Winter Embroidery Designs: Snowflakes, Snowmen and Cozy Project Ideas

Winter designs have a longer season than Christmas ones. A snowflake sweatshirt or a penguin pillow still looks right in January and February, long after the tree comes down. These are our favorite winter embroidery designs, followed by cozy project ideas to stitch them on.

Looking for Santa, trees and ornaments instead? See our top 25 Christmas embroidery designs.

Snowflake Embroidery Designs

Snowflakes are the most versatile winter motif: elegant on table linens, sporty on beanies and sweet on baby clothes.

• Snowflake Pack Embroidery Design, Snowflake Pack Embroidery Design #2 and Snowflake Pack Embroidery Design #3: packs of snowflakes in different styles and sizes.
• Snowflake 3D Puff Embroidery Design: a raised snowflake for beanies and caps.
• Snowflake Large Applique Embroidery Design: a big, fast-stitching snowflake for sweatshirts and pillows.
• Snowflake Aztec Print Embroidery Designs: a Nordic-style pattern for a ski-lodge look.

Snowman Embroidery Designs

• Buffalo Tartan Plaid Snowman Bundle and Winter Snowman Sayings Bundle: snowmen with plaid scarves and winter sayings.
• Snowman Applique Embroidery Design: quick applique for kids' clothes and towels.
• Snowman Face Embroidery Design and Melting Snowman Embroidery Design: fun, simple snowmen.
• Snowman Monogram Frame Bundle: snowman frames with space for a name.

Want more? We have a whole post on cute snowman embroidery designs.

Penguins and Polar Bears

• Happy Winter Penguin Embroidery Design and Father and Baby Penguin: penguins for family shirts and baby gifts.
• Penguin Monogram Embroidery Frame: add a monogram inside the penguin.
• Plaid Winter Polar Bear Embroidery Design, Just Chill Polar Bear Embroidery Design and Polar Bear Applique Embroidery Design: polar bears from cozy to cool.

Cozy Winter Icons and Sayings

• Hot Cocoa Embroidery Design: perfect for mug rugs, tea towels and coffee-bar decor.
• Winter Mitten Gloves Embroidery Design: a classic winter accent.
• Hello Winter Embroidery Design and Warm Winter Wishes Embroidery Design: simple sayings for pillows and sweatshirts.
• Winter Napping Sloth Embroidery Design: a winter mood we can all relate to.
• Winter Scarf Reindeer: a reindeer bundled up for the cold.

Winter Sports Designs

• Snowboarding Embroidery Design and Winter Goggles Embroidery Design for snowboarders.
• Ski Lift Chair Embroidery Design for skiers and ski-trip shirts.
• Ice Skates Embroidery Designs and Ice Skating Girl Embroidery Design for figure skaters.
• Dog Sled Mushing Embroidery Design for mushing fans.

6 Cozy Winter Embroidery Projects

1. Personalized stockings

Add a name, monogram or winter design to a store-bought or handmade stocking and turn an inexpensive one into a keepsake. Our Snow Scroll Monogram Font has a frosty flourish that works through the whole season. For stocking-specific tips, read our post on Christmas stocking embroidery designs.

2. Decorative throw pillows

Take a solid-color pillow with a removable cover and add a large snowflake or a saying. Large designs make a statement, or you can stitch several small snowflakes to create a pattern. Unzip the cover and hoop only the front panel.

3. Knit beanies

Beanies are stretchy and thick, so use cutaway stabilizer and a water-soluble topper, and float the beanie on sticky stabilizer instead of forcing it into the hoop. Keep the design small, about 2 to 2.5 inches tall, and place it on the folded cuff.

4. Fleece blankets and sweatshirts

Fleece has a deep pile, so always use a water-soluble topper to keep the stitches from sinking. Choose designs with open fills or applique so the blanket stays soft.

5. Free-standing lace snowflake ornaments

Stitch Snowflake Free Standing Lace ITH Embroidery Design on two layers of fibrous water-soluble stabilizer, rinse, and hang them on the tree or in a window. The matching Snowflake Earrings Free Standing Lace ITH Embroidery Design make a lovely handmade gift. See our embroidery stabilizer guide for the right setup.

6. In-the-hoop gift tags and felties

Snowflake Gift Tag ITH Embroidery Design and Snowflake Feltie ITH Embroidery Design stitch completely in the hoop in a few minutes. Make a batch for teacher gifts and package toppers. If ITH is new to you, follow our in-the-hoop gift tag tutorial.

Tips for Stitching on Winter Fabrics

• Fleece and minky: cutaway underneath and a water-soluble topper on top.
• Sweater knits: a fusible mesh cutaway keeps the knit from stretching out of shape.
• Flannel: a medium cutaway. Flannel shifts, so a little spray adhesive helps.
• White on white: snowflakes in white thread on light gray or ice blue look more elegant than bright colors.
• Metallic silver thread adds frost to snowflakes. Slow your machine down and use a metallic needle.

More Winter and Holiday Ideas

• Reindeer embroidery designs
• Baby's first Christmas embroidery designs
• Elf embroidery designs
• Nutcracker embroidery designs

Browse our Christmas embroidery designs and holiday collection for even more. Have a winter logo for a ski club or school team? Our custom embroidery digitizing service can turn it into a stitch file.