You can easily craft a cozy, cheerful snowman pillow cover to brighten up your holiday décor! Using a store-bought Christmas quilt panel and the trapunto quilting technique, we’ll create a puffy, textured snowman pillow that’s both eye-catching and irresistibly snuggly. Ready to jump in and start this festive adventure? Let’s go!

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The Perfect Snowman Pillow for the Holidays
As the final piece of my Christmas sewing spree this year, I turned the “Share the Joy Snowman” quilt panel (from Moda) into three quilted pillow covers. The panel was split into five parts: three snowman designs and two strips of text banners.
If you can’t find this exact panel, don’t sweat it—grab any holiday-themed quilt panel that sparks your imagination, and let’s get creative!
Using these pieces and some complementary fabrics, I stitched and trapunto-quilted three unique pillows. To mix things up, I alternated side panels with Pine Tree and Pinwheel quilt blocks. The end result? A trio of festive pillows featuring distinct snowmen, perfect for cozying up your living space or gifting to loved ones.

Why I’m Obsessed with Trapunto Quilting
Trapunto quilting is a game-changer! It adds depth and a plush texture to your designs, giving them a three-dimensional, “popped-out” look that’s simply delightful. The snowmen on these pillows feel so soft and inviting—my kids are absolutely hooked. They can’t stop stroking the snowmen’s faces and hands or cuddling the pillows like favorite stuffed toys.
This newfound love for trapunto quilting inspired me to make matching quilts for my kids. My son got a Road Runner Quilt, while my daughter fell in love with her Secret Garden Quilt. (Psst… you can grab the patterns for these projects through the links if you want to try them yourself!) I even made a Whale Baby Trapunto Quilt for a friend’s newborn, spreading the quilting joy even further.

Let’s Make This Holiday Extra Special
The best part of crafting during the holidays is the laughter and love it brings into our home. My kids love helping me choose fabrics and colors, and their excitement adds a special energy to every project. Mr. Craft Passion is always there to keep things running smoothly, giving me time to create while managing our busy household.
From all of us at Craft Passion, we wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS! Let’s spread love and joy, one handmade project at a time.

What’s Next:
- Start quilting and share your completed snowman pillow on Facebook and/or Instagram. Remember to tag us, @craftpassion, we’d love to see your masterpieces!
- Pin this tutorial to your Pinterest for a future to-quilt List
- Share with your groups for a quilt-along event.
- Learn more about the basics of hand sewing and how to choose a sewing machine for beginners.
- Check out our free sewing patterns for Christmas Crafts and curated quilt patterns for your next project.
The holidays are a time for love, laughter, and handmade treasures. We hope you’ll enjoy making these snowman pillow covers as much as we did. Let’s fill this season with warmth, creativity, and joy. Happy sewing, and have a magical Christmas!

