This has been one of the most fun projects I've done in a while. A little addictive, I have to warn you. This is a great way to use those mysterious single socks. By the time you purchase a 12-pack of men's tube socks and find some pairs of crew or ankle socks that make you smile, you may be hooked too.
The idea came from a Better Homes and Gardens website: Cute Sock Snowman with a few modifications.
You will need:
- Men's white tube sock/s (one sock can make 2 snow people bodies)
- Decorative crew or ankle sock/s (one sock yields 1 sweater and 1 cap)
- Scissors
- Needle and white thread
- Colored jute twine
- Hot-glue gun loaded
- Felt scraps in black (for eyes) and assorted colors (for scarves)
- Hole punch
- Tiny buttons, jingle bells, pompoms, etc.
- Orange chenille sticks
- Thin wire cutters or utility scissors (to cut chenille sticks)**I can still hear my mother saying, "You'll ruin my scissors if you cut that with them!"
- RICE, RICE, and more RICE
- To make it easier (though not necessary):
Canning funnel (to fill socks with rice)
You'll need up to 5 cups of rice for each snowman-- especially the long, tall ones. |
Thin colored jute twine (from another project) worked well. |
Eyes can be made from black felt with a hole punch. [safer alternative for toddler people?] |
Or eyes can be tiny black buttons. |
Tube socks for bodies, top of crew socks for sweaters, crew sock toes for hats |
Canning funnel kept the rice going in the right direction. |
You know how hot glue melts your fingers?! Yep, that's why I found my tweezers. |
Use felt scraps for scarves. |
1. Cut tube sock in two pieces. Turn the tubes inside-out. With knotted double thread on the needle, gather one end of a tube and stitch securely.
If you use the toe end of the tube sock, |
Gather the toe end below any decoration and stitch into a tight bunch. |
Remember to stitch wrong-side-out. Then turn it right-side-out. This makes the bottom of the snowman. |
If you use the top part of the tube sock, gather up the cut end of the tube and stitch to make the bottom of the snowman. |
Doesn't matter if you use the top or the bottom of the sock, you still get a nice snowman body. Experiment with the length. I found that I liked my snow people a little shorter. |
You'll use lots more rice than you would imagine. |
When you think it's full enough, tap the rice-filled tube on a flat surface to settle it. Then add some more. |
You'll want that little body to be plump, with enough room (~2") at the top to stitch shut. |
The tube sock top has a finished edge that may be a little thicker to stitch, but I like the texture of the body. |
The tube sock bottom/toe end has a cut end to stitch closed. Make sure to leave ~2" to close. |
This makes a tall cap and sweater. |
You might decide to mix some of the sock tops and toes. |
If you cut the toe portion a little shorter, it makes a smaller cap--just as cute. |
This long-bodied snowman will have 3 parts--a base, a body, and a head. |
Tie jute twine in a double knot, then a bow. |
Just tie the twine around the top of the sweater, and your snowman is a squatty body. |
If you left a bit of sock above the stitching, you now have a nice little anchor on which to tie your snowman's cap. |
Pull the hat all the way down so you can find the sock 'anchor' underneath. |
Tie the cap together with its sock anchor securely with a tight double knot. Finish with a bow--or not. No need to glue. |
If you're using the long stocking cap, or don't have enough of an anchor underneath, |
you'll need to apply a bead of hot glue like this. |
Quickly place the hat over the glue and hold in place to set. Tie a double knot with jute twine on the top for decoration. |
The best noses are chenille strips cut to about 3/4" to 1" long to start. |
Bend the clipped piece until completely doubled over. |
Put a dab of hot glue on the cut ends and insert the nose into the sock just a tad if possible. |
BTW--the scarf does not take the place of the jute twine used to tie and shape the neck. It goes on top.
Cozy and red. |
Clothes make the snowman! |
Glitter pom is just the right accessory. |
Armed for a snowball fight, if he just had arms?! |
Jingle bell is tied on with a double knot. |
Consider using plastic pellets in place of rice for a permanent snowman. Otherwise, I suggest emptying the rice and not storing the plump snow people. (Who wants to invite rice weevils to the attic?)
Better yet, why not stuff the snow people with some fancy rice and give as a gift with a pair of scissors and cooking directions?
To see my gallery of snow people, check this.
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