DIY Sweater Hat Gnome in Minutes

This easy up-cycled sweater hat gnome is, by far, the fastest gnome I’ve ever made. In 5 minutes, this cute winter gnome DIY is created and displayed.

You will be able to create the cutest cold-weather gnome while highlighting a piece of your favorite faux fur. The gnome beard is the star in this easy gnome craft.

how to make a gnome with a knitted at and pom pom
Make this easy recycled hat gnome so fast it’s not funny!

Upcycled Sweater Hat Gnome

Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots, I need a new title: Gnome Engineer. Seriously, I should be wearing a hardhat and drawing-up construction plans, because I make so many fun DIY gnome tutorials for you. But, this little recycled sweater hat gnome? It is FUN because it’s whimsical but also because it’s the fastest gnome to make.

RELATED READING: HOW TO MAKE A GNOME WITH A FACE 3 WAYS!

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

I had this gnome made in about 5 minutes. It took me longer to find the hat in our recycling bin / donate box than it took for me to make this gnome. So if you’re looking for a fast DIY gnome, let’s get started.

No Time to Make This Now? Save or Share it for Later

Need to grab a cute hat from the dollar store? Save this to your favorite up-cycled crafts ideas pin board or share it on Facebook. Use the sharing buttons and it will be easy to find when you’re ready to begin.

Vertical image of a recycled hat gnome with text which reads diy gnome from a hat.
This adorable winter gnome is so easy and quick to make.

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RELATED READING: DIY Christmas Gnomes – So Many Cute Ideas

Tips to Keep in Mind When Making This Recycled Hat Idea

  • Use any winter hat. If you’re not recycling one of your own, head to the dollar store, the thrift store, or a consignment shop.
  • If the hat doesn’t have a pom pom, you can make one from the same faux fur you choose to use. I have shown how to make a faux fur pompom a couple of different ways in case you need it.
  • Don’t overfill this guy. You need some extra space to pull the fabric of the hat down to create the gnome’s hat brim.
  • Love how smooth my gnome’s beard is? Me too. I did that by just brushing my fingers through it (no fancy brushes).
  • Speaking of the faux fur I used, go to Amazon, Etsy, or your local craft or fabric store. There are SO many great faux fur fabrics out there (I have a nice collection I have used here).
Square up close image of an easy knitted hat gnome upcycling craft on wood table.
Any sweater hat, knit hat, or other unstructured winter hat will work for this gnome DIY.

Make this Recycled Sweater Hat Gnome

Below is the written tutorial for my easy winter hat gnome. Keep this page open and follow along with the steps.

If you’re making an easy craft ideas playlist on YouTube, here is the winter hat gnome video tutorial. While you’re there, go ahead and subscribe – we have a lot of fun on the channel.

Yield: 1 Awesome Gnome

Upcycled Sweater Hat Gnome

easy knitted hat gnome upcycling craft

If you're looking for a fast gnome or a recycled craft project, this upcycled knitted hat gnome is the fastest you'll ever find!

Active Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $1

Materials

  • 1 Knitted Hat (I got this one on Wish about a million years ago)
  • Brown Mongolian Faux Fur
  • Wooden Bead or Polymer Clay Bead for a Nose
  • 2-3 cups Filler (I used Northern Beans)
  • Small Amount of Polyfill

Tools

  • Hot Glue Gun and Glue

Instructions

  1. Open the hat and stuff a handful of polyfill into the top. how to make an upcycled gnome
  2. Finish filing the gnome body (the hat) with the beans or other filler. how to upcycle a sweater hat into a gnome
  3. Fold the two sides of the hat's opening over onto each other hot glue them in place. how to make a sweater hat gnome
  4. Fold the two flaps on the end of the seam you just made inward toward the center of the gnome body and hot glue those in place. how to make a gnome with a hat
  5. Work the beans down and the polyfil up into the tip of the hat. how to make a gnome with a knitted hat
  6. Pull the center of the hat outward and make a bit of a shelf. how to make a faux knitted gnome
  7. Based on the area remaining under your "shelf" in the hat, cut out a rounded triangle of the Mongolian faux fur. Use an exacto knife or razor blade to cut only the fabric on the backside of the faux fur.
  8. Add a line of hot glue to the back of the beard along the top line and affix the beard to the front of the gnome. how to make a gnome with a knitted hat tobogan
  9. Hot glue the nose onto the top of the beard, about 1/4-inch from the edge.
  10. Fold the brim of the hat down over the nose and hot glue it in place on both sides of the gnome, the back and then over the nose to make a little wrinkle--I love that part! easy gnome tutorial with a knitted hat

Notes

For more (oh, so many 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

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Please Save or Share This Fun Winter Gnome Idea

Your shares are how this site grows and I am sincerely grateful. Know a friend who’d like this? Please share it on Facebook or save it to your favorite easy crafts pin board.

Photo collage of easy DIY tomte from a hat with text which reads gnome from a tobogan.

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