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Gnome (In-the-Hoop)

Gnome (In-the-Hoop)

Faux fur brings over-the-top charm to this little gnome! Stitch this design in-the-hoop, complete with fluffy fabric for the beard, then turn, stuff, and stitch closed. We'll show you how!

Supplies & Materials:

To create your gnome, you'll need:

  • Nordic Gnome (Stuffed) embroidery design
  • Piece of red felt (for hat)
  • Piece of grey felt (for body)
  • Piece of faux fur (for beard)
  • Tear-away stabilizer
  • Lightweight water soluble stabilizer (such as Sulky Solvy)
  • 40 wt. rayon thread for the embroidery
  • Temporary spray adhesive (such as Gunold's KK100)
  • Polyester fiberfill
  • Printed templates of the dieline files, which come with the design and have DL in the filename ( here's how to print dieline templates, or stitch if you don't have embroidery software )
  • Needle for hand sewing
  • Scissors
  • Masking tape

Finished sizes:

  • Large: 3 3/4" wide x 6" tall x 1 3/4" deep
  • Medium: 2 1/2" wide x 4 1/4" tall x 1 1/2" deep
  • Small: 1 3/4" wide x 3" tall x 1" deep

The designs used in this tutorial include:

- Nordic Gnome (Stuffed), UTZ2570

Gather Materials:

Take the printed dielines for the three files, and cut around the shapes. Lightly spray the back of each paper dieline with temporary adhesive and smooth it onto the right side of the chosen fabrics. Then cut out the shapes.

Red fabric triangle, white pattern piece on red fabric, two gray felt shapes, small gray oval felt piece, and orange-handled scissors on wooden surface.

For the beard dieline, spray the paper piece with temporary adhesive, and then smooth it onto backside of the faux fur. Make sure the direction of the fur is pointing towards the bottom of the piece.

Square piece of white faux fur with a white paper pattern template pinned on top, placed on a wooden surface.

Cut out the shape. When cutting along the bottom edge, smooth the fur up away from that edge before cutting. This will help to protect the long fur from being cut, and will allow for some to hang over the edge for a fun beard-like effect.

Orange-handled scissors next to a small square piece of white faux fur with long soft fibers on a dark wooden surface.

Start Embroidering:

Hoop a piece of tearaway stabilizer, and load the back piece file (labeled with an "a") onto the machine. The first thing to embroider is the a dieline which shows where to place the first body fabric piece. Spray the backside of the body fabric piece with temporary adhesive, and carefully place it within the shape. Then continue to embroider the tackdown, and then repeat to add the hat fabric dieline. Embroider the rest of the file.

Three side-by-side images showing embroidery machine stitching: first, a stitched outline on white fabric; second, a gray felt piece stitched inside the outline; third, a red triangular felt piece stitched above the gray felt on white fabric.

Once the back piece has finished embroidering, tear away the excess stabilizer from around the felt. Make sure to leave the stabilizer on the back of the fabric for now.

Fabric piece with stitching lines and a red curve, resembling an unfinished sewn triangular shape, placed on a wooden surface.

Next hoop another piece of tearaway stabilizer and load the front embroidery file (labeled with a "b"). The first thing to embroider will be a dieline. Spray and add the body piece onto the hoop. Then embroider the body tackdown and the beard dieline.

Embroidery machine stitching on a gray felt fabric square secured in a hoop on a white base, with the presser foot engaged on the material.

Spray the backside of the fake fur beard with temporary adhesive, and carefully smooth it onto the sewn shape.

Close-up of a layered embroidery piece on stabilizer showing gray felt base and white fluffy fabric on top, inside an embroidery hoop frame corner.

Once the beard is placed, cut a piece of water soluble stabilizer, and lay it over the beard, making sure to tape it securely in place. This will prevent the fur from interfering with the embroidery. Then continue to embroider the design. The beard tackdown will sew next followed by the nose of the gnome. After the hat dieline sews, place the shape and embroider the tackdown and snowflake.

Three close-up images of an embroidery machine stitching a white faux fur patch bordered by gray thread on fabric hooped and taped for stability; the last image shows a red felt piece being stitched over the top right corner of the fur patch.

Before sewing the "finishing seam" step on the color change sheet, stop the machine, and spray the right side of the back piece (file "a") just around the edges. Place it on top of the front piece, and firmly press it in place.

