When life gives you lemons…. Make angry snowman ornaments.
Fun story: just before thanksgiving, while running, in the dark, I took a huge spill. It was the end of the run so I was not at a jog but full middle aged craft lady speed. The momentum was considerable.
I broke the fall with my face. So painful. And smashed my brand new glasses. Two weeks later I’m mostly healed and new glasses finally turned up a couple days ago. The interruption at a busy time is super frustrating and I’m considerably behind on all my wassailing projects.
These little disgruntled snowmen feel like perfect expressions of my holiday rage. Look at this guy – he’s livid.
And so quick and easy to make. Plus you can turn his frown upside down if you feel like it.
let’s make some angry snowmen
you will need
the template
a basic sewing kit
fabric scraps
wool scraps
stuffing
embroidery thread – brown, orange, black
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1. Pin the snowman template to doubled fabric- right sides together – and cut out.
2. Separate the pieces and trace the features onto the right side of one piece.
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3. Pin the pieces right sides together- mark the 1/4 inch seam line – and sew- leaving open where indicated on the pattern.
4. Clip wedges around the curves.
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5. Turn right side out. Run the large end of a chopstick or similar firmly around the seam inside to push out the curves. Add stuffing.
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6. Fold in the edges of the opening and whip stitch closed.
7. Embroider the simple eyes and mouth with backstitch. Use this trick to hide your knots.
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8. Embroider the nose with satin stitch ( I only had sewing thread in orange and that worked)
9. For stick arms – make a knot about 2 and 1/2 inches from the end of brown embroidery thread.
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10. Insert the needle in the side seam.
11. Bring it out on the opposite side and pull until the knot catches.
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12. Make a knot at the seam.
13. Trim the arms.
Pro Tip – use wax or starch to stiffen the arms a little. A stiff hair product can work too. It’s all about those arms – lots of rage potential.
Tear a 1/2 inch strip of wool, tie it around his neck and trim. Add a hanging loop to the head. I’m wishing I used red and white bakers twine…
So sorry about your fall! I hope you are well on the way to recovery. These are adorable,and I think I could actually sew these myself. Thanks for the template and the tutorial.
I feel like your angry snowmen could also be turned into angry ghosties by omitting the carrot nose and stick arms
well, dammit.
pretty sure that snowman is shooting a proverbial birdie. so sorry! so glad you’re on the mend and have glasses back. Not what any of us wanted for you, but I sure love these grumpy snow guys. thank you for making lemonade and sharing it around. #speedyrecovery
Thank you! I am so sorry about your fall. The shock of it is also traumatizing isn’t it? It sounds as if you are healing quickly so am happy for that but yes, what an unfortunate time to take a spill. Love the snowmen and thank you for sharing the pattern. Happy Holidays and best wishes to you in the New Year.
Ugh! Sorry to hear about your fall! I took a big spill just before a vacation to Germany a couple of years ago. really messed up my face for a while (luckily we were still wearing masks on the airplane, so I hid my face). I love your angry snowmen – thank you, as always, for you great ideas and tutorials!
Thanks Karla! The face injury thing is super weird to walk around with isn’t it?
Sorry to hear about the fall – it would take me a while to regain confidence about night running after something like that! However, lemons 2 lemonade, the angry snow people are great.
Best wishes for a speedy continued recovery.
Thanks Ceci – and yes- it definitely has spooked me- no more running in the dark.
Loving the angry snowmen!!!! And the wax paper snowflakes are just delightful!!!! I would have never thought to use wax paper!!! Glad you are ok after your fall. I understand as I recently tripped and did a face plant also. All I could think of was my front teeth! And then how filthy my carpet was!!!! . Love your posts!
Carpet – that’s hilarious. Teeth plus pavement is never good – super lucky in that regard.
So sorry about your fall but look what came out of it! A adorable sweet little snow buddy weathering the snow! Love your little creations! Get well soon!
So sorry about your fall. I had a similar event back in March. I’m still not quite sure how it happened but one minute I was walking my pup, Charlie, with my daughter and her pup and then I hit the pavement face first and hard. At 83, covered with blood and what appeared to be a broken nose, I was off to the ER to be stitched up and CAT scanned. Minor concussion, lots of stitches, two black eyes, many bruises but my nose was not broken. Took weeks to recover. I’m still out walking everyday with Charlie but very carefully. I hope your recovery is speedy and your holidays are merry. And now off to try that angry snowman.
Oh boy – wishing you continued recovery Virginia – that sound brutal.
Today, I felt like an angy snowman too! I had to stand up against a bully and am proud that I did!
Good recovery to you!
Oh my goodness, that sounds so painful and scary, I can’t imagine!
Thank you for still posting these guys! I think it might be fun to make them double sided, 2 totally different faces…. Maybe I might also be sleepy… Cause how cute would a sleeping snowperson be? And I have a question it applies on these guys and on your sweet elephant I just finished, is there any reason to not do the face embroidery while the critters are not sewn together yet?
Live the snowman. I am making him with the kids later.
Falling is the pits. Glad the damage was not permanent.
Donated to the free pattern fund. Over the years I have really enjoyed your patterns. Made a few sailing ships and elegant ragdolls and they have been well loved.
