Free Nordic Gnome Knitting Pattern - Red Ted Art

Hooray, we have another great Knitting Pattern for you! This is a lovely guest post by Kaz Kew, who as kindly shared her knitting projects with us before (check out her adorable Knitted Rubber Duck). Today, she shows us how to make the cutest of cute Nordic Gnome Knitting Pattern – her very special Gnorman! So much fun! Who doesn’t love a fabulous DIY Gnome! (If you crochet.. you can check out this Crochet Gnome as well!).

About Kaz Kew

Kaz is a wonderful passionate knitter that I “met” in the Random Acts of Kinding Knitting & Crochet group. A lovely group of (mainly) knitters and (some) crocheters, who love to make things for the general public to find. Isn’t that lovely? Kaz is also active on her own Kaz Kew Blog!

Kaz loves knitting and loves to inspire others to have a go! And today, she very generously let’s me share her Duck Knitting Pattern, with you, lovely Red Ted Art readers! Hurray!

Should you have a go at making this little duck, please DO share any of your photos, we would love to see them!

Materials/equipment

DK in all 6 colours:

Colour Change wool for main body
2 complementary colours for hat, (I also used one of these colours for belt and shoes).
Skin tone (of choice) for hands, nose and head
Cream for shirt
Red for heart
Cream or white Eyelash wool for beard (tinsel and faux fur wool can also be used) (if you don’t have fluffy wool for the beard – you can also try this “strands of yarn” beard, which looks great as per this gnome – you could even “brush” the wool to fluffy it up!).

Other supplies:

3mm needles through out
Toy stuffing
Yarn needle

Abbreviations used in this pattern

k = Knit
p = Purl
k2t = Knit 2 together
p2t = Purl 2 together
inc = increase (Knit into front and Back(KFB), or your preferred method)
st = stitches
ss = stocking stitch
(–) x? = repeat instruction inside bracket the number of time stated {e,g x2 = twice}
Turn = work stated number of stitches and turn without wrapping
W+T = wrap and turn, after knitting required number of stitches wrap wool around next stitch without knitting and turn work
PSSO = pass slipped stitch over last knitted stitch
Sl 1 = slip next stitch without knitting
Mc = main colour
Cc = contrasting colour

How to Knit a Gnome – Gnorman!

Knit the Gnok’s Body & Head

Main piece Body and head starting at base. I’ve used colour change wool.

Cast on 8st (8st)
inc in all (16st)
p 1 row
(inc k1) x 8 (24st)
p 1 row
(k2, inc) x8 (32st)
p 1 row
(k3, inc) x8 (40st)
p 1 row
(k4, inc) x8 (48st)
p 1 row
(k5, inc) x8 (56st)
p 1 row
(k6, inc) x8 (64st)
p 1 row
(k7, inc) x8 (72st)
p 1 row
(k8, inc) x8 (80st)
ss 5 rows start with p
(k6 k2t)x10 (70st)
ss 4 rows start with p
(p2t,p5)x10 (60st)
ss 4 rows start with k
(k4, k2t)x10 (50st)
cut wool Long leaving long end to sew when finished
belt change colour, ss 2 rows start with p
shirt change colour, ss 2 rows start with p
(p2t, p3)x10 (40st)
ss4 rows start with k
(k2, k2t)x10 (30st)
ss 4 rows start with p
(p2t)x15 (15st)
Change to skin tone ss 2 rows k then p
k1 (inc, k1) x7 (22st)
p 1 row
inc in all st (44st)
ss 11 rows starting with p
k4 (k2t, k3) x8 (36st)
p1 row
(k1 k2t)x 12 (24st)
p 1 row
k2t x12 (12st)
p 1 row

Cut wool leaving long end, bind off by threading wool through remaining st and using to close back seam. Stop at the belt.
Stuff the head at this point. Change to long end from no.24 continue to sew pausing to stuff before sealing closed

Knit Gonk’s Hat

Working in TWO colours:

Main colour(mc) and
Contrast Colour (cc)

mc Cast on 54st (54st)
ss 8 rows starting with k
cc k2 rows
mc ss 3 rows start with k
(p7, p2t) x6 (48st)
cc k2 rows
mc ss 3 rows start with k
(p6, p2t) x6 (42st)
cc k2 rows
mc ss 3 rows start with k
(p5, p2t) x6 (36st)
cc k2 rows
mc ss 3 rows start with k
(p4, p2t) x6 (30st)
cc k2 rows
mc ss 3 rows start with k
(p3, p2t) x6 (24st)
cc k2 rows
mc ss 3 rows start with k
(p2, p2t) x6 (18st)
cc k2 rows
mc ss 3 rows start with k
(p1, p2t) x6 (12st)
cc k2 rows
mc ss 3 rows start with k
p2t x6 6st
cc k2 rows
mc ss 3 rows

Cut wool leaving Long, Bind off by threading wool through stitches on needle.and sewing row ends together.

