DIY Gnome Christmas Decor (Make Santa’s Family & Elves)

Materials

One of my favorite parts of making gnomes is decorating them. This is where you get to play, mix textures, and let your personality shine. Ruth loves the thrill of the hunt and uses a little bit of everything when it comes to trims, props, and fabrics.

Fabric or sweaters
Trims ribbons, greenery, or lace
Embellishments buttons, patches, etc.
Small props tiny bells, ornaments, or gift bags
Felt sheets
Fabric scraps
Faux fur
Hot glue gun and craft glue like Elmer’s glue

Ruth finds many of her materials at local craft stores such as Hobby Lobby or Michael’s, along with dollar stores and thrift shops like Goodwill or Savers. Clearance sections are always worth checking and often have the best surprises.

Thrift stores are especially great for finding sweaters and fabric that can be cut up for gnome arms and bodies. For smaller details like patches, embellishments, or themed props, she also checks Amazon and Etsy. Facebook Marketplace can be another fun place to hunt for older sweaters, buttons, or craft lots.

A helpful tip is to pull apart store-bought decorations and use the smaller pieces across multiple gnomes. One string of ornaments or holiday decor can easily stretch into details for several projects.

There are no rules here. Use what you have, keep it playful, and enjoy the process. That is what makes each gnome one of a kind.

Once you’ve made your Santa gnome, there are so many other gnome projects to try year-round. You can check out the Valentine Chef Gnome E-book for sweet and festive kitchen companions, explore cheerful Spring Gnomes, or make the playful Easter Bunny Gnome E-book. Celebrate summer with Fourth of July Gnomes, and get ready for spooky season with my Halloween Gnome Ebooks. Each project is full of ideas and inspiration to keep your gnome collection growing all year long.

Santa

Here are a few varieties of Santa gnome styles. Ruth uses a strip of craft fur along the brim of his hat. Christmas trims finish off the outfit.

The little Christmas bag was from Hobby Lobby last year.

Mrs. Claus

Below is the adorable Mrs. Claus. Her braids are made of craft yarn and glued under her hat.

The apron is trimmed with craft ribbon and lace. You can sew these together or use fabric glue.

Elves

Below are Santa Elves’ gnomes. Crazy cute, right? They have skewer ski poles and balsa wood skis. They are trimmed with craft bells and buttons.

Free Pattern

If this is your first time making a gnome, start with the basic gnome tutorial. It walks you through the full process and gives you a great foundation before adding any Santa details.

You can download the free gnome pattern by subscribing to my Gnome email list. Once subscribed, you will receive an email with a link and password to access the free resource library. Inside the library, look for the gnome thumbnail to download the PDF pattern.

After printing the pattern, look below for the Santa steps and details, then head over to the DIY Gnomes post for the step-by-step photo instructions.

This Santa gnome uses the same base pattern as the basic gnome, so no additional pattern pieces are needed.

Directions for Santa

Here are step by step instructions to create a Santa gnome.

1 Print Pattern
Cut out each pattern piece on regular paper or transfer it to sturdy cardboard for durability.

2 Prepping the Santa Hat
Cut out the gnome hat piece using red fabric. Polar fleece, minky fabric, or a recycled sweater all work well for a Santa-style hat. If the fabric has a design, pay attention to it so the patterns fall where you want them.

Fold the fabric in half lengthwise with right sides together. Stitch from the tip of the hat down to the brim, then turn it right-side-out gently.

To give the hat a Santa look, glue or sew a strip of white fabric or craft fur around the brim. Finish the tip with a pom pom, a fluff of fur, or a small jingle bell if you like a little extra detail. Set the hat aside.

3 Creating the Body of the Santa Gnome
Cut out the body fabric and fold it in half lengthwise with right sides together. Sew along the open side from top to bottom. Close the bottom with a rubber band or clear hair tie, reinforcing with a thin wire if desired, then turn the body right-side out.

If you are using a sock, skip the side seam and simply close the bottom while the sock is inside out.

Fill the bottom with washed pea gravel for weight, then add polyester filling until the body is about 3 to 4 inches tall. A slightly fuller body works well for Santa and helps create that round, jolly shape. Set aside.

4 Creating the Beard and Arms

Style the Beard
Use white faux craft fur for a classic Santa beard. Cut from the back of the fur to keep the fibers long and full. Decide how wide and full you want the beard to be, then trim as needed.

If needed, cut two small triangular pieces to fill in gaps on either side of the beard for a fuller look.

Arms
Cut out the sleeve fabric, choosing red fabric or a small sweater knit to match the Santa theme. Lay the fabric right side down, then fold the long edges to the center so they slightly overlap. Run a bead of hot glue along one side and press the other side on top. Hold until the glue cools. For a Santa detail, you can add a strip of white fur or fabric trim at the sleeve ends.

Optional: Insert a pipe cleaner before sealing the arms if you want them to be adjustable.

5 Assembling the Santa Gnome
Attach the arms by centering them around the top closure of the body. Secure with hot glue, adding extra glue where needed.

Next, position the beard. Start by tacking it in place with small dots of hot glue until you are happy with the placement. Once set, add more glue to fully secure it.

Glue the hat onto the gnome, working with small amounts of hot glue until the placement feels right. Once the hat is attached, add a simple round ball nose just below the brim. The hat should sit low, so there is no need to add eyes or other facial features.

6 Hands, Embellishments, and Santa Props
Finish your Santa gnome by adding hands and festive details. Hot glue or hand-sew any trims, ribbons, or embellishments you like.

A small drawstring bag filled with tiny gifts, greenery, a miniature tree, or a pinecone makes a great Santa prop. You can sew one yourself or use a premade bag. A sprig of faux holly or mistletoe tucked into the hat or bag is a simple finishing touch.

You did it. Your Santa gnome is complete and ready to bring a little Christmas cheer to your space!

If you’re looking for even more creative gift ideas, be sure to explore my full index of handmade and DIY gifts. You’ll find inspiration for gifts for sewers, homemade gifts, handmade crafts, and easy food gifts.

There are thoughtful ideas for women in their 20’s, teenage girls, and women of all ages, as well as fun projects like a mason jar cocktail set, gifts for bakers, knitters, and jewelry makers. There’s something here for everyone on your list!

I hope you enjoy making gnomes yourself! Be sure to subscribe or follow me on social media for more inspiration!

Happy Holidays to You!

xo,
Cindy