DIY Scandinavian Christmas Gnome with Rice (Tomte or Nisse)

This holiday season, bring this adorable DIY Scandinavian Christmas Gnome with rice body into your home. It’s a quick, 30-minute craft and is loved by all!

DIY Scandinavian Christmas Gnome Holiday Craft Project

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

How to Make Swedish Tomte (Quickly and Easily)

I’ve created so many DIY Christmas decorations over the years but Christmas gnomes are my absolute favorite decoration to make. From ornaments to painted rocks, I love to make Swedish gnome projects.

If you’re new to making or decorating with gnomes, here is a brief summary of the cuties. Also known as tomte (or tomten), knome, gonks, or nisse (nisser), these characters are known in Sweden to be protectors of the home. The jule nisse, however is very similar to Santa Claus St. Nicholas – he carries a big bag of toys, handing them out to good children. 

Get Secret Gnomes, Tips, & Freebies Delivered!

What is the best pattern to use when you don’t want to sew? Do you know the secrets to a properly-proportioned gnome? Do you know where to get the best-priced fur? 

Get all of this (and exclusive content just for you) delivered right to your inbox with the gnome-making series, free of charge. Sign up to get the once-weekly newsletter (and a jaw-dropping special offer)!

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

I love making them because they add a little whimsy and fun to anywhere in the house. If you have a tiered tray, they are a perfect addition tucked in behind an accent piece. Small gnomes like this one are perfect for adding height variations in displays on mantles, too. So let’s get started making this adorable little gnome. 

Psst: If you love these little cuties but don’t want to make your own Scandinavian Christmas gnome with rice body, get this 16-inch fella Swedish tomte. SO cute and already done.

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!

Supplies for DIY Scandinavian Christmas Gnome with Rice

We make gnomes so much here on Ruffles and Rain Boots that we’ve created our own Amazon supplies list for making Swedish gnomes

  • craft felt for the hat and another fabric or felt for the body
  • faux craft fur 
  • gnome nose – we use clay, wooden, and plastics beads, pompoms or buttons – anything
  • bowls in one or two sizes (the body bowl I used was 6-inches in diameter) 
  • dry, uncooked rice
  • glue gun, scissors, small elastics or rubber bands or twine to tie

Holiday Tomte Nisse Christmas Gnome Family DIY Holiday Decor

How to Make a DIY Holiday Gnome (Felt Nordic Gnome)

This is a very, very, very easy craft, friends. I’ve detailed the steps below but drop a comment if you have questions. 

11 Glue on the Nose and Hat for Your DIY Christmas Gnome Tomte
Yield: 1 Nordic Gnome

DIY Scandinavian Christmas Gnome with Rice (Tomte or Nisse)

Scandinavian Christmas Gnome Swedish Tomte Featured

This holiday season, bring this adorable DIY Scandinavian Christmas Gnome with rice body into your home. It's a quick, 30-minute craft and is loved by all!

Active Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Difficulty Easy

Materials

  • craft felt for the hat and another fabric or felt for the body
  • faux craft fur
  • gnome nose – we use clay, wooden, and plastics beads, pompoms or buttons – anything
  • bowl in one or two sizes (I used 6-inch diameter Pyrex)
  • dry, uncooked rice

Tools

  • glue gun
  • small elastics or rubber bands or twine to tie
  • scissors

Instructions

  1. Make the Body. Use the larger bowl and trace a circle onto your fabric. Cut it out roughly (no one will see the edges). 3 Rough Cut Muslin Christmas Gnome Body and Grab Elastics
  2. Fill up the center of the circle with rice and tie it off with an elastic band. Just make sure all corners are in the elastic. I make a spot in the middle, fold it in like you’re making crab rangoon, and then gather each ‘point’ to the center. Set aside. 4 Fill with Rice Gather the Muslin for the Tomte Gnome Body and Secure with an Elastic
  3. Make the Hat. Use the rounded edge of the bowl to help shape the hat. Determine the height you want and use the bowl as a guide for a rounded bottom. Cut the rounded piece and the straight edges for the sides. 6 Cut Out the Felt Gnome Hat
  4. Grab the hot glue gun, roll the hat into a cone, and glue the hat piece together along the back. 8 Tomte Gisse Christmas Gnome Hat
  5. Cut the beard. Turn the faux fur over to the back and use a razor blade to cut a triangle shape for the gnome’s beard. 10 Hot Glue the Gnome Beard to the top of the Muslin Filled with Rice
  6. Assemble your Scandinavian Christmas gnome with rice. Glue the faux fur to the top of the rice-filled body. Glue on the nose at the top of the beard and position your hat before gluing it to secure. 11 Glue on the Nose and Hat for Your DIY Christmas Gnome Tomte

Notes

For a ridiculous amount of gnome crafts, visit Ruffles and Rain Boots.com

Did you make this?

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

More Gnome Crafts

Now that I’ve made this little rice gnome, I’ve been on a kick to make so many different styles to see which ones I really love so click here to browse all of the easy, fun, and creative gnomes on Ruffles and Rain Boots.

Please Save This to Pinterest or Share on Facebook

Your shares are how this site grows and I am sincerely grateful. 

Easy Crafts Scandinavian Christmas Gnome DIY - This 30-minute craft will bring the joy and whimsy of the Christmas gnome into your home.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

12 Comments

  1. Hi Sarah! I love your little gnome! You said you used a 6 inch diameter Pyrex bowl for the body, what size bowl did you use for the hat?
    And thank you for your tutorials! 😊

    1. That hat was just cut to the width of the body – I added a little bit of an allowance for the hot glue.

  2. Where did you buy the items for this project? I can’t seem to find any that match what you used. These are really cute and adorable by the way! :-)

    1. Muslin is available at any craft store in the fabric section (it’s sold on a bolt). Faux fur is also at the craft store (on bolts of fabric or in the small crafts section).

    1. Debi,
      Sorry for the delay, I missed your comment. I used a 6-inch diameter bowl for them, but I’ve also used a 10-inch for a larger one.

    1. Nope, he’s tiny. I am going to make a few different designs this year with foam pellets and other items in them so I can test them as ornaments. #greatmindsthinkalike :)

  3. OMG, he’s adorable! My kids are still young and Mickey seems to be taking over all our Holiday themes, but I can totally see doing these Gnomes in the future when they get older!

  4. I love this as it looks easy enough to make, but also perfectly themed for the upcoming Christmas holidays here. I am going to give this one a try for sure soon now. Thanks!!! :)