Make charming felt fall gnome dolls with step-by-step instructions, free downloadable pattern, and complete video guide. Budget-friendly autumn craft perfect for all skill levels!
Hi busy crafters! ⏰
Between work deadlines, school pickups, and trying to keep the house from looking like a disaster zone, finding time for elaborate craft projects feels impossible most days. I used to skip fall decorating entirely because every tutorial I found seemed to require four hours and seventeen specialized tools.
Then I discovered I could make these adorable felt gnomes during my daughter’s soccer practice, and suddenly seasonal crafting felt doable again. The pattern-tracing and assembly techniques are straightforward enough to do while keeping one eye on the field.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create charming felt gnome dolls in about 45 minutes using basic supplies and simple techniques that don’t require craft room perfection. These little gnomes are ideal for busy parents squeezing creativity into packed schedules, teachers prepping classroom decor between lessons, or anyone who wants handmade charm without the time commitment.
Plus, I’ve included a free downloadable template and complete video tutorial that you can pause anytime. The hot glue assembly method means no sewing required—just the same quick-bonding technique I use in all my no-sew felt projects.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate (but beginner-friendly with the template)
Cost: Under $15 (using supplies you likely have)
Time: 45-60 minutes per gnome
Ages: 10+ years (with adult supervision for hot glue gun)
Perfect for:
- Parents wanting memorable fall craft projects with older kids
- Teachers creating seasonal classroom decorations
- Intermediate crafters building their felt project skills
- Anyone looking to make thoughtful handmade gifts this autumn
How to Make Felt Gnome for Fall
Things You’ll Need
Materials
- Felt sheets in fall colors (recommend 9×12 inch craft felt sheets in rust orange, mustard yellow, brown, and cream – thicker felt holds shape better than thin discount felt)
- Half round wooden bead (approximately 15-20mm diameter – this creates the perfect nose size, smaller beads get lost visually)
Alternative: you can use a pom pom or rolled felt ball.
- Yarn for hair (fluffy or textured yarn works beautifully for gnome hair – smooth yarn tends to look too modern)
- Cardboard tube or sheet (empty tissue paper roll is perfect – toilet paper rolls are usually too short for these gnomes)
Alternative: roll sturdy cardstock into a cylinder.
Tools
- Hot glue gun (a quality gun with good temperature control prevents felt scorching)
- Sharp fabric scissors (dull scissors create fuzzy felt edges that look unprofessional)
- Pencil or fabric marker (for tracing template patterns accurately)
Please note that the provided links may include affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission.
Step-by-Step Instructions: Creating Your Felt Fall Gnome
Step 1: Trace and Cut the Felt Patterns
Download the free gnome template and print it at 100% scale. Lay your felt sheets on a flat surface and use a fabric marker or chalk to trace each pattern piece. The template includes the cone hat, clothing piece, flower petals, leaves, buttons, and tiny shoes.
Pro tip: I always trace on the back side of the felt so any marker lines don’t show on the finished gnome. Cut slowly and steadily with sharp scissors to get clean edges.
Step 2: Make the Gnome’s Body Base
For the body, you can either repurpose a toilet paper tube (my eco-friendly choice!) or roll cardboard into a cylinder like I do. I prefer making my own because I can control the size perfectly.
Roll your cardboard piece tightly and secure the seam with hot glue. This forms the sturdy base that will support your gnome. In my experience, a firm base is crucial I learned this after my first gnome kept toppling over!
Step 3: Assemble the Felt Flower
Stack two flower cutouts on top of each other, slightly offsetting the petals for dimension. Apply a small dot of hot glue in the center to bond them together. Glue the small round center piece on top, then attach the leaf shapes to the back bottom edge so they peek out from behind.
I love this step because you can really customize your gnome’s personality here. Try different color combinations to see what speaks to you.
Step 4: Prepare the Hat and Outfit
Take the cone-shaped felt piece and roll it with a slight overlap on one side. The opening at the bottom should fit comfortably on top of your cardboard cylinder. Secure the cone with hot glue along the seam, being careful not to use too much glue that seeps through.
Next, wrap the rectangular clothing piece around your cardboard tube body. The felt should cover the entire cylinder with a small overlap in the back. Glue the overlap to create a seamless look. Finally, glue your button cutouts vertically down the front center, spacing them evenly.