Oh Geez! Falling is awful especially when your face takes the brunt. Glad to hear you are on the mend! I have so many projects on my Christmas plate, but I am definitely making at least one angry snowman (for now). Thanks!
Really like the snowman – thank you for your enormous generosity!
Sorry about your fall, too. I experienced a similar fall a couple of years ago while walking my dog and tripping over a large branch. Fell flat on my face on the concrete sidewalk! Broke my sunglasses (and possibly my nose, but didn’t bother to go to the ER). Blood everywhere and was wearing a white winter coat – yikes! Looked like I’d been in a brawl, but healed fairly quickly.
Glad you’re on the mend!
Thanks so much for the template and tutorial. So sorry about the fall. Glad you are recovering and have your new glasses now! Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season.
Happy Holidays Ann! I had a similar fall during Covid and I refer to it as the fall when my glasses ate my face. The angry snowman is adorable. Thanks for your generosity and the pattern.
These are so cute. They would look good in white fleece.
I’m glad you’re doing better. Amazing how one misstep can change the direction of our lives.
Your beautiful 2025 calendar just arrived in the mail. Love it. Thank you.
I was told recently that old people ‘have a fall’ and the rest of us ‘fell over!’ A subtle difference in hitting the ground with our face. I broke my arm walking and the frustration of being limited in my creative plans was annoying. So glad you are back to making and sharing. Live all you posts and links to other interesting places. Take care
Ann, so sorry about your fall. A couple of weeks ago I tripped in my basement holding my Christmas teapot, which shattered and onto which I fell, cutting my cheek and needing 6 stitches. Luckily at my age (74) that was the worst of it! Love the disgruntled snowman and appreciate your sharing. Take care and watch your step. You are loved!
So sorry to hear about your fall but glad you are on the mend.
Thank you so much for the angry snowman template and instructions.I quite like the idea of making him angry on one side and happy on the other.
Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and a great New Year.xx
Ohhh I’m so sorry to hear that you fell! Especially when we’re not 20 anymore but the mind hasn’t quite grasped that fact? Perhaps reconsidering running at night except to the bathroom? 🙂
I took a fall on the ice twice this past year myself while learning how to navigate on it. Fortunately not on my face but on my backside and was bruised for months!! We recently moved to snow country and I love it! My backside perhaps not so much?
Please be careful out there while trying to live a healthy lifestyle without killing yourself! 😉
Love your little disgruntled snowmen! So cute. Amazed that you were able to get out of bed after that crash to do anything! You have my respect!
Be well. ❤️
So sorry about your tumble. The snowmen are adorable,,,,,,,,,,,,
Take care on those runs!
Honey!! im glad you are on the mend! love these little snow guys.
I am so sorry you fell, and am happy you are recovering and didn’t break any bones!!! The snowmen are adorable. Thank you for your immense talent and generosity. xo
NO running with scissors and NO running in the dark! Very sorry this happened, esp at this time for you. Stay well and esp wishing you a good holiday season and 2025!
I’m so very sorry to hear about your fall resulting in your face taking a hard blow. I hope you’re recovering well. I love how you’ve taken an unfortunate situation and created positivity from it, in the form of the fun angry snowmen. Thank you for sharing these adorable fellows with us.
Absolutely love your angry snowman! Thank you so much for the pattern and tutorial. Perfectly expresses common frustrations at this time of year when we try to tick every box.
Merry Christmas and Cheers to the New Year!
Best wishes from sunny Perth, Western Australia
PS: Love your calendar! Hope it is successful. I love your little artworks.
Oh, Lordy! So sorry about your nasty fall. I’ve taken more than one fall over the past several years, and, of course, I’m no spring chicken. It’s always such a shock and luckily, thus far, no serious injuries. Or as I’m repeatedly told, “At least you didn’t break a hip!” Aging is not for wimps. Which brings me to your angry snowman — he/she is just what we all need right now. There’s a lot to be cranky about these days, but also lots to be grateful for & to celebrate, such as this lovely stitching community. Cheers, and please stick to the daylight hours for running. It’s a jungle out there! May we all stay upright!
XX OO
Sending healing thoughts across the pond!
Your projects always make me smile- thank you!
Luise – Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK
Oh dear, you poor lamb. I’m so sorry for the fall, hopefully you will heal soon. Best not run, maybe just walk briskly!
So sad yet hilarious!
Oh Ann, so sorry about your fall! I tripped over an unpainted speed bump one time and also fell on my face. I had two terrible black eyes for at least a couple weeks, so I wore different purple and lavender shirts to work to match because no amount of make-up would help! As the purple faded, I changed to green or yellow outfits. Everyone loved the idea.
Oh no! I would be lost without my glasses…threading a needle would be an impossibility. I live in NZ where we enjoy a summer Christmas but the weather has been anything but warm. Yesterday a large area of the North Island was without power for a few hours because of a lightning strike…and last week a fully laden branch was blown free from our apricot tree! And climate change isn’t a thing according to a lot of people?
Thank you so much for your wonderful blog posts throughout the years. Years ago I made some of your boats and love them still. I need to make a pussycat to go with the owl in one of them!
Have a wonderful Christmas season free of spills…except if they are celebratory drink spills!
Aw. Take good care. Know you are loved. Merry Christmas!