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A sock snowman is a plump little snowman made from a plain white sock filled with rice, dressed in a fuzzy sock hat and sweater. This version comes from Make Life Lovely, and it takes about 10 minutes from start to finish. There is no sewing at all. Rubber bands shape the body and a glue gun holds the face and buttons. They cost very little, so you can make a whole row of them for teachers, neighbors and grandkids.
For the body, use a new white men's crew sock with no colored heel or toe. A gray heel shows through and looks like a smudge. Turning the sock inside out gives a softer, fluffier snowman and hides the ribbing. For the hat and sweater, fuzzy women's socks work best. The stripes and snowflake patterns sold every December make each snowman look different. One fuzzy sock dresses one snowman.
Rice gives the snowman weight, so it sits up on a shelf and does not tip over. Plain long grain rice is cheapest. Plastic poly pellets are a good swap if the snowman might end up near a damp window or a curious dog, since rice can attract pests over time. Polyester stuffing makes a lighter snowman, but it will not stand on its own unless you add a handful of rice at the bottom.
Bounce the sock on the table as you fill it. The rice settles and you can fit more in, which keeps the snowman round and firm.
The eyes and nose are tiny, so your fingers get close to the glue. Use a low temperature glue gun if you have one, and press the pieces on with the tip of a toothpick or the end of a pencil. Children can do the filling, shaping and dressing, and a grown-up can handle the glue.
Fold a row of paper snowmen with the kids, or try a crochet snowman ornament for the tree. For a quieter afternoon, paint a snowman or draw one.
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Make a sock snowman from a white sock and rice in 10 minutes. An easy project: about 15 minutes. Materials cost about $3 to $8. You need 12 things, including white men's crew sock, fuzzy patterned sock and about 3 cups of rice. The 10 steps start with cut the White Sock Under the Heel for the Sock Snowman, funnel Rice Into the Sock Snowman Body and tie the Top of the Rice-Filled Sock With a Rubber Band.
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Start with a new, clean white men's sock that has no colored heel or toe. Lay it flat and cut straight across right under the heel. You will use the long tube part with the toe still closed. Now turn the sock inside out. The inside is softer and fluffier, and the knit lines do not show as much on the finished snowman.
Crew socks give a good size. Ankle socks are too short.
Plan on about three cups of rice for each snowman. Open the sock and set a wide funnel inside so the rice goes in without spilling everywhere. Pour in a cup at a time. Every so often, bounce the sock on the table and pull it up to stretch it. The rice settles and makes room for more, so the snowman stays plump and stands up well.
No funnel? Roll a sheet of paper into a cone.
When the sock is nice and full, gather the open top together. Wrap a rubber band around it several times so it holds tight. A second rubber band is good insurance. You can also use string or a ponytail holder. Leave the little tuft of sock sticking up for now. It gets trimmed and hidden under the hat later.
Squeeze out extra air before you tie it so the body is firm.
Decide where the head should go. About one third of the way down from the top looks right. Slide another rubber band over the top and down to that spot, wrapping it a couple of times to cinch in a neck. Press and shape the two sections with your hands until both look round. Make Life Lovely uses two bands here to be safe.
Roll the band up or down to make the head bigger or smaller.
Grab a colored or patterned sock for the clothes. Lay it flat and cut across a few inches above the toe. That toe piece becomes the hat. Then cut again right under the heel. The tube between your two cuts becomes the sweater. Trim the extra tuft off the top of the snowman so the hat sits flat.
Fuzzy socks with stripes or snowflakes look the cutest.
Pull the toe piece over the top of the head like a knit cap and fold up the edge for a brim. Then slide the sock tube down over the body as a sweater. Fold the top of it over to look like a collar. Tug it around until it is on straight and even, with the same amount of white showing at the bottom on every side.
If the sweater is long, fold the bottom edge under.
Cut a short piece of orange pipe cleaner for a carrot nose. Set it in the middle of the face. Place two tiny black buttons above it for eyes. Move them around until the face looks right to you, then glue each one down with a hot glue gun. Be careful here. The pieces are small and your fingers are close to the hot glue.
Press small pieces on with a toothpick to keep your fingers clear.
For rosy cheeks, use a bit of pink powder blush. Take a tiny pom pom, dip it in the blush, and press it gently on each side of the face. Start light. You can always add more. A cotton swab or a small makeup brush works the same way. The cheeks give the snowman a sweet, chilly look.
Tap off extra blush first so you do not get a dark spot.
Pick a pom pom in a size you like for the top of the hat. White looks like a classic winter cap, but a color that matches the sweater is fun too. Add a dab of hot glue and press it onto the tip of the hat. Then lift the edges of the hat and sweater and glue them in place so nothing slides.
A larger pom pom hides a lumpy hat top.
Finish with a few buttons down the front of the sweater. Make Life Lovely uses three small red ones, with a heart shaped button at the top. Space them evenly and glue each one with a small dot of hot glue. Set your snowman on a shelf, a mantel or a windowsill, or wrap it up as a gift.
Match the button color to the hat for a pulled-together look.
Keep going
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More on this topic, picked for this sock snowman.
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How to Make a Sock Snowman (10 Minute No-Sew Christmas Craft)
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E6000 Craft Adhesive, Clear (3.7 oz)
The industrial-strength craft glue that bonds glass, wood, ceramic, metal, fabric, and concrete. The one adhesive most craft projects reach for.
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OLFA 18" x 24" Self-Healing Cutting Mat
The pro-standard cutting surface. Gridlines for square cuts, self-healing so blades never leave grooves, and big enough for paper, fabric, and leather.
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