A Macramé Snowman

Sue Wickstead sent this super snowman for Knotting Matters, 133 in December 2016

Materials

5.5m (approx)White cord

3m (approx) Black cord or hat colour of choice

240cm Orange cord

20cm length of dowel

One 15cm metal ring

One 35cm metal ring

2 black 26mm beads for eyes

Three 30mm beads for buttons

10 black 12mm round beads for mouth

Abbreviations:

LH = Larks head

HH = Half-hitch

AHH = Alternating Half-hitch

DHH = Double Half hitch

SK = Square knot

OK = Overhand knot

AC = Anchor Cord

(Instructions for cutting will be given throughout the pattern as required.

As the rings dictate the size of the snowman the rings can be larger or smaller as availability allows.

The rings also dictate form so you may have to add or reduce rows according to cord.)

If you need further help, please contact Sue at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Snowman (head)

Cut eight white cords 3m long fold each in half and attach to the top of the 15cm ring with a Reverse Larks head (LH) plus Half hitch (HH).
Cut 6 more cords 140cm long. Fold in half and attach 3 cords onto each side of ring with LH plus HH.
Tie a Square Knot (SK) with cords 11-14; 15-18.
Tie 5 more rows of Alternating Square Knots (ASK) increasing 1 SK per row picking up 2 cords each time until you have 7SK.
Double Half Hitch (DHH) cords 1 and 2 onto left side of ring and cords 27 and 28 onto right side of ring.
Tie SK with cords 3 – 6; Thread eye bead onto cords 8, 9; Tie SK with cords 11-14, 15-18; thread eye bead onto cords 20–21; Tie SK with cords 23–26.
Bring cords back in and tie 7 SK.
DHH cords 1, 2 and 27, 28 onto ring and tie 6 SK with remaining cords.
Repeat steps 7 and 8 two more times.
Alternate and tie 5 SK with central cords, next row tie 4 SK, next row tie 3.
Thread the 10 mouth beads onto relevant cords and as space. Then tie a row of ASK underneath.
DHH all cords onto the bottom of the ring. (fill the ring with extra HH as appropriate)

Wickstead Snowmen 2

Body

DHH cord 7 and 22 onto the large ring so that the top of the large ring is positioned behind the bottom of the head.
Cut 18 cords 230cm long and halve each cord adding 9 to each side of ring with a LH +HH.
Tie a SK with 4 cords either side of head and ASK increase as necessary.
Continue to tie ASK across the ring adding 2 cords each time.
At suitable interval add the first button bead.
Tie ASK around beads and continue to fill the body of the snowman.
DHH two cords either side to the ring to fill ring and bring back to use as appropriate.
Continue in this way until you reach the bottom of the ring and at appropriate places leave out two cords either side and then DHH each cord to the bottom of the ring.
Finish off ends by both cutting and gluing or using a latch hook to pull the ends under and glue.

Hat

Cut 12 cords 150cm long fold in half and LH+HH each cord to the dowel.
Tie 17 rows of ASK.
Cut a 60cm cord and tie an overhand Knot 10cm from one end.
Pin OK to the left of the last row of ASK DHH each cord to the long end of the cord.

Hat brim

Cut a cord 7m long.
Fold in half and add to the long end of cord with a SK.
Tie 22 sinnet of SK picots with picots 5cm apart.
Tie the anchor cords together.
Fold the sinnet back both sides of hat to form the brim.
Turn hat over and on the back use the far left cord as a holding cord and DHH each cord onto it.
Finish off hat as you feel (Latch hook, knotting and glueing)
Attach hat to the snowman with scraps of cord or as you feel.

Nose