Snow Buddies Embroidery Pattern

I LOVE SNOWMEN!  Why do I love snowmen?  Their cheery smiling faces just make me happy.  All winter long I display my collection of snowmen.

So, I was so excited, when we were given a snowman embroidery kit for our December quilt guild meeting.  You can make this snowman decoration too.  Read on to learn more, how and where to get the free snowman embroidery patterns.

SNOW BUDDIES IS A COOL ACCESSORY FOR YOUR WINTER DECOR!

You can brighten up your home with cute, free snow buddies embroidery patterns from American Patchwork and Quilting.  YES, they're free.  To download the pattern scroll to the end of this post for a pdf with three free snowman embroidery patterns.

These cute snowmen stitch up pretty quickly.  Incorporate the completed snowmen designs into a wall hanging, placemat, potholder, table runner, or Christmas tree ornament.  Need a gift idea?  Make them up as a gift-giving holiday project.

If you are obsessed with snowmen like me, Bird Brain Designs has a fun gang to stitch and display in your home. They have a large selection of hand and machine embroidery snowmen plus wool appliques, too, for you to enjoy.  

With this video and step-by-step photo tutorial, learn how to stitch up the free snowman embroidery design and then make it into a wall hanging.  

DIY Snowman Sewing Project

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Snowman Pattern - look for the link at end of this article
• Scrap Fabric - cream or white color
• Fat Quarter or Scrap Fabric - Dark Blue Fabric
• Fat Quarter - Light Blue Fabric
• Batting
• #8 Pearl Cotton Thread - Blue
• Crewel Needle or Large Eyed Needle
• Embroidery Hoop
• Scissors
• Rotary Cutter, Mat, and Ruler
• Sewing Machine
• Iron and Ironing Board
• Basic Sewing Supplies
• Hanger (optional)

EMBROIDERY STITCHES TO KNOW

• Backstitch
• French Knot
• Lazy Daisy

how to embroider and finish the snow buddies pattern

STEP 1: tracing pattern

Begin by downloading the pattern from the link at the end of this post.  To transfer the design onto the fabric you have a few options.

1. Print embroidery pattern onto the fabric with an inkjet printer.  Kate and Rose Patterns has a tutorial on how to do this process.
2. A light box is a great aid in tracing embroidery patterns.  
3. Bright window method - Tape the pattern to the window glass so it doesn't move.  Tape the fabric over the pattern and trace.

STEP 2: embroider the snowman block

Thread the needle with blue Perle cotton thread.  Either knot the end or if you don't knot the end, you can weave the end in as you stitch.

To embroider the solid lines use the backstitch.  Try to keep your stitches an even length; however, when you go around curves you may have to reduce the length of the stitches.

For the snowman's eyes, jacket buttons, and dots on the sign, make French knots.

Snowman Buddies pattern 2 requires the lazy daisy stitch to create the snowman's hair.

After finished embroidering, press the piece.  I sprayed my piece with a little Mary Ellen's Best Press for a smooth, unwrinkled finish.

Then, trim the piece to a 5" square making sure the design is centered.

NOTE:  For this tutorial, blue Perle cotton thread was used but you can use any color thread.

STEP 4: Add the Flange with dark blue fabric

To make the flange strips, fold the dark blue 1" x 5" strips in half lengthwise, with the wrong side together. Press.

When I positioned the flange strips, I forgot to cut the design first.  It is much easier if you cut the design as mentioned above.

Sew two flange strips to the right and left sides of the square first.  Align the flanges raw edges along the raw edges of the embroidery square so that the folded edge faces toward the center of the block. Using a scant 1/4" seam, baste these two flanges to the piece.

Baste the remaining two flange strips to the top and bottom; again using a scant 1/4" seam.

Why a scant 1/4" seam and why baste?  You don't want this seam to show after you sew on the border.  But if it does show, it will be easy to remove the stitches if basted.

STEP 5: ATTACH the BORDER to the block

The border is a simple border with a cornerstone in each corner.   

With a normal length stitch, sew two light blue 1-1/4" x 5" strips to each side of the block.  Press the seam away from the flange, toward the border.

Now it is time to make the top and bottom border with the cornerstones.
Add a 1-1/4" white (cream) square to each end of the remaining lighter blue strips.  Sew with a 1/4" seam.
Add these longer border strips, with cornerstones, to the top and bottom of the block. Simply pin the strip matching the seams.

At the sewing machine, sew on the strips with a 1/4" seam.
After both strips are sewn on, press the seam toward the border.  The piece should look similar to the following picture.

STEP 6: FINISHING ENVELOPE style

To finish the snow buddies project, the envelope style finish, also known as the pillowcase finish, will be used.  Small projects lend themself well to this technique which requires no binding.

What exactly is the envelope or pillowcase finish?  The project's three layers - the top, batting, and backing - are sewn together and then flipped right side out through an opening.  The opening is then hand-sewn closed.  Hand or machine quilting can be added at the end.

So let's learn how to do the envelope finish.

Place the batting on a flat surface.  Smooth out the batting to remove any wrinkles.

Press the backing fabric and place it, right side up, on top of the batting.

Then, place the well-pressed top embroidery piece, face down on the backing fabric.  Pin all around the edge.   

When sewing the pieces together, an opening of 2 - 3" will be left unsewn.  This opening will be used to turn the quilt piece right side out.  Sew the layers together with a 1/4" seam backstitching at the beginning and end. Remember to leave the opening.

A Tip:  To ensure that I don't forget to leave the opening, I like to place two pins where I will begin sewing and two pins where I plan to end sewing.  This is a visual reminder to stop sewing before reaching the starting point.

Trim all four corners as shown above.  Be sure to not cut the seam when you trim.  Turn the project right side out.

Hand stitch the opening closed using your favorite method.  

A good method for sewing it closed is to use a ladder stitch.  Do you need a tutorial on how to do the ladder stitch? Click on the link for a video tutorial.

STEP 7: QUILTING the snowman project

To quilt or not to quilt?  The finished snowman buddies project is small, 6" square,  so you don't have to quilt it.  But If you want it, you can quilt it by hand or machine. 

The above-finished project was not quilted.

This next photo is an example of it quilted using the stitch-in-the-ditch method.

It was machine quilting in the seam between the flange and the border.

Below is a picture of the back of the project quilted with the stitch in the ditch.

Another way of quilting would be to stitch around the perimeter as shown in the sample below.

Needlepointers.com hopes you enjoyed this tutorial.  We are always happy to get feedback from our guests.  Just contact us or comment on our YouTube videos.

Embroidery FUN!

learn Different types of embroidery styles

• Chicken Scratch Embroidery - Learn how to do this traditional type of embroidery.
• Crewel Embroidery - is a beautiful type of surface embroidery that’s been around for over a thousand years.