How To Sew Quilted Snowman Pillow Cover
Bring some festive cheer to your home with a cute and cozy quilted snowman pillow cover! With an adorable snowman fabric panel and a little creativity, you can make a snuggly, eye-catching pillow that’s perfect for the holidays. The 3D puffiness from the trapunto quilting technique makes the snowman pop, adding extra charm and fun. Whether it’s for your couch, a gift, or just to show off your sewing skills, this snowman pillow is guaranteed to bring smiles all around!
Materials
- Share The Joy Snowman Panel – 1 pcs. 23″ x 44″
- Share The Joy Birds Winter Frost White – 3/4 yard
- Cotton backing (white) – 3/4 yard (44″ wide)
- Batting – high loft polyester, 13″ x 17″
- Batting – cotton, 3/4 yard
- Twill tape for binding
- Button, 2 pcs
- Pillow form – 18″ x 18″
- Fabric Size Cutting Guide
Tools
- Sewing machine with appropriate presser foot
- Erasable fabric marker
- Quilting Ruler
- Quilting Rotary Cutter
- Cutting mat
- Scissors (sharp tip, best if have blunt point and curved blade)
- Iron
- Cover button maker (only needed if you want to use cover button)
- Quilting safety pins
- Quilting needle
- Quilting thread, weight 50, white and dark brown or dark green
Instructions
Fabric Pieces
- Cut the panel as shown. Cut at the center between the borders.
- Download the fabric sizes cutting guide. Mark and cut fabrics according to the sizes.
The picture below shows the fabric pieces of the pillow, with one of the snowman panels and text banners cut out from the big panel.
Remark: The text banners on the panel are not enough to make three pillows with both top and bottom borders. Substitute one of the borders with other matching fabrics for the other two pillows. - Pictures below shows the other fabric and batting pieces for the front backing and the back of the pillow. You need high-loft polyester batting to make the trapunto and two cover buttons or other buttons of your choice(not in the photo).
Pillow Front
- a. Sew the side panels to the main snowman panel.
b. Sew the top and bottom text banners to it with a seam allowance of 3/8″
c. Press with a warm iron with seam allowance to the darker fabric. - a. Place the high loft polyester batting on the wrong side of the center panel.
b. Pin with quilting safety pins to secure the batting in place. - a. Turn to the right side of the fabric, change the presser foot to darning foot or BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator), and lower down the feed dog.
b. Perform free motion stitch around the snowman and the birds. Stitch just slightly outside the lines of the print.
I used white thread, but you can use beige or cream as long as it doesn’t create a contrast to the outline.
(Tip: the 3D raised effect on the trapunto is not so obvious if the part is small; for instance, the bird might not seem as “bumpy” compared to the bigger part of the snowman.)
c. Bring all thread ends to the wrong side, tie double knots, and trim away the extra length, leaving about 1-2″ there. - After completing all the desired areas for the 3D trapunto effect, turn the fabric to the wrong side and trim away the excess batting that lies outside the free-motion sewing line.
**You have to do this very carefully and slowly if it is your first attempt. Watch out for every snip you are making so that you won’t accidentally cut the fabric.
**You may fold the fabric down and away from the batting while cutting so you can see clearly before you trim. - This is how it looks like after the extra batting was trimmed away.
- The right side of the trapunto. You will see the 3D effect better after you have quilted the surroundings, which will press the fabric down smoothly.
- a. Layer in the batting and cotton backing to the snowman panel.
b. b. Smooth out any wrinkles by stroking with your palm outward, from the center to the raw edges of the snowman panel.
c. Secure the layers with quilting safety pins. - a. Again, with the darning foot or BSR and the feed dog down, free-motion stitch along the same sewing lines of the borders of the trapunto.
b. Quilt the blue sky with a small stippling stitch.
c. Stitch in the ditch between the center snowman panel and the bird side panels, and sew along the white borders of the top and bottom banners (you can change the foot to walking foot and raise back the dog feed). Then, follow with a bigger stippling stitch with a darning foot and feed the dog down again on the side panels.
d. Change the top thread to dark brown or dark green, and quilt a row of small pebbles stitches on the border of the center snowman panel and the top and bottom of the banners. - The picture below shows a completed front pillow piece of a snowman with a 3D effect of the trapunto quilting.
a. Bring all thread ends to the back and tie double knots. Hide the thread ends and knots into the batting by using the needle.
b. Insert the needle from the stitch endpoint and come out as far as you can. Pull until the knot gets into the batting. Pull a little before trimming the end; the thread ends will hide inside the batting afterward.
c. Trim the front piece to 20″ square with a rotary cutter and ruler. - This is the back of the front pillow.
Tip: Before starting your project, test your quilting on a scrap piece to check thread tension. This is especially important when using two contrasting thread colors for the top and bottom, ensuring the bottom thread doesn’t show through to the top.
Another Tip: Always keep an eye on thread ends while quilting to avoid stitching them into the quilt accidentally. To manage this, bring the thread end to the top after the first needle-down and needle-up or after moving a few stitches away. Additionally, hold the thread ends toward the back of the sewing machine during the first few stitches. This practice prevents tangling underneath and ensures the thread ends don’t accidentally get sewn in.
Pillow Back
- a. Change the presser foot back to the normal foot or walking foot.
b. Sew the bird fabric with white backing, 1/2″ seam allowance on the bird fabric, and 1″ seam allowance on the white backing. - Open flat and press the seam allowance to the bird fabric.
- Place the batting on the bird fabric and align the edge to the raw edge of the white fabric.
- a. Fold the white fabric over at the batting edge.
b. Press to make a fold crease line. - Topstitch at the edge and the seam line between the bird and white fabric.
- Change foot to darning or BSR with feed dog down, free motion quilt with stippling stitch.
- Trim the back pieces to 20″ wide x 10 1/2″ high each.
- Sew two buttonholes at one of the back pieces, approximately 7″ in between.
Sewing up the Pillow Cover
- a. Place the front piece with the right side facing up.
b. Place the back piece (with buttonholes) facing down at the top of the pillow. Then, place another back piece at the bottom part. The back pieces overlap 1″ at the center.
c. Sew around with 1/2″ seam allowance. - Bind the raw edges with twill tape or as per your preference.
- a. Turn the right side out by folding the seam allowance at the corner in right angle then push the corner out to get a nice and neat right-angle corner. Perform this to all four corners.
b. Insert the pillow form into the cover and fasten the button.
Complete.
Notes
Seam allowance: 3/8″, included in the pattern, otherwise, as stated in the tutorial.
Multiply the materials, except the panel (item 1), with 3 to make 3 pillows.
Get the full article at https://www.craftpassion.com/sewing-snowman-quilted-pillow-cover/
Recommended Products
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#387 - Moda - Panel - Share The Joy - Christmas, Smiling Snowman, Animals, Gifts
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Fiskars 45mm Rotary Cutter for Fabric, Titanium Rotary Cutter Blade for Precise Cuts, Right and Left Handed, Comfort Handle, Arts and Crafts, Sewing Supplies and Quilting Tools
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Omnigrid Rectangle Value Pack (1"x6", 4"x8", 6"x12") Quilting Ruler, Clear
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Omnigrid Gridded Mat, 24" x 36", Green,Grey
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Haofy Water Erasable Pen, 4 Pieces 1mm Fabric Markers Air Erasable Pen/Water Soluble Pens for Fabric Cloth - Blue

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Wednesday 2nd of December 2020
[…] Snowman Quilted Pillow Cover […]
Yolanda Rivas
Thursday 8th of November 2018
I found your darling snowmen pillows and wanted to buy the fabric to make them, but cannot find them anywhere. I know its been many years since you posted them, but they are so popular, can you direct me to where I can buy this snowman fabric. I tried Moda, but to no avail.
Thank You Yolanda Rivas
Craft Passion
Sunday 11th of November 2018
I have deleted your email from the above comment for your privacy, no worry, I have your email in my system which is hidden from others.
Craft Passion
Sunday 11th of November 2018
Hi Yolanda, I bought it from a local quilt supply shop and yes, they have sold it out, otherwise, I could buy it and send to you. I will keep this in mind and will inform you when I found it somewhere else.
cathy
Wednesday 10th of October 2018
Hi, love your pillows love all your work. Could you tell me why some trapunto tell you to get washable thread, I have a panel and going to do trapunto on it but I am in two minds why I need washable thread.
Cathy
susan
Sunday 27th of May 2018
I marked 5 stars, but only 3 showed!
susan
Sunday 27th of May 2018
Thank you! I never understood trapunto before. Your tutorials are easy to follow!
Susan