If you Want to Knit a Snowman
On a Circular Knitting Machine 🙂
Materials for Completion:
40 Pin Knitting Machine – I have the Loops and Threads Machine or 48 Pin Machine
Worsted Weight Yarn:
- Suggested yarns
- Yarn for Snowman’s Body – I used Bernant Baby Velvet Yarn
- Yarn for Scarf & Hat – I used Lion Brand Ferris Wheel
- Yarn (or carrot button) for Carrot Nose – I used a leftover bit of orange yarn
White Thread or String
Darning Needle
Beads or Buttons for Eyes
Small Beads for Mouth
Poly-Fil Stuffing
Scissors
Fimo – for carrot nose
Tension: 40 pin machine Moderate (middle hole only on 40 pin)
Tension: 48 pin machine Tight (first hole closest to machine on 48 pin)
Optional supplies:
Row Counter, Felt for scarf, Carrot Button for nose, Tiny Top Hat, Safety Eyes/Noses
Sizes: Sizes are relatively similar for both machines, the 48 pin makes a somewhat rounder snowman, but they are about the same height.
Small – Approximately 5” x 5.5” when finished
Large – 7” x 7.5”
Gauge: Not terribly important for this pattern
This little snowman also looks great with a Fimo Nose, Safety Eyes, and Safety Noses to make the coal buttons on his belly
Directions: Either size machineÂ
Using the White Velvet Yarn
Cast on and crank out…
- Small – 50 Rounds or until work measures 5.5” unstretched.
- Large – 70 Rounds or until work measures 7” unstretched.
I use a row counter but measured my work on the machine from the pins to the cast on edge.
Cast off by using the darning needle and picking up all stitches from machine.
Step 1: Cinch both ends so that they are somewhat closed, then pull one end within itself and cinch tightly to close, tie off with a knot, and trim, the remaining tail will be left on the inside of the snowman’s body. Flip inside out.
Step 2: Using the white string and your darning needle, pick up every other stitch along the folded edge to create a drawstring around the entire circumference.
Cinch slightly, leaving enough room for filling with the stuffing.
Fill with Poly-Fil and cinch tight to close. Leave a pretty long yarn tail, as you will use this later.
Step3: Using a new piece of white string and the darning needle, create another drawstring by picking up every other stitch along a row about 2.5” -3.5” down from the top depending on if you are doing the Small or Large Snowman.
Tie with a knot and wrap around once. Tie a couple of knots and leave a long tail. You will use this thread to add your details to the face.
Take the string from the bottom of the snowman and using the darning needle thread it up to the neck of the snowman, hiding the string behind the stitches so the string cannot be seen. Tie this thread to the thread from the neck, pull slightly as it will help shape the bottom of the snowman.
Take the string from the bottom of the snowman and using the darning needle thread it up to the neck of the snowman, hiding the string behind the stitches so the string cannot be seen. Tie this thread onto the other thread to secure in place, pull slightly as it will help shape the bottom of the snowman. You will now have 4 strings coming out of the neck, these 4 pieces of thread will be used to sew on the details of the face, the scarf and the hat.
Step 4: Now you are ready to add the details.
I added beads for the eyes and mouth, a crochet carrot nose and knitted a little hat and scarf to add decoration to my snowman.Â
This little snowman looks pretty cute without a hat. But the scarf is somewhat necessary as it hides the thread that was used to sew everything together.
If you want more details on how to sew on the face and nose as well as how to crochet the carrot nose view the PDF version of this pattern. I have put together a little photo tutorial on how I added everything onto my little snowman.
You can also make a nose using Fimo Clay

I use just a small amount of orange Fimo clay, I cut one segment into either 2 or 3 pieces to start.
Roll the Fimo into a tube to soften it, then shape into a cone.
Once you have your cone shape, I like to pinch the end and flatten it just a bit to make sort of a button end that I can insert into the snowman’s face and tie on and glue, I think it works better than just a flat piece glued on. I add a hole as shown in the top right corner image below. Using your knife, add a few lines along the cone to make the lines of the carrot.
I use parchment paper on a cookie sheet and bake according to the packaging. The last image shows the pieces of clay and the size nose each piece makes(I did NOT bake the squares, I just wanted to show each piece and how many carrots I made with them), I made a few large and small noses as well as a few flat ones. The large nose is one segment cut into 2 pieces, the smaller nose is a segment cut into 3rds and the flat nose is the segment cut into 4ths.
Oh, and don’t for get to add a tag 🙂
I made little tags to go with the snowman and I have them available for free, just click on the link below to download.
I hope you have enjoyed this pattern. If you knit one of these little snowman please share with me on social media, I love seeing what people make using ideas they found on my blog. You can share by tagging me @savlabot or using #Savlabot
This pattern and the pictures are property of Savlabot and may not be shared or sold. You are welcome to sell finished products that are made using this pattern, but please link pattern/blog post to Savlabot as the author or the pattern link in your description and use pictures you have taken yourself if posting in an online marketplace such as Etsy. If you share on social media please tag me with @savlabot and use #savlabot. Thank you.
Love it!
Did you glue on the eyes and buttons or attach safety ones before you stuffed it? Thank you.
I glue them on. I use hot glue or a fabric craft bond glue to attach them. I don’t give or sell these as a toy so if you do glue them on I would be sure to add a note that they are not attached using a safety backing. I find that with the knitting machine tubes the safety eyes do not stay on as well as they do with hand knit or even crochet work when attached with the safety backing so I just started gluing them in place, I find it easier.
Savla
I love this snowman. I dont have a knitting machine. Can you give me directions on how to knit without a machine ?
I haven’t made this by hand so I don’t have instructions on how to do it. For the most part it is just a tube, so you could use the suggested needle size for the yarn you choose (if using a worsted weight yarn) and then knit a tube following the row counts. The knitting machine is 40 pins so a good starting point would be 40 sts or so. Once you have your tube the directions would be really similar, the only thing would be adding a drawstring onto the cast on edge so that you can cinch that end closed. Then follow the other steps in the post.