Yarn-Wrapped Cardboard Gnome Craft for Preschoolers

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Welcome back to some more crafty fun! Today, we are making a super duper cute and cozy Yarn Gnome Craft with the wonderful Studio Rosie! Celebrating the launch of her fantastic new book Fantasy Kids Crafts. Though these yarn-wrapped gnomes make wonderful sweater gnomes in the Fall and Christmas season, I think you will have fun making these all year round. Just explore color combinations and additional details that you can to your craft (more info below!). And you know how much we love a Gnome Craft. Let’s find out more!

yarn gnome craft with free gnome template

Please note: affiliate links have been added to these post – should you choose to purchase via these, I will earn a small commission that goes towards the upkeep of this site!

About Studio Rosie and the Fantasy Kid Crafts Book

Studio Rosie – as a wonderful instagram account using every day materials to make beautifully fun eco friendly kids crafts! Recently, I feel her work has been on fire with the most gorgeous kids’ crafts – one more whimiscal than the next. So it is no wonder, that she simply HAD to create this beautiful Big Book of Fantasy Kids Crafts! If unicorns, dragons, fairies and gnomes are your thing.. you HAVE To check out this super cute book. Inspired crafting, on a budget.

fantasy crafts for kids

Grab your copy of The Big Book of Fantasy Kids Crafts here today!

Let’s make some cozy Sweater Gnomes

Gnomes spend most of their time outside, so yours will need a heavy wool sweater to protect them from the elements. For Christmas one year, Rose and I made ornaments by wrapping cardboard shapes with yarn and she had so much fun! Use this simple wrapping technique to give your gnome a practical and cozy wool sweater.

Supplies needed for your cozy Yarn-Wrapped Gnome Sweater

Makes 1 Yarn-Wrapped Gnome Sweater

  • Cardboard
  • Yarn scraps in a variety of colors
  • Your FREE Gnome Templates (hat, sweater and boots in one) – grab these here – enter $0 at check out!
  • 1 sheet of white paper
  • Red, skin tone, and black acrylic paint
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Paintbrush
  • Glue gun with glue sticks

Enter $0 at check out for this free gnome template printable!

printable

How to make your Yarn Gnome Ornament Craft

Note: the free gnome printable has been designed for small hands to have fun at practicing their cutting skills and having a go at yarn wrapping – i.e. they are quite large! BUT.. you could also print the gnome template out in “half size” (print two sets per page or reduce print size by 50%) to make some cute yarn gnome ornaments too! You can always add a cheeky felt heart or snowflake to your gnome and make it “more seasonal”, if you wish!

cut the gnome shapes

Cut out your gnome templates onto cardboard and paper

Use scissors to cut out the YarnWrapped Gnome Sweater sweater template. Trace the template on a piece of cardboard with a pencil and cut out the template shape from the cardboard.

Yarn Wrap your Gnome’s Sweater

Wrap the cardboard in yarn around all sides until most of the cardboard is covered in yarn. Cut the end of the yarn and tie the loose end to another part of the yarn on the back. You can wrap the yarn in different directions. First one way. Then turn the gnome body 90 degrees and wrap another way! You can also add little cuts to the side of the body and help “catch” the yarn and stop it from slipping if you wish!

color in your gnome

Paint your Gnome’s hat, face and feet

Cut out the Yarn-Wrapped Gnome Sweater face template and Yarn-Wrapped Gnome Sweater boots templates. Trace the templates on a piece of white paper with a pencil and cut out the template shapes.

With red acrylic paint and a paintbrush, paint the gnome’s hat. Under the hat, paint an oval with skin tone acrylic paint for the gnome’s nose. Paint the gnome boots with black acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry for at least 1 hour.

Final gnome assembly

Use a glue gun to glue the gnome face onto the front of the gnome’s sweater at the top. Glue the two boots onto the back of the gnome’s sweater at the bottom. Allow the glue to dry for at least 60 seconds.

Your gnome is sure to be warm and snug throughout winter bundled up in this new sweater!

Credit Line: Reprinted with permission from The Big Book of Fantasy Kid Crafts by Jennifer Buchheit. Page Street Publishing Co. 2025. Photo credit: Jennifer Buchheit.

As metnioned.. if you have some seasonal confetti, or paper hole punches, or you are dab hand at cutting felt, you can add fun seasonal variations by adding different details to your yarn gnome! E.g. some snowflake confetti to a blue hatted winter gnome, some leaf cut outs and pumpkin cut outs (made from paper or felt?) to a orange and green Fall Gnome and some fun hearts – be it confetti, paper or felt to make a Valentine’s Day Gnome!

One adorable craft by Studio Rosie, lots of seasonal options! Be sure to get her book today.

Fancy more Gnomes today? Check out this amazing collection of DIY Gnome Crafts!

DIY Gnome Crafts