Do you know what is better than making little wood peg doll gnomes?
Making GIANT wood peg doll gnomes!
I made and donated a giant (well, according to the store. I was looking for the biggest I could get) peg doll gnome that looks like the character I play at renaissance fairs and Christmas festivals and donated it to a charity silent auction.
My giant peg doll gnome makes a cute decoration (whether for Christmas or for everyday home decor,) a quick DIY gift idea, or toy depending upon how you decorate the peg doll base. Let’s make!
In Denmark, they call gnomes nisse and that’s where I took the name for my gnome character Nissa.
Save this craft tutorial to your Pinterest boards for later! Share it with your friends!
How to Make DIY Christmas Gnomes
You will need the following craft supplies:
Large wood peg doll – Wood peg dolls come in all shapes and sizes. I bought the largest wood pegs I found here. They come in both female and male shape peg dolls.
Personally, I would buy these big peg dolls if I were painting peg dolls to be used as toys for young children because they are not the potential choking hazard as these2 inch peg dolls most people use to make toys.
Red felt or fabric scraps
White fabric (I am using fabric I have left over from making Nissa’s aprons)
Thread
Fabric glue
Sewing machine (optional)
Scissors
Glue – I used E6000 Fabric Fuse (learn more about my BFF E6000 Fabric Fuse here) to ensure the hat and apron will remain on the peg doll forever.
Mod Podge – Learn more about the Mod Podge Matte formula I used here
Craft paint
Paint brushes
(Disclosure: I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience.)
Step by Step Gnome Peg Doll Toy Tutorial
1. Use the craft paint and paint brush to paint the body of the peg doll as simply or elaborately as you like. I am not a confident enough miniature painter to attempt the detailed embroidery on Nissa’s costume (there is a reason why I sew more often than I do detailed craft paint projects.) I painted the peg doll body/dress blue. I painted the base yellow to represent my yellow wood clogs. Everyone always notices and comments on my crazy footwear!
2. I waited for the paint on the body to dry before I
painted the head with this exact Sun Kissed Peach Apple Barrel craft paint.
3. While I waited for the paint to dry, I cut a triangle from red felt with a pair of scissors and rolled the triangle fabric into a cone.
I sewed the hat seam in place and turned the hat right
side out for a more professional look but you can glue the seam
of the hat as in the photo above if you like.
4. Since
this is for a fundraiser, I took making the peg doll’s apron up a
notch. Instead of painting
the apron onto the doll, I sewed
Nissa’s name on the apron since it is too small to recreate the
embroidery on my costume by hand or machine.
After I sewed
the name in red thread, I cut the fabric into a rectangle, folded
over the edges, and used this exact fabric glue (you
can learn more about the Unique Stitch Stitchless Sewing Liquid I used here ) to
hold the hems in
place.
Next, I cut a long rectangle for the apron’s tie, folded the raw edges into the center, folding the fabric in half and pinned the apron into the center of the fabric tie, and sewed it into place.
Tip: I made the tie much longer than I knew I would probably need since I planned on cutting the ties to size after fitting it onto the peg doll.
If you don’t want to sew, you can use Mod Podge (you can learn more about Mod Podge Fabric Formula here ) to glue the apron to the wood peg doll
4. Glue the felt hat onto the gnome’s head with E6000 Fabric Fuse and use the paint brush and craft paint to paint 2 dots for eyes on the face of the peg doll. You can paint a more elaborate face, hair, etc. if you like.
Tip: The easiest way to paint the eyes is to use the end of the paint brush as a dotting tool.
5. Once the paint and glue is dry, seal the peg doll with a coat of Mod Podge Matte Formula and a paint brush.
6. Once the Mod Podge is dry, tie the fabric apron on to the wood peg doll and trim the ends of the apron with a pair of scissors if applicable.
Tip: I applied a few dots of E6000 Fabric Fuse to the waist band of the apron so it will not fall off my peg doll gnome. E6000 is made to permanently glue two different types of surfaces together which is why I I used it to glue the fabric clothes to the wood peg doll.
Rather buy than DIY? Check out the following gnome craft kits – and more! - below!
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