The other day I was oohing and aahing about some knit crafts I had seen. Of course, I had to repeatedly ask myself why I had to go and forget how to knit. Then I saw a skein of yarn S, my toddler, had pulled out (because I keep yarn around just in case I remember how to knit) and I thought…”wouldn’t that make a cute snowman?!”
This yarn roll snowman was born.
Someday I will remember how to knit, or at least go watch some videos and read the tutorials from my friend (check out Knits’ End), but until then, I decided I would make the most out of the yarn I had to create a really, really cute snowman craft for winter. This snowman craft tutorial is so simple and it took me just about 5 minutes to make it.
Cute Snowman Craft Tutorial
What You Need
- Skein of white yarn (I used a value size)
- Pair of clean, thick, patterned socks (I bought mine from the value section at the front of Michael’s)
- Dry beans (I used half a bag of black eyed peas)
- Rubber band
- Buttons (I used three large black buttons, three tiny red buttons, and two green heart-shaped buttons)
- Orange wool felt
- Small black craft pom poms
- Two small twigs
- Black snowman hat (optional–I will be sharing how I made the sock one we used)
- Hot glue and hot glue gun
- Fabric scissors
Directions
1. Cut the bottom half off one of the socks to make a pouch.
2. Fill the sock pouch with the dry beans. I used just over half a bag of black eyed peas. Leave plenty room to tie it at the top and make sure you add enough to hold the snowman up, but not so much that it does not fit into the yarn skein. Tie the top shut using a rubber band. Make sure it is very tight so the pouch does not come open.
3. Using your thumbs, part the bottom of the roll (the top usually has a loose piece of string, so make sure you keep that at the top), then slowly and carefully push the pouch of beans inside until the bottom of the bag is flush with the bottom of the yarn roll.
4. At the top of the roll where there is an end string of yarn, pull it out some and cut two pieces that you will tie around the roll (I cut mine about 12 inches long) and one small piece if you are making the sock hat for this cute snowman.
5. Tie the strings around the cute snowman, pulling them tightly to cinch in the yarn stein and form a larger roll at the bottom, medium roll in the middle, and a smaller roll at the top for the head. Cut off any extra yarn.
6. Take the other sock and cut off the toe area and the band at the top. Cut into a strip along the top of the sock to make a nice, long scarf. Stretch it out a few times to make sure it’s long enough so you can tie it around the neck.
7. If you are making the sock hat, you will need to use the top of the first sock (the one that you cut into a pouch.). Trim off the bottom to make it flat, fold the bottom under so it looks smooth and doesn’t show the cut fabric, then tie around the top band to make a cute little poof at the top.
8. Cut a small triangle from the felt. Add hot glue to one edge, then carefully form a cone by rolling the glueless end over onto the glue end. Be careful not to burn yourself, but once the glue is nearly cooled but not hard, mold it carefully to make sure the nose is how you want it. Cut off any extra felt on the open end to make the nose flat and the length you want.
9. Tie the sock scarf around the cute snowman’s neck.
10. Using hot glue, glue on felt nose, the pom pom eyes, and the three big, black buttons.
11. Stretch the sock hat and put it on the snowman (or place the store-bought hat on top) and add a little glue underneath so the hat stays in place on the snowman. If you want, glue two green hearts and three tiny, red buttons onto the corner of the hat to make it look like holly.
12. Glue the sticks in place as arms.
If at any point you have yarn that gets a little loose and saggy, add a dab of hot glue to stick things back into place.
This yarn ball snowman is such a cute and easy-to-make decoration for winter and Christmas.
Read also: DIY Christmas Wreath Stemware Drink Charms and Shortbread Cookies Made with Mashed Potatoes!
Do you love snowmen? Do you consider yourself crafty? Will you be decorating for winter/Christmas? Share with me in the comments!
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This snowman is so cute! What a neat idea!
This is such a cute idea! I love decorating for Christmas. Absolutely adorable! 🙂
Seeing these in person I just fell in love with them! So clever and I have several reminders work with!
I know a disabled woman who loves knitting and is very excited about her birthday, which happens to fall in the winter. I was thinking of something like this for her birthday but she wouldn’t want to keep it, as she would want to use the wool for knitting. Her family would also not like another, not useful thing filling the house, as she brings home many things often they don’t need and they then need to donate or bin it. I could use the yarns for the body of the snowman. Knitting needles for the arms. Thread the buttons on wool, to keep them attached. Use an old t shirt to make a hat and scarf (these will get thrown in the bin, when she pulls the snowman apart, the rest of the t shirt could be reused as cleaning rags). Make the carrot nose out of orange wool. She donates the things she knits to charity or people in the community often.
I totally get that. I have actually set this snowman out to decorate for several years now, so it has been useful to me. However, as it gets thrown into storage and has moved houses (not so carefully), some parts have begun to come off. The wonderful thing about the glue I used is that, depending on how it is put together, it can totally still leave the yarn and everything reusable, so I’ll probably do that because I also don’t like to be wasteful!
I love the ideas you have for it! Maybe you could use hairpins or something to attach the hat and buttons and nose a little less permanently so those can also be used too. Does she ever add ribbon to her crafts? Maybe you could use ribbon for the scarf, just enough that she can reuse it (maybe fold it a few times so it’s longer than it appears?).
She sounds like a great lady! I would love if you would send me a picture of your creation when you are finished with it. What a thoughtful gift, especially thinking to make it all reusable for her!