Free Pattern: Gnome for the Holidays
This free holiday gnome knitting pattern is quite easy and works up quickly knit flat but creates the most adorable knitted gnomes. I’ve cobbled together a couple of my favorite gnome patterns to create this one for you.
You may choose to make his beard in worsted weight or any fun fur yarn but I think a beard made from Lion Brand Romance looks spectacular!
Materials needed:
Worsted weight yarn in colors of your choice for body and hat (red, green, blue, etc) and white for hat brim.
Very small amount of cream-colored worsted weight yarn for nose
Lion Brand Romance for beard
Dried beans to fill bottom of body for stability
Polyester fiberfill stuffing
Yarn needle
Craft sized jingle bell to adorn tip of hat (optional)
US size 6 (4 mm) knitting needles
Scissors
Skills required:
KFB – Knit front and back into stitch
K2tog – Simple decrease by knitting two stitches together
Stockinette Stitch – Alternating knit and purl rows
Garter Stitch — Knit every row
Pattern Instructions
Body:
Cast on 4 stitches
- Knit
- Kfb in each stitch – 8 stitches
- Purl this and every odd numbered row
- (k1, kfb) across = 12 stitches
- Purl
- (k2, kfb) across = 16 stitches
- Purl
- (k3, kfb) across = 20 stitches
- Purl
- (k4 ,kfb) across = 24 stitches
- Purl
- (k5, kfb) across = 28 stitches
- Purl
- (k6, kfb) across = 32 stitches
- Purl
- (k7, kfb) across = 36 stitches
- Purl
- (k8, kfb) across = 40 stitches
- Purl
- (k9, kfb) across = 44 stitches
- Purl
- (k10, kfb) across = 48 stitches
- Purl
- (k11, kfb) across = 52 stitches
- Purl
- (k12, kfb) across = 56 stitches
- Purl
Work 10 rows even in stockinette stitch
(k12, k2tog) across = 52 stitches
Purl
(k11, k2tog) across = 48 stitches
Purl
(k10, k2tog) across = 44 stitches
Purl
K9, k2tog) across = 40 stitches
Purl
(k8, k2tog) repeat from * across = 36 stitches
Purl
(k7, k2tog) across = 32 stitches
Purl
K2tog across = 16 stitches
Purl
K2tog across = 8 stitches
Purl
k2tog across = 4 stitches
Cut yarn leaving a long tail, thread through yarn needle. Pull threaded yarn through the four stiches on needle, removing them from the needle. Pull tight to cinch and sew the seam leaving a one-inch gap at the top. Place some dried beans in the bottom so your gnome sits flat then fill with stuffing and finish sewing the seam. Secure and weave in the end.
Hat:
Cast on 40 in white
To make the brim, work Garter stitch for 10 rows
Change to main color
(K8, k2tog across) = 36
Purl
(K7, k2tog across) = 32
Purl
(K6, k2tog across) = 28
Purl
(K5, k2tog across) – 24
Purl
(K4, k2tog across) = 20
Purl
(K3, k2tog across) = 16
Purl
(K2, k2tog across) = 12
Purl
(K1, k2tog across) = 8
Purl
Beginning with a knit row, work 6 rows stockinette stitch
K2tog across = 4
Purl
Beginning with a knit row, work 6 rows stockinette stitch
K2tog = 2
Purl
K2tog = 1
Cut yarn leaving a long tail and secure the last stitch. Right sides together, sew the seam closed. Turn the hat right-side out and place the hat on the gnome. No need to stuff. Secure the hat to the body by stitching in a few spots.
Beard:
Cast on 3 stitches
K
K1, kfb, k to end = 4
K1, kfb, k to end = 5
K
K
K1, kfb, k to end = 6
K1, kb]fb, k to end = 7
K
K
K1, kfb, k to end = 8
K1, kfb, k to end = 9
K
K
K1, kfb, k to end = 10
K1, kfb, k to end – 11
K
K
K2, kfb, k to end = 12
L1, kfb, k to end = 13
K
K
K1, kfb, k to end = 14
K1, kfb, k to end = 14
K
K
K1, kfb, k to end = 16
K1, kfb, k end = 17
K
K
K1, kfb, k to end – 18
K1, kfb, k to end = 19
K
Bind off loosely, leaving a 10” tail. Attach beard to gnome so that the beard is just slightly underneath the hat.
Nose:
Using cream colored yarn, cast on 1 stitch
Kfb, kfb, k into that one stitch = 5
Purl
Bind off
Using the cast on and bind off ends, secure the nose between the beard and hat. Wrap each end around one stitch and pull tight.
Sew a small jingle bell to tip of hat, if desired.
Happy Holidays and remember – there’s no place like gnome!