DIY Gnome for the Man Cave

Our DIY gnome for the man cave at your house is sure to be welcomed as just one of the guys. Indeed, he’s easy to make and at home anywhere! Surprise Dad with him on Father’s Day or any time of the year.

DIY Gnome for the Man Cave sitting in an artificial Christmas tree strung with clear lights. — Freestyle-beard version

Equipment for DIY Gnome for the Man Cave

scissors
mat knife
glue gun & sticks
chalk
fine-tipped craft paintbrush
disposable paper plate or piece of cardboard for painting surface

Supplies for DIY Gnome for the Man Cave

1 camouflage tube sock with very little stretch
1 – 16 ounce bag of dry beans
artificial fur (A 10 1/2-inch by 9 1/2-inch piece will yield two gnome beards.)
1 round wooden bead or pompon
1 – 9 x 12-inch sheet of orange felt
office brad
1 wooden clothespin with spring
brown acrylic craft paint
2 3/4-inch piece of black, plastic coffee stirrer
brown oblong bead approximately
2 – 12-inch black chenille stems/pipe cleaners
8 brass beads
8 – 4-inch strips of thin elastic cord or 8 mini hair elastics

Instructions

Gnome Body

First of all, fill the sock with dry beans. Then tie a knot in the sock above the beans and cut off the extra sock fabric above, but not too close to, the knot.
Secondly, fold the piece of artificial fur in half with the fur on the inside of the fold and crease. Then open the piece of artificial fur, fur side down, and carefully cut the fabric backing, BUT NOT THE ARTIFICIAL FUR, along the crease. Remember, you can use scissors IF you are able to cut the backing only and not the fur. Put one of the half pieces away for another project.

Folding and creasing the fur for cutting the beard for your DIY Gnome for Man Cave.

Folding and cutting fax fur to make a beard for your DIY Gnome for the Man Cave.

Thirdly, lay the other half horizontally on the table, fur side down with the fur going away from you. Then, fold each top corner down and in to the center of the bottom edge and form a crease. Next, cut the fabric backing, BUT NOT THE ARTIFICIAL FUR, along the crease. You’ll be left with a triangle for the beard.
Fourthly, wrap the top, straight line of the fur around the bean-filled sock at the top of the knot and glue it into place. Your beard may overlap a little in the back.
Next, glue your completed orange cap into place over the knot.
Lastly, glue the wooden bead (nose) about 1/2 inch down from the bill of the orange hunting cap.

Orange Hunting Cap

Print Gnome Hat Template

To begin with, print our DIY Gnome for the Man Cave cap template and cut out the cap brim and long strip that forms the body of the cap. Then give the flatter side of the brim a little bit of a curve.

Pieces for orange hunting cap cut out of felt and holes being punched to assemble cap of DIY Gnome for the Man Cave.

Secondly, punch a small hole near the tip of each of the six sections of the cap. Beginning on the right end of the long strip, poke the brad through the small hole in each section. Then flip the body of the cap over and open the flanges to tighten the brad.

Weaving brad through holes on tips of orange hunting cap sections to shape cap for DIY Gnome for the Man Cave.

Thirdly, round the cap into shape and secure it by gluing the felt tab on one end onto the inside of the other end.

Marking chalk lines on orange felt bill of hunting cap to snip before gluing bill to the cap for the DIY Gnome for the Man Cave.

Fourthly, using the piece of chalk, draw five, evenly spaced 1/4-inch lines along the flat line of the bill of the cap.

Next, snip the tiny lines with your scissors. Run a line of hot glue along the snipped edge and press it onto the inside of the cap, pinching the brim into place.

Completed felt orange hunting cap with bill glued to cap for DIY Gnome for the Man Cave.

Lastly, glue the orange hunting cap over the knot on the top of the gnome.

Beading the Beard

First of all, separate a small section of fur from the rest of the beard and secure it with elastic cord (knot and trim) or a mini elastic band. Then, run a bead up the strand of hair and over the elastic, which should secure it in place. Finally, repeat for each bead. (I found it easier to add the beads if I laid the gnome down flat on his back.)

Hunting Rifle

Begin by taking a wooden clothespin apart. You will need one of the wooden halves and the metal spring.
Secondly, carefully whittle a depression down the center of the flat side of the wooden half of the clothespin with a mat knife for the coffee stirrer to nest in.

Use a mat knife to carefully whittle a depression down the center of the flat side of the wooden half of the clothespin for the coffee stirrer to nest in.

Thirdly, paint the half clothespin with brown acrylic paint and let it dry completely.

On a small paper plate, painting half of the wooden clothespin with brown acrylic paint to make the hunting rifle for your DIY Gnome for the Man Cave.

Finally, thread and glue the spring into its original location on the clothespin half with the coil on the bottom. Nest and glue the coffee stirrer (now barrel of the gun) onto the top of the clothespin half.

Gnome Arms

First of all, loop each black chenille stem around the top of the gnome body under the beard and twist to secure.
Next, adjust one (chenille) arm lower and one higher, bend the end of each 1/2-inch to form a hand and set the hunting rifle in place.

DIY Gnome for the Man Cave sitting on a white fireplace mantle and flanked by a spray of artificial pheasant feathers.

Celebrate Dad with Ornaments

Ornaments hanging from an artificial Christmas tree trimmed with clear lights feature hunting and the outdoors. — Clockwise from top: oak leaf with gold acorn ornament, Hunters will do anything for a buck, glass ornament, personalized Gone Hunting ornament, and personalized deer plaque glass ornament

By all means, celebrate Dad at Christmas, too, with ornaments that reflect his passions and pursuits. Indeed, some ornaments can even be personalized!