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This free crochet gnome pattern makes a family of three woodland Nordic gnomes — Jorgen Graybeard, Helga Blonde Braids, and Sven Redbeard — each standing 7 inches tall with their own personality. The pattern uses category 4 yarn and a 4mm hook worked in continuous amigurumi-style rounds to create a firm stuffable body that holds its shape beautifully on a shelf, mantle, or holiday tablescape.
The gnomes are fully customizable — change the colors, beard styles, and hat decorations to suit your own decor. I styled mine as a fall woodland family in wheat, leaf, and bark tones with wood bead noses for a true Nordic feel, but they work equally beautifully in Christmas red and green or any seasonal palette.
Full written pattern instructions are below. A video tutorial is included at the bottom of this post, and the ad-free PDF with complete detailed instructions is available on Etsy.
Free Crochet Gnome Pattern — Details at a Glance
Pattern name: Woodland Nordic Gnome Family
Finished size: 7 inches tall x 3 inches wide per gnome
Hook: 4mm — worked tight to create a firm stuffable body
Yarn: Category 4 worsted weight — shown in Lion Brand Heartland in Mammoth Cave and Acadia, Red Heart Soft in Dark Leaf
Yarn amount: Approximately 125 grams per gnome
Stuffing: Polyfil or yarn scraps
Nose: Wood bead
Skill level: Beginner — worked in continuous rounds
Technique: Amigurumi style — magic ring, continuous rounds, no slip stitch joins
US crochet terms: Yes
Video tutorial: Included at bottom of post
Ad-free PDF: Available on Etsy with more detailed instructions
Makes: Three gnome family — Jorgen Graybeard, Helga Blonde Braids, Sven Redbeard
Table of Contents
You may also like these 10 Fall crochet patterns for the home
What You Need to Make This Free Crochet Gnome Pattern
I am using woodland colors for this crochet gnomes free pattern to give a true Nordic feel to my gnomes but you get creative and use colors that work with your own tastes and decor!
I went with colors of nature: wheat, leaf and bark. I also used a wood bead for a nose to keep it extra woodsy!
Finished size from base to hat: 7 ” tall x 3″ wide
You will need polyfil or another form of stuffing (yarn scraps, etc) (see this post on polyfil alternatives)
Crochet hook
stitch marker
decorative items like beads and embroidery floss
Watch the Free Crochet Gnome Video Tutorial
Find it at the bottom of this post.
Crochet Gnome Pattern Supplies and Materials
Materials:
- 4 mm crochet hook (I use the etimo tulip hook) to work tight with no snagging
- category 4 yarn in colors for skin, main body & hat ( allow approx 125 grams per gnome)
- polyfil (or these free and natural polyfil alternatives)
- tapestry needle
- stitch marker
- decorations such as gold embroidery floss, wood bead for nose, decorations for hats
For these I used:
Lion Brand Heartland yarn in Mammoth Cave & Acadia and Red Heart soft in dark leaf.
To begin the gnome body it will be worked like the crochet apple pattern, a circle that gradually increases.
Do not slip the stitch at the end of round. Work in a continuous round and mark start of each round with a stitch marker to keep track of which round you are on.
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Begin
Crochet gnome body
Create a magic ring then sc 10 into it. (10 sts) Use stitch marker to mark end of round. Move each time and replace it to end of new round.
Round 2: *2 SC in the next st* repeat from *to* . (20 sts)
Round 3: *SC in the next st, 2 sc in the next st,* repeat from *to*. (30 sts)
Round 4: *SC in the next 2 sts, 2 SC in the next st,* repeat from *to* . (40 sts)
Round 5: *SC in the next 3 sts, 2 sc in the next st,* repeat from *to* . (50 sts)
Rounds 6-21: SC around all 50 sts. (50)
Round 22: *SC first 4, sc2tg next. * . (40 sts)
Round 23: Repeat round 22 ( 32 sts)
Round 24: Repeat round 22 again. (26 sts) Cut yarn leaving a long tail.
See all my free crochet Christmas patterns
- Holiday gnomes free pattern
- Peppermint double thick hanging potholders
- Peppermint crochet kitchen towel hanger
- Boho christmas ornament pattern
- Crochet Christmas tree trio pattern
- Gingerbread coastal cottage crochet Christmas stocking free pattern
How to crochet a gnome hat
Make hat as instructed in graphic below:
This is a traditional crochet cone shape.
Crochet gnome arms
I used white yarn for a gloves look. Skin color yarn is another good options if you prefer your gnomes to have bare hands.
Arms are worked from the hand up. Begin with hand or glove color.
Make a magic ring and work 3 sc . Using same technique as shown for hat, work 2 sc in each st so you have a total of 6 sc in the round.
Work three more rounds of the hands, bring up the body color or sleeve color if using a different shade than the body as you complete the last stitch of the hand color round.
Continue to work arm rounds of 6 sc until the arm is the length you like. Ishown are 14 rounds of body color) Pull all ends through to the inside. Attach to the side of the body at the top opening so that hat will sit over it and cover where it is attached. Leave flat do not stuff.
Attach wood bead nose.
Stuff body. (see polyfil alternatives post here)
Beards and braids
Decide on beard or braids to adorn your gnome and give it some personality. Each of my gnomes has a very different look.
- Jorgen graybeard
- Helga blonde braids
- Sven red curly beard
I put gold embroidery floss in different areas of each gnome to keep them unique but still look like a family.
Decorate hats as desired.
For Jorgen graybeard I worked sections of gold floss on the diagonal for half the hat and some beads on the other half. (curly beard technique in video tutorial)
Helga blonde braids has beads dotted all over the hat, gold floss on her gloves and hat brim and tying her braids. See the invisible tassel knot tutorial here.
Sven redbeard has a single line of beads adorning the brim. To get the yarn curly I wrapped lion brand jeans yarn (try a cat 3 yarn or a thin cat 4 yarn) around a 1″ diameter glass (or a prescription container) then mist with water and leave it to dry like setting curls. See my post on how to read a yarn label.
How to Finish Your Crochet Gnome
After arms, nose and beard/braids are attached, using a tapestry needle, attach hat with hat color yarn securing it over back, and around the body top opening. I do not stuff hats because I like them to bend but you may stuff them if you prefer them to be firmly straight prior to attaching to body.