Step 5: Cut the Yarn for Hair
Select your yarn color (I prefer light grey, white, or cream for a classic gnome look, but you can experiment). Cut 9 strands, each measuring approximately 12 inches long. Cut one additional shorter strand, about 3 inches, for tying the braid.
Troubleshooting: If your yarn is very thick, you might only need 6-7 strands. Test by holding them together to see if they look proportional to your gnome’s size.
Step 6: Tie and Arrange the Strands
Fold all 9 strands in half to find the midpoint. Use your short strand to tie them tightly together at this center point, creating a gathered bundle. Tape this tied section to your work surface so the yarn stays in place while you work. Separate the strands below the tie into three equal groups of 6 strands each.
This taping trick has saved me so much frustration over the years. Without it, the yarn constantly shifts and your braid ends up uneven.
Step 7: Braid the Yarn Hair
Create a simple three-strand braid using your grouped sections. Keep consistent tension as you braid downward. Once you reach the end (leave about an inch unbraided), use another small piece of yarn to tie off the bottom. Trim any uneven ends with scissors.
For a boy gnome variation, you’ll skip the braiding and create a beard instead, which I’ll show you later.
Step 8: Gather All Components
By this point, you should have everything ready: your felt-covered tube body with buttons, the cone hat, one or two braids, the half-round nose bead, shoe cutouts, and the decorative flower. Have your hot glue gun warmed up and within reach.
Taking a moment to organize everything makes the assembly process so much smoother.
Step 9: Attach the Nose and Braided Hair
Apply a small dot of hot glue to the flat side of your wooden bead and position it about 1/2 inch from the top edge of the felt-covered tube. Press firmly and hold for a few seconds. This bead becomes the gnome’s nose and helps define where the face area is.
Next, glue one braid to each side of the nose, positioning them so they hang down naturally. The tied top of each braid should sit right at nose level, with the braids draping alongside the body.
Step 10: Secure the Cone Hat
Apply hot glue around the inside rim of your cone hat. Carefully place it on top of the tube body, making sure it sits evenly and covers the top portion where the braids are attached. Press gently around the edges to ensure a strong bond. The hat should slightly overlap the body to hide the attachment point.
Important: Don’t apply glue to the outside of the hat, as it can create visible marks on the felt surface.
Step 11: Add Shoes and Decorative Flower
Glue the two shoe cutouts to the bottom front of the gnome body, positioning them side by side with a tiny gap between them. This creates the illusion that your gnome is standing.
Attach your felt flower to the front of the cone hat, slightly off to one side for a more natural look. You can add extra embellishments like tiny felt leaves, acorn shapes, or miniature mushrooms to enhance the fall theme. I sometimes use small maple leaf confetti or add a thin raffia bow for extra autumn charm.
Step 12: Make a Boy Gnome Variation
To create a male version, follow all the same steps but replace the braided hair with a fluffy beard. Cut shorter yarn strands (about 6-8 inches each) and attach them around the nose area, creating layers that flow downward. You can check out my St. Patrick’s Day gnome tutorial for detailed beard-making instructions that work perfectly for this project too.
Mix and match girl and boy gnomes to create an adorable fall gnome family.
And we have our adorable gnome dolls for Fall ready! Decorate them with more Autumn-y stuff if you want!
Watch Complete Video Tutorial: DIY Felt Gnome Dolls
If you’re having trouble following the picture tutorial or just prefer watching someone work through the steps, I’ve prepared a detailed video walkthrough on my YouTube channel. Seeing the techniques in real-time, especially the braiding and hat attachment, makes everything click into place.
And while you’re there, make sure to hit the Subscribe button and tap the notification bell ???? so you won’t miss our upcoming Fall crafts!
Pro Tips for Perfect Fall Gnome Dolls
Choose Quality Felt – I’ve worked with both cheap craft felt and premium wool blend felt. While you can definitely use budget options for this project, slightly thicker felt (look for acrylic craft felt that’s at least 1.5mm thick) holds its shape better and creates more professional-looking results. The thin stuff tends to wrinkle and lose its structure over time.
