"Fabric Snowman"
My daughter and I created this ornament last year. She usually gives everyone on her Christmas gift list a handmade ornament every year. It is made of scrap pieces of fabric, a few beads and craft wire available at any craft store. He's really cute when made up. Can actually be made any size, but we traced our pattern from a ribbon spool and thread spool as the head a body. Thanks for having this fun contest, and thanks also for a great newsletter. I enjoy reading it and learning from it.
DIRECTIONS FOR ORNAMENT:
BODY:
To make your pattern, trace a circle using a spool of ribbon about 3 inches diameter for the body. For the head, trace a spool of thread about 1.5 inches diameter at the top of the body circle. Round out the neck lines for cutting. This will make it much easier to sew.
Cut 2 of the pattern out of white fabric or muslin.
Cut 2 more pieces of fabric half the size of the body circle which will be the pants on the snowman. Add a ¼ inch at the top to fold over for a nice edge. Fold over the edge at the widest part of the halfcircle and sew to the body front and body back.
Sew the body pieces together with about a ¼ inch from the edge, leaving the bottom open for turning. After sewing, turn snowman right-side-out and stuff with fiberfill. Stitch across bottom to close.
For suspenders, cut small pieces of ribbon and hot-glue them at the front at the top of the pants and over the shoulders crossing them (like an X) in the back. Then use a dot of hot glue (or hand sew) at the bottom of each suspender to attach to the body. Hot-glue or hand sew 2 buttons at the bottom of the suspenders on the front of the snowman.
ARMS:
For the arms, cut 2 pieces of 20 gauge wire about 3 ½ inches long.
Wrap one end of each piece of wire around a pencil to make the mitten hands.
Poke a hole with a pushpin into each side of the snowman, put a dot of hot glue on the end of the wire and stick into the hole. Shape the arms into curves.
For the hanger, take another piece of 20 gauge wire and create a few loops across the top, adding small 4mm beads or seed beads as you go. Turn up about ½ inch of the wire on each end into a loop and hook onto the wire mitten. Wrap the wire around so that it is secure.
Draw eyes and a mouth with a fine point black marker and glue on a small red bead for the nose.
Your beaded snowman is ready for giving or hanging on the tree.
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Copyright © 2007 by Mary Grace Perkins and Sue Britting. All rights reserved.
