Snowman 3D Ball Head & Reel Ensemble

Two half-spheres with center reinforcing panel 

fit together to form familiar snowman ball head, 

with dimensional nose, layered oval eyes, and crooked smile. 

Collar ruff is formed of large and smaller pleated 

scallop edge rosettes. 

Hexagon center opening in alternate shapes 

allows head and ruffs to have additional reinforcement, 

a feature that also can connect the snowman head 

to "Reel 3D Fancy Box Stand" for 

a memorable winter seasonal display 

(includes additional elements: 

Bow 3D Wavy Lattice Overlay and 

Top Hat 3D Snowflake Mini).

 Head with rosette ruffs measures approx. 

3.625" diameter width x 3.625" tall when assembled.

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A main upper dome shape
(not shown: top solid "cover")
B & G dome post collar stack (cut 2 sets of 8)
C interior reinforcement disc
D main lower dome shape 
E lower dome wedge (cut 7)
F bottom post hole panel
H post tube  I carrot nose pyramid
J eyes with white contrast show-thru underlay
K crooked smile
L bottom rosette strip (cut 2 to join)
M top rosette strip (cut 2 to join)
N base & "buffer" discs for rosettes (cut 2)
O rosette securing discs (for use without post;
cut 2 for each rosette)

2. Prepare the collar stacks by layering and gluing

together 8 shapes into a stack, taking care

to match up the interior hexagon opening edges

as precisely as possible.

Use a flat weight object such as this fabric-covered

re-purposed free weight to flatten the stack

while it dries thoroughly (this may take a few hours)

to avoid warping and curling due to the liquid

adhesive.

3. Prepare the main upper dome shape by bending

back on all panel edge and tab perforation lines.

4. Bend the first two wedge sections inward slightly

to bring the left straight edge of the middle segment

to overlap and align with the adjacent segment's tab

perforation line, and glue in place.

5. Repeat the process to overlap, align and glue
the upper segment of the two-part seam.
6. Repeat the process to complete the two-part seams
all along the upper dome section.

7. For the final seam, the dome opposite edges

are brought together to overlap and join each

of the three-part seam edge to tab perforation lines.

8. Bend the top tabs inward, bend octagonal "lid" 

into position, adjust the edges to match up with

the perforation lines, and glue each edge to

corresponding tab.

9. Position and attach one of the collar stacks

on the underside of dome lid, taking care to

match up the hexagon opening edges as precisely

as possible. Use a weight if possible during

the glue-drying process.

10. Prepare the main and multiple bottom dome 

wedge shapes by bending back on all panel

and tab perforation lines.

11. Begin by aligning the upper (in this image) section

of main and regular wedge segments in a similar

manner to the upper dome, overlapping the straight edge

to the opposite perforation line, aligning ends of

the "segment" accurately, then gluing in place.

Then repeat for the second segment of the seam.

12. Complete the final seam in 

the same way, then . . . 

. . . bend tabs inward, bottom "lid" into place,

adjust and glue in place.

13. Position and attach the bottom hex-opening

"cover" to bottom of dome

(the circle opening was originally included to provide

finger tip access that might be convenient to

the interior of the dome), then . . . 

. . . position and attach the collar at the lower dome

hex opening as for upper dome.

14. Prepare the carrot nose shape by first

identifying the bottom tab with the symbol cutout.

Bend back on each of the wedge panel edges

and side flange tab.

15. Form the shape into a cone to overlap

the side straight edge over the opposite tab

to the perforation line, and glue in place.

NOTE it may be helpful to insert a pointed rod tool

such as a knitting needle into the cone to help

provide a "press-against" surface during 

the seam gluing process.

16. Insert the bottom tab fully into the lower slot
on front of upper dome, then bend inward
and glue in place to the inside of the head panel.

17. Rotate the nose shape upward into position
to insert the two tabs into corresponding slots, then
bend tabs outward and glue in place to dome backside.

