Make Your Own Viking Gnome: A Guide to Making a Norse Guardian (Free Pattern)

As the leaves turn golden and the air grows crisp, it’s the perfect time to embrace the spirit of the Vikings and bring a touch of Norse mythology to your home.

In this blog post, we will guide you step by step on how to create your very own handmade Viking gnome. This charming little warrior will not only add a cute touch to your decor but also pay homage to the rich history and culture of the Vikings.

So, gather your materials, and let’s set sail on this creative adventure!

How to Make a Handmade Viking Gnome

Items needed

• Pantyhose 3 x 5cm x 5cm squares- Natural/ Tan.
• 3 x silicone bands
• Fibre fill
• One 60mm polystyrene egg- cut in half for the feet.
• One 150mm Foam cone for the body.
• One 50cm polystyrene ball.
• 2 x 6cm length dowels for the legs
• Beard decoration
• String for the trim-optional- as much as you need depending on what you will use it on.

Material needed

• Beige felt 25cm x 25cm
• medium Brown felt 30cm x 25cm
• Black felt 5cm x 10cm
• Fur for the beard –brown- 10cm x 8cm
• Short-length fur- color of your choice- I used black 25cm x 25cm
• Leather or felt of your choice for the skirt 15cm x 25cm

Tools Needed

• Hot glue gun/glue
• Scissors
• Craft Knife

Instructions

Hands/ nose and arms:

1. Use a square of pantyhose and push some fiberfill in the middle to form a ball shape. Wrap, and then twist around a small silicone band.
2. Make 2 hands and 1 nose (the nose should be bigger)
3. Glue the fur trim onto the front edge of the arm.
4. Glue a hand onto the arm, in the middle of the front. Make sure the silicone band isn’t seen from the opposite side.
5. Glue one side and fold over halfway.
6. Glue and fold over the other side halfway, so the seam is in the middle.
7. Add your string trim in a crisscross pattern or pattern of your choice now, but leave the very top of the arm free of any decoration.
8. Repeat these steps for the other side.

Start the body:

1. Measure 8cm down from the tip of the foam cone and cut the pointy bit off.
2. Cut the 50cm polystyrene ball at just over the halfway mark. (So one side will be bigger than the other) This will be the helmet.
3. Using the bigger side roll the edge on a hard surface. This will condense the cut edge so that it will fit on the foam cone better.
4. Glue the half ball on top of the cut edge of the foam cone.
5. Now glue the base material on using plenty of glue.
6. Snip the edges and fold and glue these up as neatly as you can.

 Feet and legs:

1. Cut your polystyrene egg in half to make 2 feet. Use a bread knife or craft knife but be careful not to cut yourself (Adult supervision is advised)
2. Glue his foot/shoe- curved side – onto the top foot material. Take your time and glue all the way over and down to the flat side trying not to get too many wrinkles around the edge. Stop at the edge and then cut off any excess.
3. Add your trim over the top of the foot in a pattern of your choice. This is optional.
4. Glue the foot/shoe, flat side down onto the bottom foot material and cut off any excess.
5. Glue the leg cover onto the middle of the dowel. Roll and glue until the end. You should have a bit of dowel sticking out on each end.
6. Add your trim in a crisscross pattern to the leg cover now. This is optional
7. Work out where the leg should go into the foot, remembering the balance –so not too far back or too far forward.
8. Make a hole in the foot, add some glue and push in the leg. Angle the leg towards the inside with the join on the inside.
9. Repeat the steps for the other foot/shoe.
10. Stand both feet in front of you with the narrower end facing you. The joins should be facing each other and both legs should lean towards each other.
11. Add some glue to one side of a foot and push the legs together. This will help him stand better.

Make the Skirt:

1. On the skirt waistband start gluing on the longer U shaped bits. You can start in the middle or at an end. The straight edge is the top and the top edge should run even with the band.
2. Once you have the longer pieces on you can now glue on the smaller U pieces. These should go along the top and cover the joins of the longer pieces.

Body Wrap, Legs, Feet and Skirt on:

1. Glue on the body wrap as neatly as you can. The longer curved edge is the bottom.
2. With the front of the feet facing you mark the top of the legs with a bit of paint or something similar.
3. Position the body over the legs and press down to transfer the marks to the body. The body wrap join should be at the back.
4. Make the holes in the body with a pair of scissors.
5. Add glue to the holes and push in the legs. You might have to move them around to make sure he is sitting nice and flat and isn’t wobbling. Do this as fast as you can before the hot glue dries.
6. Decide how high or low you want the skirt to be on your Viking. Ideally, some of it should hang down below the edge of the body.
7. Work out halfway on your skirt and start gluing it on from the back to the front. If the skirt doesn’t go all the way around the front you can add some more U pieces but the beard will cover this spot anyway and you won’t see that it.

