Making a Sock Snowman

Craft Project: Sock Snowman

This is a novel way to give sports socks at Christmas time, using a pair of socks and a roll of toilet tissue.

Approximate Time: 20 minutes or less

Supplies:

• 1 pair white tube socks, either plain or with stripe around top
• 1 roll toilet tissue
• 2 black buttons with shanks for eyes
• red, pink, or orange button for nose
• 3 buttons for vest
• scrap of ribbon for scarf
• thread and needle

Instructions:

Slip roll of toilet tissue down into very end of one of the tube socks.

Roll up other sock and insert into first sock so that it sits on toilet tissue, forming snowman's head.

Fold down top of tube sock to form stocking cap.

Make "pompom" by tightening top using an elastic band or thread.

Sew on eyes and nose, also three buttons down the front.

Tie on a scrap of material or ribbon for the scarf. (If using plain white socks, a tiny sprig of holly fastened to the side of the stocking cap looks nice.)

By Preserver from Manitoba, Canada

Tube Sock Snowman

Supplies

• 1 men's white athletic tube sock
• Rice
• Yarn or rubber bands
• Black permanent marker
• Red baby sock
• Decorative holiday fabric and felt
• Scissors
• Craft glue or a hot glue gun
• Assorted bits and pieces (buttons, bows, pipe cleaners, sticks, etc.) from around the house

Instructions

To start the snowman's body, take the sock and make sure it is actually a "tube" sock (it should be straight with no bend for the heel and foot). Most socks have a smooth surface on the outside and a textured, rough, loop surface on the inside. If you prefer the snowman to have a textured body, turn the sock inside out.

Hold the top of the sock open and fill the sock roughly two-thirds full of rice (this will form the body of the snowman, give him weight so he remains stationary, and enable him to have a flat bottom so he can sit solidly on a table, desk, or mantel).

Tie a piece of yarn or secure with a rubber band to form the snowman's body and head. A large ball for the body and a slightly smaller ball for the head. Divide the sock accordingly with slightly more than half of the rice toward the bottom and the smaller amount above, forming the head. Leave about one inch or so of the sock above the head to secure the hat and tie off with yarn or rubber band.

Stretch red baby sock over head to form a hat. (I could not find red baby socks so I purchased white ones and died them with Rit fabric dye.) Of course, any color will do.

Decorate the snowman and give it some personality. Make decorating the snowman a "treasure hunt" of things found around the house and outdoors. Pieces of felt, colorful material, holiday gift-wrap ribbon, buttons (matched and mismatched), fabric pom-poms for facial features and clothing accessories. Where the yarn divides the snowman head and body, cut a length of decorative felt or plaid/holiday-print material and wrap it around his neck to form a scarf. A brightly colored pom-pom might make a fun addition to the top of the hat. Be sure to add eyes (either "googly" eyes, buttons, or painted with a permanent marker), a nose (an orange "carrot" cut from felt or a piece of pipe cleaner will do the trick), and a line of buttons (I cut circles from craft foam) down the snowman's front to complete his ensemble! Small sticks or pipe cleaners may also be inserted into the snowman's body to form arms. Craft glue will hold the decorative bits in place or a hot glue gun may also be used to attach the pieces.

By Melanie from Wilkesboro, NC