19. Prepare the reinforcement disc by bending
flanges inward slightly on the pairs of parallel
perforation lines.
Insert the octagon center into the upper dome
opening . . . 

. . . and ease it evenly into position so that

the dome lower straight edge aligns at the

rounded flange section perf lines all around.

Glue in place.

20. Urge the exposed flanges of the reinforcement

disc outward as far as possible, apply glue to

outward faces of each, then position the lower dome

with panel side seams aligned, and slide it into

position, then hold and apply gentle pressure all around

to secure the two dome halves together securely.

21. Bend the ends of the smile shape back slightly

at the two dash cuts, then position approx. a scant

1.25" below the dome-to-dome-seam, centered

with the dash cuts aligning at the panel seams,

and glue in place.

NOTE: it you plan to apply cheek "rouging",

complete that prior to attaching smile.

22. Layer the offset eye underlays on the back

of each eye front (black), and glue together.

23. Plan the positioning of the eyes pair, with

pupil punch cutouts inward, then hold in place while

marking where a slight bend will help the eye shape

wrap slightly at the seam.

24. Use a scoring tool to add a crease line,
then bend the unit slightly at line.
(Repeat for both eyes.)

25. Prepare the post tube shape by carefully 

bending back on each long perforation line.

Also bend the bottom attachment tabs outward.

26. Wrap the tube around the 5/16" dowel to provide
a press-against surface, bringing the straight edge
to overlap the opposite flange to perforation line,
and applying roving pressure up and down the
seam until it is accurately aligned and secure. 

27. Slide the tube so that top plain end and dowel

end are even, then . . . 

. . . mark the location of the bottom end

of the post tube, with the bottom tabs bent away.

Remove dowel and cut to size as the mark.

28. Insert the post through one of the "buffer" discs,
bend back the end tabs and attach to the disc underside.

29. If not already in place, insert the dowel into

the post tube, apply glue near the ends before it

is fully in place, then slide in completely to

attach tube to dowel.

30. Prepare the rosette pleated strips by folding

in accordion fashion. 

Recommended: fold the bottom rosette and top rosette

in "opposite" directions.

Bottom - "valley" fold at scallop curve center

(begin with end tabs bending back)

Top - "mountain" fold at scallop curve center

(begin with end tabs bending forward)

This will help them not slide together as easily.

31. Join the pleat strips together using end tab,

and then form a ring to join the second set of ends.

32. Place pleating ring outer tips down around

the post and disc assembly.

Apply quick-grab glue around the base

of the post, then quickly  . . . 

. . . gather the pleating inward by compressing

the pleats into folded position . . . 

. . . concentrating on the inward pleating end,

to push it inward and downward until pleats

are evenly spaces around the hex post

and are held in place by the glue.

Continue to push inward all around the rosette

until  secure.

33. Position and attach the second buffer disc
on top of the bottom rosette.

34. Repeat the rosette forming process from step 32

to position and attach the upper rosette around

the post, on top of the bottom rosette.

35. Thread the snowman head onto the post end

and slide downward, fishing the post around as

necessary to fit the post end through the interior 

reinforcement disc, then . . . 

. . . pause to apply quick grab glue to area

beneath head on top rosette where they will meet . . .

. . . then continue to push post
through to the top opening, pausing
with the thickness of the collar inside still visibly
so that . . . 

. . . glue can be added to that thick edge,

before sliding the tube completely through to be

flush with the top "lid". Hold in place until secure.

36. Position and attach the top "cover" octagon

to match main head edges and cover the hex opening.

NOTE that the snowman head can be displayed

on the "Candle Stand Display" project.

37. To add the Bow 3D Wavy Lattice Overlay 

to the snowman, cut and prepare the smaller bow tie 

as described in that tutorial.

Then, as the head is joined to the rosettes stack,

insert the stem extensions between head and

top rosette and attach.

Also consider adding 
the Top Hat 3D Snowflake Trim Mini
design as shown here.

The ensemble is shown here with

the Reel 3D Fancy Box Stand as a base.