Keeping It simple - Frosty the Minky Pink Snowman

September 10, 2010 db1921 Comments (1) Not rated yet

One of our granddaughters loves Frosty the Snowman. We sing the song daily - even when it is 100+ degrees here. We read the book almost as often. So I decided to create a Frosty sweatshirt for her even though winter isn't here yet. When I asked her what color sweatshirt she would like she quickly responded with "I want a soft pink Frosty, like this." She was pointing at a Minky baby blanket. Now, I know that wasn't exactly the answer to the question but it did save me a trip to the store. I had a white sweatshirt and some left-over pink Minky fabric. Now all I needed was a snowman appliqué design. I didn't have one that was just right so I made my own which I will share with you below as long as you remember that I am not a professional digitizer. Here is the Pink Frosty Sweatshirt. I may add some more buttons or ribbon or embroidered snowflakes. I haven't decided yet.

Here is what you need:

1. A child's sweatshirt (her's is a size 4)

2. Scraps of minky at least 5.5" square

3. Scrap of cotton for the scarf

4. A snowman appliqué design (Click here to download the one I made)

5. Stabilizer (Adhesive backed is best but I was out so I used a medium tear away and temporary adhesive.)

6. Large straight pins (for my method)

7. Printed template (You can do this in Catalog Xpress or Alpha Xpress)

8. Two sided appliqué iron on such as Transweb or HeatnBond (optional but I always use it on items that will be washed often.)

8. Small appliqué snips (See this blog for more about these)

What you do:

1. Fold the sweatshirt vertically and crease it to find the center.

2. Pin the template where you would like it on the sweatshirt using the crease to help align it.

3. Hoop the stabilizer and spray all around the edges. Slide the sweatshirt over the hoop and center the template. Press to the adhesive. Now pin all the way around to secure your embroidery area making sure the pins are out of the way of the area that will be used by the embroidery foot. Secure it as well as possible since the key to sweatshirts is to never have to pull or smooth while in the hoop. If you do the design will not sew correctly.

4. Turn the hoop over and carefully turn all the sweatshirt to the front.

5. Now pin everything you can out of the way of the embroidery area and such that it cannot slide under the hoop.

6. Slowly slide onto your machine, check your center and remove the template.

7. Embroider the first color of the snowman. Prepare the Mnky by ironing on the Transweb and removing the paper backing. Place Minky side up over the embroidered outline making sure it is completely covering the area.

8. Embroider the second color. Very carefully remove the hoop from the machine and place on a flat surface. Using your snips cut closely around the outside of the stitches. (Snips are really a must if yu want to do applique.)

9. Carefully slide the hoop back on the machine and embroider the third color.

10. Embroider the fourth color which shows where to place the snowman's scarf. Prepare the scrap for the scarf the same way as you did for the Minky. Place face up over the outline area.

11. Embroider the fifth color. Very carefully remove the hoop from the machine and place on a flat surface. Using your snips cut closely around the outside of the stitches.

12 . Carefully slide the hoop back on the machine and embroider the sixth color.

13. Finish the design. If you want to you can use small scraps of wash away stabilizer under the face and heart. I did not bother on mine. Add a fun button or bow and you have the only pink Frosty in town.

Since I had to test sew the design I made I revived a sweatshirt with a pizza sauce stain. If it didn't sew well I was out nothing and if it did we could use it later for the baby. Here is the test sew shirt.