I just love making handmade Christmas decorations – there’s something so warm and festive about knowing you made them yourself, especially for the holidays. Over the years, I’ve tried many DIY Christmas decorations, but some quickly became favorites. One of my top picks is this adorable DIY Santa Gnome Ornament!
Santa Gnome YouTube Video Tutorial
This ornament is super cute, fun, and easy to make. What makes it my favorite is how simple it is – all you need is yarn, an empty tissue roll, some fiberfill, and a little imagination. Don’t worry if it looks tricky at first; it’s surprisingly easy, and you can probably make several in one sitting.
RELATED: Easy DIY Wine Cork Reindeer
While these Santa Gnomes were originally designed as ornaments, their cuteness makes them perfect for other uses too. Turn them into a garland, hang them anywhere in your home, use them as gift bag fillers, or even make them into keychains. You can also customize them for gifts – swap yarn colors or add embellishments for different holidays, and they’ll still look adorable!
If you’re ready to get started, follow the step-by-step instructions below. I hope you enjoy making these DIY Christmas ornaments and that they add extra festive cheer to your holiday celebrations. Happy crafting and Merry Christmas!
▶ Watch this tutorial on TikTok
I love a craft that uses up the ends of things. This one runs on leftover yarn, a scrap of fiberfill, and a cardboard tube I would have tossed in the recycling bin.
There is no sewing here and nothing to cut out or trace. You wrap yarn, you glue, and a little gnome shows up in your hands.
That is why I ended up making a whole row of them. Once you have done one, the next takes about five minutes, and they are the perfect small handmade gift to tuck into a card or tie onto a package.
Craft Supplies Needed
Here is everything I had out on the table. Most of it is craft drawer stuff you already own.
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Dark red yarn
- Cream or white yarn
- Two mini pom poms, one pink and one peach
- A puff of white polyester fiberfill
- An empty cardboard tissue paper tube
- Scissors
Picking Your Yarn
A thicker, fuzzy yarn is your friend here. It fills in faster when you wrap, and it hides any gaps in the layers underneath.
Red and cream is the classic Santa look, and it is what I reached for first. Swap the red for green and you get a woodland gnome instead, so it is worth making a couple of each.
Keep your wraps snug and side by side as you go. Loose wraps slide around later, and that is the one thing that makes a gnome look lumpy instead of tidy.
How to Make Santa Gnome Ornaments
Step 1: Cut the Roll
Cut the tissue paper roll into 1-inch sections.
Step 2: Cut the Yarn
Cut a piece of yarn about 30 cm (12 inches) long.
Step 3: Tie the Yarn Around the Roll
Pull the yarn and gently slip it under the tissue roll. Insert both ends of the yarn through the loop you formed, then carefully tighten it to secure. Repeat the process until the entire tissue roll is fully covered with yarn.
<strong>Step 4:</strong> Finish the Hat
Insert all the yarn through the opposite side of the tissue roll. Take another piece of yarn and tie it around the middle of the hanging strands, pulling it tight to shape the top of the hat. Add a small amount of fiberfill inside to give it structure. Finally, trim the ends of the yarn to form a round pom-pom on top, keeping it fluffy and even.
Step 5: Make a White Yarn Pom-Pom
Wrap white yarn around your hands about 100 times. Carefully slide it off, tie it tightly in the middle, then cut through the loops to create a pom-pom.
<strong>Step 6:</strong> <em>Add the Pom-Poms</em>
Put a small amount of hot glue at the bottom of the hat (on the fiberfill part) and attach the pom-pom securely. Carefully trim around the edges to make it fluffy, then attach a smaller pom-pom where the nose goes.
A Few Things That Make This Easier
- Cut your tube pieces first. Do the whole batch at once and every gnome comes out the same height.
- Go light on the hot glue. A small dot holds yarn just fine. Too much soaks through and leaves a shiny spot you cannot cover.
- Fluff the fiberfill before you glue it. Pull it open with your fingers so the beard looks soft instead of packed.
- Place the nose last. Set it against the beard and move it around until it looks right, then glue. It changes the whole face.
- Make a batch. The first one takes the longest. After that they really are about five minutes each.
A soft, slightly thick yarn is easiest to work with because it covers the tube quickly and hides the layers underneath. I used dark red for the hat and cream for the body, and both wrapped neatly without any fuss. Anything you have left over from another project will do the job.
No, there is no sewing at all. The whole ornament is held together with hot glue, so keep the glue gun plugged in and warm before you start. That is also the one part of this craft an adult should handle.
The tube is just the body form, so anything sturdy and round that size will work. I used an empty tissue paper tube because it was already in the recycling, which is what makes this such a cheap DIY. Cut it to the height you want before you start wrapping.
The beard is a puff of white polyester fiberfill, pulled open a bit so it looks soft, and the nose is one mini pom pom glued right at the edge of it. I keep pink and peach pom poms on hand because they both read as a little gnome nose. Place the nose last so you can nudge it until the face looks right.
These cost almost nothing and they always get picked up and looked at. Hang a few on the tree, line them along a shelf, or hand them out as little gifts.
If you like a cheap holiday craft made from things you already have, my Easy DIY Wine Cork Reindeer is the same kind of quick project. You can also browse more Christmas ornament ideas for the tree.
Why You’ll Love This
You’ll love this DIY Santa Gnome Ornament because it’s quick, easy, and fun for all ages. With just yarn, a tissue roll, and a little fiberfill, you can create handmade Christmas decorations that are adorable and customizable. Perfect as ornaments, garland accents, gift toppers, or even keychains, this project adds a personal, festive touch to your holidays in minutes.
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Decorate Your Tree With Adorable 5 Minute Santa Gnome Ornaments
