember how to crochet this C2C nativity advent calendar? Be sure to save this to your favourite Pinterest board.

This pattern is an original pattern by West Coast Mom, of Too Much Love.  Please do not claim this pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to this pattern but please do not reprint it on your site. You may keep a copy for your own personal use but please DO NOT sell the pattern or distribute it.

You may sell products made from this pattern but please clearly credit the design to me, West Coast Mom, of Too Much Love, and provide a link to my blog www.toomuchlove.ca  Permission is NOT granted for mass production or factory manufacturing of any kind.  Thank you for being respectful and for your understanding.