Gnomes are a super popular winter and Christmas decoration, but you can easily enjoy this home decor craft all year round! These DIY gnomes looks great on display, and they’re a lot of fun to make. So let’s get crafting your own adorable gnome friend!
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Helpful Tips:
What do you fill DIY gnomes with?
We like to give our gnomes a weighted base with uncooked rice or dried beans. You can also buy special poly-pellets for stuffed animals. This weights the bottom of the gnome and stops them from falling over. Then the squishy gnome body is made with poly-fill stuffing. You can also use stuffing from an old pillow or stuffed animal. Or if you happen to have lots of fabric or yarn scraps, they also make good stuffing. Make sure you cut these bits small so they don’t make the gnome look lumpy.
How to make a gnome nose:
We like to use a wooden ball for our gnome noses – it’s really sturdy and gives the gnome a classic, polished appearance. But there are a few other items that also work well:
Pom pom Polymer clay, shaped into a round nose and baked Stuffed nylon or stocking, cut to size Fabric (such as felt, fleece, or another material) wrapped around stuffing Sock, cut into a round shape and stuffed Styrofoam ball (plain, painted, or covered in pantyhose fabric)
How to make a gnome with arms:
When you make the gnome’s body there will be a longer top part of the sock that you cut off. Cut this portion of the sock in half and use it to make arms for the gnome. Then cut little pieces of felt to make the gnome’s hands! The arms can be held in place with glue and/or the rubber band. Check out our fall gnomes post for step-by-step instructions on how to make a gnome with arms.
How do I make a DIY gnome beard?
You can cut a gnome beard from faux fur if you don’t have a specific “gnome beard” shape already. Be careful when cutting the fur, so you don’t cut the long strands of fur off. Check out our Valentine gnomes post to find a template for the beard and specific instructions on how to cut it. If you want to make a seasonal gnome, look for other materials to make the gnome’s beard. Fabric leaves make a perfect beard for a fall gnome, while faux Christmas tree branches make a great holiday gnome beard!
DIY gnomes will add a touch of whimsy to any space! Follow these easy steps and learn how to make a gnome using a sock and a few other simple materials. Choose your favourite colours for the gnome’s hat and beard, have fun adding other personalized details. These sock gnomes make a great homemade gift, they’re a craft fair favourite, and they’re also a super fun group project for a craft night!
Here’s even more DIY gnome craft ideas:
Halloween Gnomes
DIY Fall Gnomes
St. Patrick’s Day Gnomes
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
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