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Easy DIY Gnome Ornament

These easy DIY gnome ornaments are cute Scandinavian Christmas decorations you can add to your home this year!

Easy DIY Gnome Ornament Craft with Christmas Tree Branches

When I found out how simple it was to make a gnome ornament, I knew I had to make a few (or a dozen, really!) to add to my home this year! Gnomes are a hot trend for the holidays right now. And when you can make them with just felt, yarn and hot glue, why wouldn’t you add these to your tree?

This DIY tutorial is very similar to my DIY gnome wine bottle topper. And I love that! The materials are almost the same, so you could make both the wine bottle topper and these ornaments with the same craft supplies!

DIY Gnome Ornament

As Seen in Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Crafts 2022 Magazine!

My ornaments are featured on Page 91 of this popular DIY magazine!

These gnome Christmas ornaments are oversized. As you can see in the instructions photos, they are bigger than the palm of a hand! So you can use them in a variety of other ways, such as door knob hangers, present toppers, hanging from the center of a wreath on the front door, etc.

You might also like my easy DIY Grinch Gnome, too!

DIY Gnome Ornament Craft

How To Make a Gnome Ornament (No-Sew)

Supplies

DIY Gnome Ornament Craft Supplies

Directions

Take one end of the yarn and begin wrapping it loosely around the palm of your hand, approximately 50 times. 

Cutting Yarn for Craft
Yarn for Gnome Beard Craft

Cut the end of the yarn after wrapping around your hand.

Now, cut a 5” long strand and secure that around the wrapped yarn, removing your hand. Tie the strand into a tight knot around the yarn that was wrapped around your hand. 

Tied Yarn for DIY in Hand and Scissors
Tied Yarn for Pom Pom Gnome Ornament

Cut the yarn loops to form pom-pom. Put pom-pom aside for the time being.

Cutting Yarn for DIY Craft

Paint the surface of the wood circles in gold paint. Let dry.

Painting Wooden Buttons Gold

Print out the gnome hat pattern (the link to download is in the supplies list). Place the pattern on top of the felt sheet and cut along the solid line.

Gnome Hat Pattern Cut Out

Wrap the felt into a cone-shaped gnome hat using a wooden dowel (or pencil) to help wrap the felt around leaving a small opening at the cone tip.

Gnome Cone Hat Made of Felt DIY with Hot Glue Gun

Glue the overlapping edges of the felt cone-shaped hat to hold in place. 

Rolling Felt to Make Cone Hat
Hot Glueing Felt Gnome Hat DIY

Cut a piece of twine 20” long and fold in half. 

Measuring and Cutting Twine

Tie the cut ends of the twine around the pom-pom, weaving the twine under the pom pom knot to secure first.

Yarn Beard Tied with Twine
Twine Loop Tied to Yarn

Pull the looped end of the twine up through the hole at the top of the hat.

Twine Loop on Gnome Ornament

Pull on the twine gently to pull the gnome beard into the hat.

Christmas Ornament DIY Felt Yarn Gnome

Glue one wood ball to the bottom edge of the hat. Glue two painted wood circles onto the front of the hat as shown (or use buttons if you’d like). 

Hot Glueing Round Wood Nose to Gnome Ornament
DIY Gnome Christmas Ornament in Hand

Trim any really long and uneven yarn ends. Be sure to keep the yarn in the center the beard the longest to really look like a gnome beard!


More Scandinavian Christmas DIY Projects:

Janice

Monday 15th of January 2024

Very cute! They look easy to make. And they have an upscale look. There are endless ways to embellish the hat!

Kimberly

Tuesday 16th of January 2024

Agree! You could add so many different embellishments!

Violeta

Monday 27th of November 2023

Your felt & yarn gnomes turned out so cute, what a fantastic idea! I wanted to drop a quick message to let you know that I’ve featured your tutorial on Crafts on Display, hope you enjoy it!

Louise

Thursday 16th of November 2023

Do you glue the beard to the bottom of the hat or glue the string at the top to hold it in place?

Kimberly

Monday 20th of November 2023

Louise, I didn't. If you pull the string up tight through the hole in the hat, the beard will be held in place. You can, of course, glue it if you would prefer.

Mona

Thursday 16th of November 2023

How do I save and print the instructions? Thanks

Kimberly

Monday 20th of November 2023

Hi Mona! Click on the link in the supply list and you can download the pattern for free.

Ginger

Tuesday 7th of November 2023

when I try to download the pattern for the gnome hat, it takes me to a place to check-out and buy the pattern. Can You help me please.

Kimberly

Friday 10th of November 2023

Hi Ginger, Yes, it can sound confusing when checking out on the platform. The pattern is indeed free, but the language used by the hosting platform might make you think you have to pay (which you don't). I've sent you the pattern to your email.