Hot Glue Temperature Matters – If your glue gun gets too hot, it can scorch felt and create brown marks. I keep my gun on medium-high setting and work in short bursts, allowing the glue to cool for just 2-3 seconds before pressing felt pieces together. This prevents the glue from soaking through the fabric.
Braid Consistently – When making the hair braids, maintain even tension throughout. I discovered that taping the top down makes such a huge difference in getting uniform braids. Loose, inconsistent braids look messy and unravel more easily.
Test Your Hat Size – Before gluing the cone hat permanently, place it on the gnome body to check the fit. The hat should cover about one-third of the body length. If it feels too big or small, you can trim the cone opening or overlap the sides differently to adjust the size.
Let Each Step Dry – I know it’s tempting to rush through assembly, but giving each glued component 30-60 seconds to set prevents pieces from sliding out of position. This is especially important for the nose and braids, which bear more weight.
Customize with Confidence – Your gnome doesn’t need to look exactly like mine. I encourage you to play with different color combinations, add glasses made from wire, or even give your gnome a tiny felt scarf. Each one develops its own personality, and that’s the beautiful part of handmade crafts.
Sharp Scissors Are Essential – This is one of those things I wish someone had told me when I started working with felt. Dull scissors create fuzzy, rough edges that make your project look homemade in the wrong way. I keep a dedicated pair of sharp fabric scissors just for felt projects, and it makes all the difference.
Frequently Asked Questions: Felt Fall Gnome Dolls
Can I use fabric glue instead of hot glue for this project?
Yes, you can use fabric glue, but you’ll need more patience. Fabric glue takes much longer to dry (usually 24 hours for full bond), so you’ll need to work in stages and allow drying time between steps. I’ve found that hot glue gives better hold for felt-to-felt bonding and makes the project more kid-friendly since you can see results immediately. If you’re working with younger children and prefer to avoid hot glue, fabric glue is a safer alternative.
What age is appropriate for making these felt gnomes?
Kids aged 10 and up can handle most of this project independently, especially if you pre-cut all the felt pieces for them. The braiding and gluing steps are perfect for developing fine motor skills. Younger children (ages 6-9) can participate with adult supervision and help, particularly during the hot glue steps. I’ve made these with my own kids, and even my 8-year-old enjoyed assembling his gnome with my guidance.
How long does it take to complete one gnome?
Your first gnome will probably take 60-90 minutes as you get familiar with the process. Once you understand the steps, subsequent gnomes take about 45 minutes each. If you’re making multiple gnomes (which I highly reccomend – they look amazing in groups), you can create an assembly line approach: cut all patterns first, then assemble all bodies, then make all the hats, etc. This speeds up the overall process significantly.
What if my felt flower doesn’t stay together well?
This usually happens when there’s not enough glue or the glue hasn’t fully cooled before handling. Apply a generous dot of hot glue to the center of the flower layers (about the size of a small pea), press firmly for 10 seconds, then set aside to cool completely before attaching to the hat. If your flower has already fallen apart, just reglue with a bit more adhesive.
Can I wash the felt gnomes if they get dusty?
Don’t submerge them in water as the hot glue will loosen. Instead, use a soft brush or lint roller to remove dust. For deeper cleaning, you can gently spot-clean with a barely damp cloth and let air dry completely. The key is keeping them as dry as possible to maintain the glue bond.
Can I turn this into a Christmas gnome instead of a fall gnome?
Yes. Simply change your color scheme to reds, greens, and whites. Use white yarn for the beard/hair, add a tiny felt Santa hat instead of the cone (or keep the cone in red felt), and decorate with green felt holly leaves and red berries. The construction process remains exactly the same. I actually make these gnomes for every season – you just adapt the colors and decorations.
Did you like our Fall gnome dolls? We have a few more gnome crafting tutorials with free templates. Check them out!
- Easy Toilet Paper Roll Gnome for St. Patrick’s Day
- DIY Gnome Plush
- No Sew Gnome Dolls DIY Tutorial
- DIY Gnome Plush
And there you have it — your very own felt Fall gnome doll, all dressed up for the season! ????✨ These little cuties make the perfect Fall decorations and add a handmade charm to your home.
We’d love to see your version of the craft — so don’t forget to share your creations on social media and tag us with #thecraftaholicwitch. Happy crafting, and let’s welcome Fall with handmade magic! ????????
