How to Embroider a Holiday Card on Kraft Paper: The Snowy Snowman ~ Part 4

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Welcome to Part 4 of our Handmade Holiday Card Series!

Over the last few weeks, we’ve worked on crisp white cardstock to create our Woven Wheel Christmas Tree Card, the botanical Embroidered Holiday Botanical Wreath, and the colorful Vintage Christmas Lights Card.

Today, we’re switching up our canvas completely and embracing rustic, earthy textures with The Snowy Winter Snowman on Kraft Cardstock.

There is something naturally warm and nostalgic about pairing brown kraft paper with bold white embroidery floss. The high contrast makes snowy details pop instantly off the page! This design brings together outline work, colorful winter accessories, and delicate falling snowflakes using techniques we mastered throughout our Beginner’s Guide to Stitching on Paper Series.

If you need a refresher on line consistency or knotting before you begin, hop back over to our guides on Mastering the Back Stitch on Paper and Perfecting the French Knot on Paper to brush up on the fundamentals.

Working with Kraft Paper: What You Need to Know

Kraft paper has a raw, natural aesthetic, but its uncoated fibers behave slightly differently than smooth white cardstock:

• Fiber Sensitivity: Kraft cardstock can be slightly softer and more porous. Always use a sharp piercing awl so you cleanly pierce through the fibers rather than tearing or stretching the hole rims.
• Keep Clean Hands: Because kraft cardstock is uncoated, natural skin oils or pencil smudges show up more readily. Keep your hands clean and dry, and keep pencil guidelines as faint as possible.
• Floss Contrast: Pure white cotton floss provides a brilliant, opaque contrast against the kraft background that printed white ink simply cannot replicate!

Materials You’ll Need

• Heavyweight Kraft Cardstock: 80 lb to 100 lb folded kraft paper card (A2 or 5x7).
• Embroidery Floss:
• Bright Snow White (3 strands for the snowman's body and falling snowflakes)
• Festive Red & Pine Green (3 strands for the striped winter hat and scarf)
• Warm Orange (3 strands for the carrot nose)
• Coal Black (3 strands for the eyes, smile, and coal buttons)
• Brown (3 strands for the arms)
• Embroidery Needle: Size 7 embroidery needle.
• Piercing Tool / Awl & Foam Mat: For clean, precise hole preparation.

Step-by-Step: Stitching the Kraft Snowman

1. Pre-Piercing the Silhouette & Details

• Place your flat, unfolded kraft card onto your foam piercing mat.
• Sketch a light pencil outline of the snowman's round body, top hat, striped scarf, and whimsical stick arms.
• Pierce the Body Outlines: Punch holes evenly along the bottom and middle snowballs, spacing them about 1/8-1/4 inch apart.
• Pierce the Hat & Scarf Details: Punch smaller, closer holes (roughly 1/8 inch apart) along the scarf and hat stripes to support dense detail stitching.
• Pierce Falling Snowflakes: Scatter individual holes loosely in the open space above the snowman where French knot snowflakes will float down.

2. Stitching the Snowman's Body (The Back Stitch)

• Thread your needle with 3 strands of snow white floss.
• Work a clean, steady back stitch along the curved edges of the bottom and upper body sections.
• Tension Secret: Keep your tension gentle around the round curves. Pulling too tight will cinch the kraft paper along the curved line, causing the card front to curl inward.

3. Adding the Hat, Scarf & Face Accents

• The Scarf & Hat: Use 3 strands of red and green floss to work back stitches along the scarf tails and winter cap stripes, adding a cozy knitted texture.
• The Carrot Nose: Thread 3 strands of vibrant orange floss and work back stitches.
• Coal Face & Buttons: Using 3 strands of black floss, add French knots for the eyes, mouth line, and down the chest for coal buttons.
• The Arms: Use 3 strands of black floss, work back stitches for both arms.

4. The Falling Snowflakes (White French Knots)

• Re-thread 3 strands of bright white floss.
• Bring your needle up through each scattered snowflake hole.
• Wrap the thread around your needle twice, guide the needle back down right next to the entry point, and pull gently until a fluffy little white knot rests against the kraft cardstock.
• Scatter a few near the top and around the snowman to create the feel of a quiet winter flurry!

Short on Time This Holiday Season?

If you love the warm, rustic look of embroidered kraft cards but don't have the hours to stitch a whole batch by hand, you can order the completed snowman cards directly from my shop! Each card comes paired with a matching kraft envelope and is individually packaged in a clear protective sleeve, ready to address and gift.

👉 Shop the HandmadeVintage Christmas Lights Card on Etsy

Catch Up On The Series

• Part 1: The Woven Wheel Rose Christmas Tree Card
• Part 2: The Embroidered Holiday Botanical Wreath
• Part 3: The Holiday Lights

• Back Stitch - Part 1
• French Knots - Part 2

What’s Coming Next

Next week in Part 5, we’re wrapping up our Handmade Holiday Card Series with the ultimate finishing guide!

Before we pack up our supplies, I’ll be sharing a quick spotlight on our final card design: the minimalist, confetti-inspired Joyful card, featuring crisp back stitching and easy French knot drops. Then, we’re diving into professional studio finishing: how to cleanly line the inside of your cards to completely conceal threads, avoid common paper-warping adhesive mistakes, and package your finished cards in crystal-clear protective sleeves so they arrive looking like boutique stationery treasures!

Happy crafting,

Becca

***While I'm thrilled to share my step-by-step directions, the good and the bad, these are intended for your personal use. I'm always happy to hear and see what my bloggers have been working on. BUT a lot of work goes into these creations and while I have no issues sharing so you are able to create the work for your precious homes please understand that selling an exact duplication of my designs is highly frowned upon. :( Please always be considerate of another artists work. Thank you!***

Don't forget to stop by and Like my Facebook Page and Follow me on Instagram!

