Row by row............part two.
Well I went down and re-read what I had posted. I lied. When I started to stitch around the nose, the arms and the bow, I did do the blanket stitch after all. I didn't like the looks of the zig-zag. It isn't easy to get the holes out of fusible web that your needle creates so you have to make a decision before you start to sew. I looked at other work I have done and decided that his whole piece will be blanket stitch.
These rows on this pattern are done in two parts. They are BIG! The first one measures 10 1/2" x 24 1/2". I did the first section one day and then section two. Section two I must say was easier. As I had chosen a rather heavy fabric for the snowmen it was difficult to see the pattern for placement of the bows. It was a guessing game for me. When it came to the second section, I had an idea.
I joined the parts of the snowman's body together the same as I did for section one. (I laid them on a teflon sheet which was laid on top of the pattern. I then fused them in place.) I then laid section one on the light table. I took the fabric for section two and laid that on top of section one. I could see everything perfectly. So much better than using the paper pattern.TIP: To join your pattern sections together buy yourself some Scotch Brand Removable tape. You can remove this tape when you are done and then put the pattern pieces in either a duo-tang or a binder.
I laid each snowman in place and fused to the fabric background. When that was done, I did the blanket stitch around each one. I then took them back to the light table and placed all the other pieces in their appropriate spots. It was so much easier to see where each one went, especially the bows!
I am very fortunate. I have a light table that has glass in it. My husband made it for me. Once I have the pieces in place I can then just touch each one with my iron. I then take them to the ironing board and give them a good shot of steam on both sides. Most people can't do this as the light tables you purchase have plexiglass. I don't advise that you try it. I have no idea what will happen to the plexi if you do.TIP: Do not move our iron around when you press. Pick your iron up and then press down. Wiggling the iron about can cause pieces to move around and if they aren't laying flat when you move that iron, you may have pieces that are folded over in spots. Press from both sides and use a pressing cloth. If you don't have a pressing cloth, they are easy to make. Just take a piece of muslin and cut it to about a 15" square. That will give you plenty to work with.
One of the things I did do when I started this project was to select the threads that I was going to use to sew the pieces done with. I chose co-ordinating thread as opposed to all black. Black blanket stitch to me gives it a "folky" look and I don't want that for this piece as I don't know who is going to get this quilt -- yet! I have an idea, but for the moment its mine.
TIP: I keep a box of sandwich size plastic bags in my sewing room. I took all the threads for this row and put them in the bag along with the bobbins. I only do one SECTION at a time and I wasn't sure when I would get back to the second section. When I keep all the threads together I know which ones I'm using. 
I won't have to search my basket and hope that I've picked up the same threads as I used for the first section. Both my sections are now done. I didn't sew them together yet. I have boxes I keep my projects in. I bought them at Michaels in the Scrapbook section. They are 12" x12" and hold a lot. I'm using two boxes for this project as 5 yards of fabric takes up a lot of room. When I have finished row 2 I will join all those sections and then I can hang them on a pant hanger in the closet.
My snowfolks don't have eyes or mouths yet. My LA strongly suggests that you don't do the embellishing until she has done her quilting. I will mark where they are to go though. I also don't have anything appropriate in the house and its just too darn cold to go to the stores and look for something. I'm thinking snaps for the eyes and maybe buttons for the mouths. We'll see what I find. I'll keep these in plastic bags too and put them in the storage boxes so they don't get used for something else.