How to Make a Sock Gnome – Grinch Sock Gnome

I love this quick Grinch sock gnome. He’s not only a quick tutorial for how to make a sock gnome PERFECT for the holiday season, but he also loves coffee. That warms this Seattle gal’s heart…

how to make a grinch movie gnome
Make this easy Grinch sock gnome with a coffee cup in just minutes!

How to Make a Sock Gnome – A Grinch Sock Gnome

Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots, we have no excuse for the number of gnomes that have been made here. None at all, it is a ridiculous amount, I admit. It’s just such a fun hobby and I LOVE giving them away as gifts (and hoarding them all for myself).

RELATED READING: SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS GNOMES

The Grinch is a mean one, his heart is too small, and he’s just the most adorable grump. If you’re ready to make a Grinch sock gnome of your very own, let’s get started.

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collage of diy gnomes teaching how to make a gnome with or without legs and with or without sewing

DIY Christmas Gnome Tutorials

If you’re looking for the best DIY Christmas gnome tutorials, you have come to the right place. Check out all of my favorite tomte tutorials for the holidays!

how to make a grinch gnome
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Waiting to make this? Pin this to your favorite Christmas crafts board on Pinterest and it’ll be here when you’re ready.

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Tips When Learning How to Make Sock Gnomes

  • Definitely grab a long sock for the hat like this one. The cabling adds a fun touch and a lot of visual interest.
  • You can buy some beautiful green faux fur in just the right amount here (sample size).
  • You can make your own using my “how to color faux fur” video tutorial here which is what I did. I used watercolors and varied the shades.
  • I made this entire gnome a no-sew pattern by using hot glue to make all my hems, but you could absolutely use a sewing machine. I’d like to note that the hat is largely dependent on hot glue. So, if you want to sew the body, be prepared for some hot glue work.
  • If you’ve never cut faux fur before, please put down the scissors. I have a video showing you how to properly and precisely cut faux fur here. As a reminder for those who’ve done it before: flip the fur over, cut the fabric backing only with an Exacto knife, and pull the piece away.
how to make a christmas gnome like the grinch

How Do I Make this Grinch Sock Gnome?

I’m so glad you asked. Below is our written tutorial. If you’re a visual learner, check out the how to make a Grinch Sock Gnome video tutorial here.

Yield: 1 Grinch Gnome

Grinch Sock Gnome

how to make a christmas gnome like the grinch

If you love the Grinch or even if you don't and just love the holidays, you have got to check out this easy tutorial for how to make a sock gnome. Because this adorable Grinch sock gnome is as ridiculously easy as it is cute.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Active Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $10

Materials

  • 1 Knee-High Red Knit Sock
  • Scraps White Fluffy Fabric
  • 1 Plain White Sock
  • 1 Green Oil Pastel
  • Green Faux Fur
  • 1 Quarter-Sized Portion of Black Polymer Clay
  • White Polymer Clay
  • Light Brown Polymer Clay
  • Green Ribbon
  • 1 Floral Wire
  • Polyfill
  • Rice/Beans/Polyfill Beads
  • Tiny Glitter Christmas Lights

Tools

  • Scissors
  • Hot Glue Gun & Glue
  • Oven
  • Exacto Knife or Razor Blade
  • Chopstick

Instructions

  1. Start by making your coffee cup and nose. To make the nose, form your black polymer clay into a rough triangle with rounded over corners.
  2. Use your chopstick's rounded end to push two nostrils into the front of the nose shape. Set aside.
  3. To make the coffee cup, roll a thick piece of white polymer clay into a cylinder about the same diameter as your thumb and about an inch long.
  4. Use your finger to press a divot into one end. Set aside.
  5. Mix together some light brown and white polymer clay poorly, meaning leave some swirls of white in the brown.
  6. Roll this poorly mixed brown clay into a cylinder slightly smaller than your coffee cup.
  7. Use your Exacto knife or razor blade to cut a 1/8-inch wide slice of brown clay.
  8. Place this disc of clay into the divot in your coffee cup and press it down gently.
  9. Make a tiny cylinder of white polymer clay about 1/4-inch thick and about 1 inch long.
  10. Bend this into a "c" shape and affix to the side of your coffee cup as a mug handle.
  11. Bake your nose and coffee cup per the directions on the polymer clay packaging. photo collage tutorial of how to make a grinch sock gnome
  12. Fill the white sock with your chosen filler (rice, beans or polyfill beads) then tie the top closed tightly.
  13. Color the entire exterior of the white sock with the green oil pastel. photo collage tutorial of how to make a green gnome with a sock
  14. Turn your red sock inside out.
  15. Cut off a portion of the top at a steep angle, starting at the heel and working up to the toe.
  16. Hot glue the seam closed on the steep angle you just cut out of the sock. Allow the glue to cool completely.
  17. Turn the sock right side out to make the hat.
  18. Slip the floral wire up into the hat.
  19. Stuff polyfill into the hat, getting it all the way up into the pointy tip.
  20. Pull the hat over the top of the green sock.
  21. With your Exacto knife or razor blade, cut your beard from the green faux fur, cutting on the back through only the fabric. photo collage tutorial of how to make a sock gnome that looks like the grinch
  22. Hot glue the beard in place on the front of the gnome.
  23. Affix the nose to the beard, just below where the hat brim sits.
  24. Cut a 4-inch wide section of fluffy pouffy white fabric long enough to wrap all the way around the brim of the hat.
  25. Hot glue this in place around the brim of the hat, just touching the nose.
  26. From the portion of the red sock that you cut off earlier, cut out 2 6-inch long sections about 1 inch wide.
  27. Fold these lengthwise and hot glue them in place, making arms.
  28. Hot glue an arm on each side of the beard, tucking it up under the hat brim.
  29. Cut two very small (nickel sized) rectangles of green faux fur.
  30. Fold these tiny rectangles in half and hot glue in place.
  31. Brush the fur in one direction to make furry Grinch hands.
  32. Hot glue the hands on the ends of the arms, with the fur pointing outward.
  33. Affix the coffee cup in place between the hands. photo collage tutorial of how to make a grinch gnome with a twisty hat
  34. Cut a 1-inch square from your white pouffy fluffy fabric and place a line of hot glue around the edge, then pressing it together to make a pom-pom.
  35. Glue this pom-pom to the tip of the hat.
  36. Wrap the green ribbon around the hat tightly to create a bit of whimsy.
  37. Hot glue the tiny Christmas lights in place along the green ribbon. photo collage tutorial of how to make a green gnome with a twisty hat

Notes

Fore more (a loooooot more) gnome tutorials, visit RufflesandRainBoots.com

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Did you make this?

Please leave a comment or share a photo and tag me @rufflesandrain

More DIY Gnomes You Might Like

  • DIY Grinch Gnome (not from a sock) – If you’re looking for an epic Grinch movie gnome, this tutorial is going to be the bees-knees of awesome.
  • Gnome Garland – You’re just 15 minutes from having an adorable garland with gnomes–adorable little gnomies dangling on the Christmas tree.
  • Christmas Cowboy Gnome – Yeehaw is right–because this tutorial for a fun Christmas cowboy nisse is a long drink of water you definitely want to meet.
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One Comment

  1. Super cute idea ! Thinking I’ll probably use a plastic nose instead of trying to make my own, but love,love,love this ❤️