Handmade Snowmen

Small and large handmade snowmen.

Christmas is almost here. Some are still scurrying around to find that last minute gift or decoration. We like to use homemade snowmen as decorations as well as gifts.

They are fast and easy to make. All are different and unique. They can be made in any size. The body is white fabric. Knit or stretchy fabrics are easier to work with.

Buttons, beads, pom-poms, fabric paint and fabric can be used to make the face. A strip of fabric can be used for the scarf. The hat can be made out of fabric that matches the scarf or even from the leg part of a wooly-winter sock.

Twigs or small branches from a tree can be added for arms. To finish add a few buttons on the front.

All items used to make the snowmen can be recycled from discarded clothing. For the snowman’s body a leg can be cut from an old pair of white pants. Or an old white t-shirt or sweat shirt will work as well. Besides fabric or an old sock for the hat, a sleeve from an old sweater will work just as well. The scarf can be cut from an old sweater or flannel shirt.

For the large snowmen pictured above we started with a 13 by 17-inch piece of stretchy fabric. Putting the right sides together we sewed the 13-inch side together forming a tube. Then we attached a six-inch circle for the bottom. After stuffing we ran a gathering stitch at the top and pulled it together to close the top.

The small snowman pictured above is made with a nine by 12-inch piece of white fake fur fabric and a four-inch circle at the bottom. It also has twigs for arms.

To make the hats we used knit fabric. We just measured around the head for width and estimated the amount needed for the height plus about an inch to fold at the bottom edge. The top of the hats are gathered together with a running stitch.

We stuffed our snowmen with polyester fiberfill but other things can be used for stuffing as well. Even dried beans or rice can be added at the bottom to make them stand up better.

Creativity comes from just trying different things. There is no right or wrong way to make a snowman.

These snowmen also make good last minute gifts. We have used them as exchange gifts, house warming gifts and as a hostess gift. To us a handmade gift is extra special.

Besides fabric snowmen we have ones made from wood and ceramic that we set out for the Christmas season. They are also a decoration that can be left out through January. We like to leave them out after other Christmas decorations are put away. That way the house doesn’t look so bare after Christmas.

Another gift idea is to give some of those jams, jellies and apple butter canned during the summer. It is still not too late to make apple butter for the holidays. We looked at easy crock pot recipes on the internet and found many. The following is one of 68 from cooks.com:

Put three quarts of apples, sliced thin, in a crock pot and cook overnight on high. Next morning add 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3 cups sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cloves. Cook all day on low. Tastes like old-fashioned apple butter that is cooked in copper kettle.

You can use applesauce if you do not have time to prepare the apples. The crock pot makes it possible for apples to cook a long time without being stirred.

We welcome readers to share their homemade gift ideas.