Nose, Beard, Coat and Arms On:

1. Glue on his nose. It should go just under the edge of the helmet join and in the middle.
2. Snip in about 2cm on the top of his beard. Put the beard up and around the nose and see what he looks like.
3. Take off the beard and add glue around the nose (try not to get any glue on the nose as we need it movable so we can add the extra beard bits)
4. Push on the beard and make sure it’s nice and tidy behind the nose area at the top.
5. Continue gluing the rest of the beard on.
6. Now you can add any extra beard bits.
7. Cut 3 bits at 2cm x 2cm out of the scrap beard fur. This is optional.
8. Add glue to each bit and fold twice so that it’s narrow (you need it thin to push through any metal rings or decoration)
9. Thread the fur through your metal ring and add a tiny bit of glue on the back side and pull the ring down over it. You will need at least 1cm of fur sticking out at the top for gluing.
10. Repeat this process for the other bits.
11. Lift his nose up, add a little glue and push in all the extra beard bits.
12. To make sure they are stuck add some more glue between the extra bits and the nose. (Be careful not to over glue) and push the nose down.
13. Glue on the fur coat starting from the back and leave the sides unglued.
14. Cut the arm slits on your coat if you haven’t already.
15. Push in the arms (the joins on the arms must be underneath) and position them pointing outwards if you plan to add any weapons to his arms. Otherwise, they can hang straight down.
16. Glue the arm to the inside of the coat. Then glue down the sides.

The Helmet and Final Touches:

1. Sew your 2 horn pieces together with 0.5cm seam leaving the straight end open.
2. Trim off the excess material as close as you can without cutting through the stitches.
3. Turn through the horn. I use a wide straw by inserting it into the horn. I then use a thin chopstick and push it into the pointy end of the horn and into the hole in the straw. Then pull it through.
4. Once it is turned through fill it with fiberfill and make sure it’s firm but not overfilled.
5. Glue a bit of scrap felt onto the open end of the horn to keep the stuffing in.
6. Trim off any excess felt.
7. Now add the string trim by wrapping it around. You can do any pattern you like. This is optional.
8. Repeat for the other side and your horns are ready to go.
9. Glue the helmet material top onto the round polystyrene ball making sure it’s on the centre.
10. The joins must be on the front and back and each side.
11. Glue over the black helmet strip from front to back cutting off any excess felt.
12. Glue on the fur strip around the bottom edge of the helmet making sure the join will be at the back in the centre. I have my fur running up but depending on your fur that may not be necessary.
13. Now to finish off, glue each horn over the side joins.

Congratulations you have finished your Viking Gnome. Find a name for him as this gives him life and enjoy!

Free Pattern Download

If you’re eager to get started, I have a special offer for you. You can download the detailed written instructions along with the pattern for free, allowing you to have them handy as you embark on your viking gnome-making adventure. Simply click the link below to access your free instructions and begin crafting your own hairy viking gnome masterpiece.

For those who prefer a more immersive learning experience, I’ve also created a comprehensive video tutorial that guides you through each step in detail. The video provides visual demonstrations and additional tips to ensure your biking gnome turns out just the way you envision. You can download the video tutorial below for a one-time fee of $7.99 USD.

Conclusion

And there you have it! Your very own handmade Viking gnome, ready to stand guard and bring a touch of Norse mythology to your home. We hope you enjoyed this creative journey and feel inspired to explore more DIY projects.

Remember, the possibilities are endless, and with a little imagination, you can create a whole clan of Viking gnomes, each with its unique personality and story. Happy crafting!

Where to Find Materials and Tools

USA:

Hobby Lobby (www.hobbylobby.com): Hobby Lobby is a popular arts and crafts retailer offering a wide range of supplies for gnome making, including fabrics, felting materials, faux fur, and craft accessories.

Joann (www.joann.com): Joann is another well-known craft store that carries an extensive selection of materials for gnome crafting, such as felt, faux fur, pom-poms, and trims.

Canada:

DeSerres (www.deserres.ca): DeSerres is a leading art supply store in Canada, offering a variety of materials for gnome making, including felt, yarn, stuffing, and decorative accessories.

Michaels Canada (www.michaels.ca): Michaels also has a presence in Canada, providing a wide range of craft supplies suitable for gnome crafting, such as fabrics, felting kits, and embellishments.

UK:

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Hobbycraft (www.hobbycraft.co.uk): Hobbycraft is a popular arts and crafts retailer in the UK, offering a comprehensive selection of supplies for gnome making, including felt, sewing notions, faux fur, and decorations.

The Range (www.therange.co.uk): The Range is a home and leisure retailer that carries various crafting materials, including fabrics, trims, yarns, and accessories suitable for creating gnomes.

Australia:

Spotlight (www.spotlightstores.com/au): Spotlight is a well-known craft and fabric store in Australia. They offer a range of supplies for gnome crafting, such as felt, sewing notions, faux fur, and decorative elements.

Riot Art & Craft (www.riotstores.com.au): Riot Art & Craft is a popular art supply store that stocks materials for various crafts, including gnome making. They offer items like felting kits, felt sheets, yarn, and embellishments.

New Zealand:

Spotlight (www.spotlightstores.com/nz): Spotlight also has stores in New Zealand, providing a range of crafting supplies suitable for gnome making, including felt, faux fur, sewing notions, and decorations.

The Warehouse (www.thewarehouse.co.nz): The Warehouse is a general merchandise retailer that offers a selection of craft supplies, including fabrics, trims, and other materials that can be used for gnome crafting.