Pinecone Gnomes
These pinecone gnomes are SO CUTE! Add a charming touch to your Christmas decorations with these DIY pine cone gnome ornaments.
Transform a regular pinecone into a fun and creative Christmas craft in just a few simple steps. You can use our free, printable template and common dollar store supplies to make these easy pinecone ornaments. So let’s get crafting and make a little pinecone pal of your own!
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How to Make a Pinecone Gnome
Materials:
Equipment:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
- To begin, grab a paper plate or line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.Make sure your pine cone is clean and ready for painting. Then add paint to the plate.
- Paint the edges of the pinecone all the way around.Allow to dry.
Step 3: Cut out the hat pieces and attach an ornament hanger
- Print our free pinecone gnome template (find the link in the materials list above!) and cut out the hat pieces.
- Cut the main hat piece from red felt (or another festive colour!) and the hat band from faux fur.
- Cut a piece of metallic cord, about 10 inches long. Fold it in half and make a knot, creating an ornament hanger.
- Add a bit of glue to the top of the felt.
- Place the knot of the ornament hanger into the glue and hold it in place until it stays on its own.
Step 4: Make the gnome hat
- Fold 1/3 of the hat over and add a short line of hot glue along the edge
- Fold the edge of the other 1/3 into the glue and hold it until it stays in place.Add glue along the rest of the edge and fold the other part of the hat into it.
- Starting at the seam of the hat, add a thin line of hot glue (about 1 inch long) along the bottom edge.
- Place one end of the fur hat band into the glue, lining it up so it covers the bottom edge of the hat.
- Continue attaching the hat band, gluing a small section at a time.
- Now glue the pom pom to the top of the hat.
Step 5: Put the pinecone gnome together
- Decide which part of the pinecone you want to be the front of the gnome.The gnome’s nose will sit right below the hat, so try the hat on the pinecone and see where the nose will go.Add glue to the proper place on the pinecone and set the wooden ball in place. Hold it until it stays in place by itself.
- Finally, add glue around the top of the pinecone.
- Then set the hat in place and press it into the glue.The seam of the hat should go at the back of the gnome.
- Your pinecone gnome is complete!
Helpful Tips:
- Leave off the ornament hanger to turn these pinecone gnomes into adorable table decorations!
- You can also use patterned felt or fleece to make the pinecone gnome hats.
- You can also add stuffing to the hat before gluing it on. This will help it keep its shape indefinitely.
Get our free printable pinecone gnomes pattern:
The link and picture below will take you to our free, printable pinecone gnomes hat template! The PDF file will open in a new window. Then simply print the template on 8.5 x 11 (letter size) printer paper.
>>> Pinecone Gnomes Template <<<
What size of pinecone is this hat pattern made for?
The hat pattern fits pinecones with a 5 to 7 inch diameter. (Most of our pinecones were 6 inches around.)
If your pinecone is smaller or larger, simply scale the pattern before printing.
Where can I get pinecones to make my pinecone gnome ornaments?
Try going on a winter nature walk and collecting fallen pinecones! Be sure to brush off any dirt or debris before you craft with these pinecones (and make sure that they’re totally dry!). Pinecones and Acorns has a helpful guide on how to prepare pinecones for crafting.
And if you can’t find any pinecones outside, you can also buy pinecones on Amazon, at the dollar store, or the craft store.
Where can I buy faux fur for the pinecone gnome’s hat?
You can buy faux fur at the craft store, fabric store, or online. For this project, search for “short pile” fur. This describes the shorter fur you want for a hat band, unlike longer fur that you would use for a gnome beard.
The faux fur we used actually comes from a white Santa hat that we bought at the dollar store. We’ve been able to use it for several crafts and there’s still some left!
How else can I decorate the pinecone gnome hat?
You can decorate the hat by gluing sequins or snowflake confetti glitter to it. You can also change up the decoration at the top of the hat. Make a tiny yarn pom pom or attach a jingle bell for a festive touch!
Bring a bit of magic into your home with these super cute pinecone gnomes! They look adorable on display, whether sitting on the mantel or hanging on the Christmas tree.
This DIY Christmas craft is a great way to use up small scraps of felt and fur, and you can make the hat in any colour of the rainbow. They’re sure to be part of your holiday display for years to come!
Here’s even more pinecone ornament ideas:
Pinecone Snowman Ornaments
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!