Hand removing a piece of backing from embroidery in a hoop; white, red, and gray fabric shapes form part of a gnome design on a wooden surface.

Then finish embroidering the finishing seam of the design to connect the two embroidered pieces.

Close-up of a sewing machine embroidery hoop with white fabric stitched with red and black thread outlines forming part of a design, taped in place on a clear base.

Now that the main piece is finished embroidering, tear away the excess stabilizer from around the design. Then carefully remove the all of the stabilizer that remains on both sides of the gnome. This will make the gnome easier to turn right side out and will allow it to be plumper when stuffed.

Hand holding a small fabric gnome face with a red hat, white beard, and gray details on a dark wooden surface. The gnome has a stitched white flower on the hat.

After the stabilizer is removed, turn the gnome right side out. Make sure to completely turn the point of the hat out by pushing it from the inside with the eraser end of a pencil.

Hand holding a small fabric gnome with a red felt hat embroidered with a white snowflake, a round peach nose, and a long white faux fur beard on a dark wooden surface.

Spray the backside of the fake fur beard with temporary adhesive, and carefully smooth it onto the sewn shape.

Partially completed embroidery project with layered white fluffy fabric on top of dark gray felt, secured in an embroidery hoop on white stabilizer.

Once the beard is placed, cut a piece of water soluble stabilizer, and lay it over the beard, making sure to tape it securely in place. This will prevent the fur from interfering with the embroidery. Then continue to embroider the design. The beard tackdown will sew next followed by the nose of the gnome. After the hat dieline sews, place the shape and embroider the tackdown and snowflake.

Three side-by-side images show a fabric piece hooped in an embroidery machine stitching a white furry patch outlined by dark gray, adding pink and red shapes.

Before sewing the "finishing seam" step on the color change sheet, stop the machine, and spray the right side of the back piece (file "a") just around the edges. Place it on top of the front piece, and firmly press it in place.

Hand holding white fabric being lifted from an embroidery hoop; white base fabric within gray hoop frame on dark wood surface.

Then finish embroidering the finishing seam of the design to connect the two embroidered pieces.

Embroidery hoop with fabric secured inside a sewing machine, stitching a white and red fabric piece with black and red thread outlines.

Now that the main piece is finished embroidering, tear away the excess stabilizer from around the design. Then carefully remove the all of the stabilizer that remains on both sides of the gnome. This will make the gnome easier to turn right side out and will allow it to be plumper when stuffed.

Hand holding an embroidered fabric gnome with red hat, white beard, and gray body, partially detached revealing a white backing on a dark wooden surface.

After the stabilizer is removed, turn the gnome right side out. Make sure to completely turn the point of the hat out by pushing it from the inside with the eraser end of a pencil.

Hand holding a small handmade gnome figure with a tall red felt hat featuring a white snowflake embroidery, a pink nose, and a fluffy white beard.

Then hoop the last piece of tearaway stabilizer, and load the base piece file (labeled with a "c"). Follow the color change sheet to embroider the piece, and make sure to add the fabric before sewing the tackdown.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a gray fabric shape resembling a leaf on a white background, with focus on the needle and presser foot.

Once finished embroidering, remove the excess stabilizer, but leave the tear away stabilizer on the back of the fabric.

Two small overlapping embroidered leaf shapes on white fabric; one leaf is dark brown with wood grain stitching, the other gray with light blue edging.

Next, match one corner of the base piece up with the side seam of the gnome. Fold the raw edges in slightly, and use a hand sewing needle and thread to sew the base onto the gnome.

Hand holding a soft fabric gnome figure with a gray body, white fluffy beard, and a red pointed hat on a wooden surface background.

Stop sewing with a 1 1/2" hole remaining, and stuff the gnome with polyester fiberfill.

Hand holding a gray felt gnome hat with white faux fur trim and a needle pulling white thread, adding a fluffy white beard. Dark wooden background.

Then finish sew the base onto the gnome, and close the opening.

Close-up of a hand holding a gray felt piece with white fluffy trim being sewn by hand using a needle and thread, background is blurred.

Let your friendly little gnome bring adorable charm to your magical home!

Small handmade gnome figure with a tall red felt hat embroidered with a white snowflake, a round peach-colored nose, and a fluffy white faux fur beard.