Disclosure: Some of the links in the article below may be affiliate links. This means that I may earn a small commission if you click on them and make a purchase.
What says wintertime more than a snowman? Whether it’s for the holidays or just a wintertime decoration, a snowman can bring thoughts of a cold, snowy season. This snowman is a little different than the ordinary 3-ball snowman that you may be used to. He/she welcomes your visitors with open arms and can cheer everyone up with a smile!
The finished snowman measures about 8 1/4-inches tall and about 5 1/4-inches wide at the widest point.
It has multiple layers that you’ll need to cut out in different sections before gluing together. Once finished to your liking, you’ll have a handsome fella that will look great mixed in with your wintertime decorations.
Download The Pattern (Free)
To start you’ll need to download the pattern. You can download it for free below (no catches).
Once downloaded, you’ll need to print it out on standard printer paper. Make sure it is scaled to 100% or actual size when printing.
Choose Your Wood & Place the Pattern
I used 1/4-inch plywood for mine. The exact thickness of the wood I used is 0.230 inches or 5.9 mm. Depending on the thickness of the wood you use, you may need to adjust the cutouts in the base that the snowman sits in. The cutouts are measured using the wood I used so if your wood is thicker, you’ll need larger cutouts. If your wood is thinner, you’ll need smaller cutouts.
Be sure to measure the exact thickness of your wood before making the cutouts in the base. Adjust the size of these cutouts to match the thickness of your wood.
Once you have decided on the wood you’ll use, you will need to secure the pattern pieces on it. There are numerous ways to do this but I prefer to use double-sided sticky scroll saw tape as it is easy to work with and keeps the pattern secured tightly as you scroll over it.
You can purchase it here (affiliate link).
It is a bit expensive if you use it a lot but for the occasional scroller, it’s a great solution. Personally, I prefer convenience and often pay more for solutions like this that make the overall job easier.
You can also use painter’s tape or spray adhesive if you wish.
Step 1 – Cut Out All Pieces of the Snowman’s Body
Once you have the pattern pieces secured to the wood, you will simply need to cut them out with your scroll saw, taking extra care in some of the smaller areas.
The biggest problem area will be the ball on top of the hat. This will require some small in-and-out cuts to produce the fluffy look. The mouth may also be a challenge and will require drilling a small hole first so that you can thread the blade through.
Most other areas of the pattern should be easy to cut. Perfection is not necessary to make it look great in the end. Just do the best you can and you’ll end up with a nice-looking, rustic snowman.
Note: on pieces that require separating such as the hat, scarf, and coat bottom, cut the full pieces out first and then separate.
Optional – Cut One Eye in Half
Depending on the thickness of the wood you have used, you may end up with eyes that stick out too far and look goofy. You can cut these eyes in half using your scroll saw to end up with thinner eyes that look more normal. I used a long pair of pliers to hold the eye while cutting it in half with my scroll saw blade.
Of course, you’ll only need one eye if doing this so the other one will be wasted unless you choose not to cut it out in the first place. In the end, thinner eyes like this will look better.
Step 2 – Make Sure All Pieces Fit
Once everything has been cut, you will need to dry-fit everything together and make sure it all fits together as it should. If you have followed all the lines of the pattern, you should have no problems. However, we are only human and sometimes scroll outside the lines. There is no shame in re-cutting a few pieces if necessary.
It happens to me all the time!
Step 3 – Sand
Sanding is my least favorite part of scrolling but it also needs to be done if you want a clean product in the end. Be careful when sanding smaller areas as you may break pieces off. While plywood generally has a lot of strength, rough handling of delicate areas can cause damage.
I usually sand to 220-grit depending on the type of finish I am going for. The main goal is to remove any splintered edges that may be present.
Step 4 – Finish & Assemble
For my snowman, I chose to go with a natural look rather than a colorful version. My wife is the painter and did an amazing job on it! While it looks like it is stained in areas, she accomplished this look using watered-down acrylic paints.
The sky is the limit on ways you could finish this piece so have fun with it and make it look great in your home.
We finished our snowman first and then assembled each piece with wood glue. However, you may find it better to glue it all together first and then finish. It depends on the type of finish you are going for.
Enjoy Your Finished Snowman
If you are looking for an easy way to add some holiday decorations, this scroll saw snowman will fit the bill. With the provided pattern, you can easily cut it out, and finish it in only a few hours or make it a weekend project.
Feel free to have fun with it, finish it however you want, and use it in any way that you wish for your personal enjoyment. You may also want to combine it with my Christmas Gnome as they would complement each other well.