Welcome to Part 4 of our Handmade Holiday Card Series!

Over the last few weeks, we’ve worked on crisp white cardstock to create our Woven Wheel Christmas Tree Card, the botanical Embroidered Holiday Botanical Wreath, and the colorful Vintage Christmas Lights Card.

Today, we’re switching up our canvas completely and embracing rustic, earthy textures with The Snowy Winter Snowman on Kraft Cardstock.

There is something naturally warm and nostalgic about pairing brown kraft paper with bold white embroidery floss. The high contrast makes snowy details pop instantly off the page! This design brings together outline work, colorful winter accessories, and delicate falling snowflakes using techniques we mastered throughout our Beginner’s Guide to Stitching on Paper Series.

If you need a refresher on line consistency or knotting before you begin, hop back over to our guides on Mastering the Back Stitch on Paper and Perfecting the French Knot on Paper to brush up on the fundamentals.

Working with Kraft Paper: What You Need to Know

Kraft paper has a raw, natural aesthetic, but its uncoated fibers behave slightly differently than smooth white cardstock:

• Fiber Sensitivity: Kraft cardstock can be slightly softer and more porous. Always use a sharp piercing awl so you cleanly pierce through the fibers rather than tearing or stretching the hole rims.
• Keep Clean Hands: Because kraft cardstock is uncoated, natural skin oils or pencil smudges show up more readily. Keep your hands clean and dry, and keep pencil guidelines as faint as possible.
• Floss Contrast: Pure white cotton floss provides a brilliant, opaque contrast against the kraft background that printed white ink simply cannot replicate!

Materials You’ll Need

• Heavyweight Kraft Cardstock: 80 lb to 100 lb folded kraft paper card (A2 or 5x7).
• Embroidery Floss:
• Bright Snow White (3 strands for the snowman's body and falling snowflakes)
• Festive Red & Pine Green (3 strands for the striped winter hat and scarf)
• Warm Orange (3 strands for the carrot nose)
• Coal Black (3 strands for the eyes, smile, and coal buttons)
• Brown (3 strands for the arms)
• Embroidery Needle: Size 7 embroidery needle.
• Piercing Tool / Awl & Foam Mat: For clean, precise hole preparation.

Step-by-Step: Stitching the Kraft Snowman

1. Pre-Piercing the Silhouette & Details

• Place your flat, unfolded kraft card onto your foam piercing mat.
• Sketch a light pencil outline of the snowman's round body, top hat, striped scarf, and whimsical stick arms.
• Pierce the Body Outlines: Punch holes evenly along the bottom and middle snowballs, spacing them about 1/8-1/4 inch apart.
• Pierce the Hat & Scarf Details: Punch smaller, closer holes (roughly 1/8 inch apart) along the scarf and hat stripes to support dense detail stitching.
• Pierce Falling Snowflakes: Scatter individual holes loosely in the open space above the snowman where French knot snowflakes will float down.

2. Stitching the Snowman's Body (The Back Stitch)

• Thread your needle with 3 strands of snow white floss.
• Work a clean, steady back stitch along the curved edges of the bottom and upper body sections.
• Tension Secret: Keep your tension gentle around the round curves. Pulling too tight will cinch the kraft paper along the curved line, causing the card front to curl inward.

3. Adding the Hat, Scarf & Face Accents

• The Scarf & Hat: Use 3 strands of red and green floss to work back stitches along the scarf tails and winter cap stripes, adding a cozy knitted texture.
• The Carrot Nose: Thread 3 strands of vibrant orange floss and work back stitches.
• Coal Face & Buttons: Using 3 strands of black floss, add French knots for the eyes, mouth line, and down the chest for coal buttons.
• The Arms: Use 3 strands of black floss, work back stitches for both arms.

4. The Falling Snowflakes (White French Knots)

• Re-thread 3 strands of bright white floss.
• Bring your needle up through each scattered snowflake hole.
• Wrap the thread around your needle twice, guide the needle back down right next to the entry point, and pull gently until a fluffy little white knot rests against the kraft cardstock.
• Scatter a few near the top and around the snowman to create the feel of a quiet winter flurry!

Short on Time This Holiday Season?

If you love the warm, rustic look of embroidered kraft cards but don't have the hours to stitch a whole batch by hand, you can order the completed snowman cards directly from my shop! Each card comes paired with a matching kraft envelope and is individually packaged in a clear protective sleeve, ready to address and gift.

👉 Shop the HandmadeVintage Christmas Lights Card on Etsy

Catch Up On The Series

• Part 1: The Woven Wheel Rose Christmas Tree Card
• Part 2: The Embroidered Holiday Botanical Wreath
• Part 3: The Holiday Lights

• Back Stitch - Part 1
• French Knots - Part 2

What’s Coming Next

Next week in Part 5, we’re wrapping up our Handmade Holiday Card Series with the ultimate finishing guide!

Before we pack up our supplies, I’ll be sharing a quick spotlight on our final card design: the minimalist, confetti-inspired Joyful card, featuring crisp back stitching and easy French knot drops. Then, we’re diving into professional studio finishing: how to cleanly line the inside of your cards to completely conceal threads, avoid common paper-warping adhesive mistakes, and package your finished cards in crystal-clear protective sleeves so they arrive looking like boutique stationery treasures!

Happy crafting,

Becca

***While I'm thrilled to share my step-by-step directions, the good and the bad, these are intended for your personal use. I'm always happy to hear and see what my bloggers have been working on. BUT a lot of work goes into these creations and while I have no issues sharing so you are able to create the work for your precious homes please understand that selling an exact duplication of my designs is highly frowned upon. :( Please always be considerate of another artists work. Thank you!***