Knit the Beard

NOTE: if you don’t have fluffy wool for the beard – you can also try this “strands of yarn” beard, which looks great as per this gnome – you could even “brush” the wool to fluffy it up!

Beard in eyelash white wool/ fluffy wool

Cast on (35st)
k 1 row
p2t, p to end
k2t, k to end

Repeat last 2 rows until you have 3 st remaining. Cast off 3 stitches.

Knit the Nose

Nose with skin tone of choice

Cast on 9st (9st)
inc in all (18st)
ss 5 rows
k2t x9 (9st)

Cut wool leaving a long end, bind off by threading wool through remaining st and using to sew row ends together. Stuff and attach to the head, so that the bottom is level with the first row of
skin tone for head and on the opposite side to the back seam.

At this point I sewed beard in place and then hat.Making sure that is secured either side of nose.

Knit 2 Arms

Arms (x2) starting on hand with skin tone of choice

Cast on 6st (6st)
(k1 inc) x3 (9st)
p 1 row
(k2, inc) x3 (12st)
ss 3 rows start with p
k6 cast ON 6st k6 (18st)
p 1 row
k6 cast OFF 6st k5 (12st)
ss 2 rows start with p
p2t p8 p2t (10st)
k3 (k2t)x2 k3 (8st)
cut wool leaving a long end, to sew row ends of the hand together later, when the arm is complete.
Change to shirt colour wool and p 1 row
inc x8 (knit) (16st)
k1row (cuff reverse ss)
p 1 row (end of reverse ss)
p 1 row (16st)
k2t, k12, k2t (14st)
ss 19 rows start with p
k2t, k3, (k2t)x2, k3, k2t 10st
p2t,p1, (p2t)x2 p1, p2t 6st

Cut wool leaving a long end, bind off by threading wool through remaining st and using to sew row ends together at later point. Repeat for second arm.

Making up arms:

Using the long end of skin tone wool from hand, sew row ends (of hand only) together and stuff.

Go back to top of arm and bind off stitches, use this wool to sew row ends together, sewing towards hand leaving gap to stuff arm and then close remaining gap to finish.

Then attach to body. I place mine close to the neck and inline with the beard.

Knit the Gnome’s Shoe

Shoe (x2) starting at the toe end.

cast on 3 (3st)
ss 4 rows start with k
inc in all st (6st)
p 1 row
(k1, inc) x3 (9st)
p 1 row
k2, inc, k3, inc, k2 11st
ss 8 rows start with p
p2t x5, p1 (6st)
k 1 row
p2t , p2, p2t (4st)
k2t x2 (2st)

Cut wool leaving long end, bind off by threading wool through remaining st and using to sew row
ends together, stopping half way to place a little stuffing in half of the shoe.

Continue sewing seam ends to the cast on edge. You will notice at the cast ON end the shoe is very narrow, this is the curl. Push all stuffing to toe end making sure NOT to FILL THIS NARROW PART.

Use the remaining long end to sew one stitch about five rows from end and pull the cast
on edge back to form CURL.

Sew to base of main piece end of Gnorman!

How to knit a heart for Gnorman

Heart using red and leaving long end.

cast on 3st (3st)
inc in all (6st)
p 1 row
(inc, k1, inc)x2 (10st)
p 1 row
(inc, k3, inc)x2 (14st)
p 1 row
(k6 inc) x2 (16st)
p 1 rpw
(k7 inc) x2 (18st)
p 1 row
(inc, k7, inc) x2 (22st)
p 1 row
(inc, k9, inc) x2 (26st)
p 1 row
(inc, k11, inc) x2 (30st)
p 1 rpw
(inc, k13, inc) x2 (34st)
ss 3 rows start with p
short row k2t, k15 turn now working only on these 16st
p7,p2t, p7 (15st)
k2t, k11, k2t. (13st)
p5, sl1 p2t PSSO, P5 (11st)
k2t, k7, k2t (9st)
p3 sl 1 k2t PSSO p3 (7st)
k2t, k3, k2t, (5st)

Bind off by threading wool through remaining stitches, only short end required to seal.

Rejoin wool to the remaining 17 st

k15 k2t (16st)
p7,p2t, p7 (15st)
k2t, k11, k2t. (13st)
p5, sl1 p2t PSSO, P5 (11st)
k2t, k7, k2t (9st)
p3 sl 1 k2t PSSO p3 (7st)
k2t, k3, k2t, (5st)

Bind off by threading wool through remaining stitches only short end required to seal.

With the long end from cast on sew row ends together, this forms a back seam.

Isn’t Gnorman wonderful? A very big thank you to Kaz Kew, for being so generous with her amazing knitting patterns!

More fabulous DIY Gnomes, as well as more fantastic FREE Knitting Patterns here: