January Block- Snowman

January Snowman.JPG

January’s Snowman is a shout out to our cold Canadian winters when we couldn’t wait for “packing” snow. Who else remembers hours and hours as a child building snowmen and snowforts and having snowball fights? Bring back those memories, and share them with someone else, with this fun snowman block.

(***scroll to the bottom of the page for a printable PDF version of this pattern)

Cutting Instructions (for one 12” finished block- it will be 12 ½” before sewing on 1 ½” strips):

Outer border fabric (.25 m / ¼ yd): *** you might not want to cut the outer border lengths until your block is completed with narrow background borders in case seam allowances are not consistent

  • cut two 3 ½” WOF (width of fabric) strips (cut one 14 ½” and one 20 ½” length from each strip)

Binding: three 2 ½” strips (.25 m / ¼ yd)

Backing: one piece 23” square

Batting: one piece 23” square

Hanging sleeve: one piece 5” x 20 ½”

From a variety of white on white scraps:

  • cut sixteen 2 ½” squares

  • cut two 3” squares

  • cut one 1 ½” x 14 ½” strip

From a variety of blue scraps:

  • cut sixteen 2 ½” squares

  • cut two 3” squares

  • cut four 1 ½” squares

  • cut 2 strips 1 ½” x 12 ½”

  • cut 1 strip 1 ½” x 14 ½”


 

Sewing instructions:

*** ¼” seam allowances are used throughout. Refer to my Scant Quarter Inch tutorial for your own perfect ¼” seam.

Half Square Triangles (HST's): gather up the 3” squares from above (*** the following HST's are in different colours...the prepping is the same)

figure 1

figure 1

  • draw a diagonal line on the back of the 3” white squares

  • with right sides together place a white square with a blue square and stitch ¼” from both sides of the drawn line (repeat for remaining set)

  • cut them apart along the drawn line and press towards the blue (figure 1)

Trimming HST's: (*** the following HST's are in different colours...the trimming is the same)

  • line up the diagonal line from the ruler on top of the seam line making sure that the entire 2 ½” area of the ruler is on top of the HST and trim the excess from the right and top of the square (figures 2 & 3)

  • turn the HST around and place the 2 ½” markings from the ruler on the already trimmed corner and trim the final 2 sides (figures 4 & 5)...repeat with all HST's

figure 2

figure 2

figure 3

figure 3

figure 4

figure 4

figure 5

figure 5

figure 6

figure 6

Snowman head: four 2 ½ white squares and four 1 ½” blue squares

  • draw a diagonal line on the back of all the 1 ½” blue squares

  • with right sides together place a blue square on one corner of a white square and stitch along the drawn line, repeat for the other 3 squares

  • trim the seam allowance to ¼” and press to the corner (figure 6)

Block layout:

  • lay out the squares, snowman head pieces and HST's by following the photograph below for placement (figure 7)

  • stitch squares in each row together and press seams in each row in the opposite direction to the one before it (figure 8)

  • stitch all rows together lining up seam lines (figure 9)

  • press seams in one direction

figure 7

figure 7

figure 8

figure 8

figure 9

figure 9

Narrow borders (figure 10):

figure 10

figure 10

  • stitch the 1 ½” x 12 ½” blue strips to the sides of the block and press seams toward the strips

  • stitch the 1 ½” x 14 ½” blue strip to the top of the block and press seam toward the strip

  • stitch the 1 ½” x 14 ½” white strip to the bottom of the block and press seam toward the strip

*** If you plan on making a calendar quilt, just stop with this completed block. If you want to make a wallhanging follow the instructions below.

Outer border:

  • stitch 3 ½” x 14 ½” outer borders to the sides of the block and press seams toward the borders (figure 11)

  • stitch 3 ½” x 20 ½” outer borders to the top and bottom of the block and press seams toward the borders (figure 12)

figure 11

figure 11

figure 12

figure 12

Finishing:

  • layer the backing, batting and top together and either spray-baste or pin-baste the layers together

  • quilt as desired, also run a straight stitch within the seam allowance all around the outer edge...this stabilizes the edge for applying the binding

  • trim backing and batting even with the quilt top

  • follow my Hanging Sleeve tutorial coming soon!

  • apply the binding using your preferred method (the hanging sleeve will be stitched in place as the binding is sewn on) or follow my Best Ever Binding tutorial

Embellishments: have fun embellishing your snowman to suit your style!

  • buttons: 2 for eyes, 5 mini ones for mouth, 3 for front buttons

  • add a carrot nose…I used fusible web, but there are also buttons in the shape of carrots!

  • arms: use actual sticks like I did for the sample OR hand embroider stick arms OR thread paint stick arms OR design your own from fabric scraps and attach with fusible web

  • optional: sew snowflake buttons or sequins onto the background, add a scarf or hat

Enjoy the compliments!