If you're in need of a drinking buddy this year, look no further than your stash of felt supplies. These little fellas will keep your wine fresh without batting an eye at the size of your pours – mostly because they don't have eyes.
Gnomes: Giants Among Men
Humble servants known for their sheep herding and garden tending skills, gnomes have quietly taken the world by storm. When not backpacking in the Swiss Alps, they can also be found making wine, throwing pottery, and flying first class.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it: adopt a gnome and put him to work!
This project will take you roughly 15-20 minutes to complete. Once you get going, though, feel free to add other fun details to give your guy some personality.
I used purple poms to create the appearance of wine grapes. You could also use colored felt to make mini cheese rounds, gingerbread men, candy canes...the possibilities are endless. If you're giving the gnome as a gift, you can tuck just about anything into his folded arms – gift cards, a corkscrew bottle opener, even jewelry!
DIY Christmas Wine Bottle Gnomes
*Note this list includes affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission should you purchase any of the items below.
Here's what you'll need:
- Christmas socks
- fabric scissors
- hot glue gun + glue sticks
- large white poms & small purple poms
- floral stem wire
- wire cutters
- fake fur
- small metal bucket
- styrofoam cone (my cone was 6" tall by 3" diameter)
- red and green felt
- batting (optional, for the arms or hat)
- twine (optional)
Mini Chalkboard Sign Materials:
Step-by-Step Wine Gnome Assembly
Start by cutting a sock in half at the heel.
Take the bottom half and use it to cover your galvanized metal bucket. Secure in place with hot glue. Save the top half to use as a wine bottle sweater!
Glue your styrofoam cone, beard (aka fake fur), and pom nose to your base. Be careful to trim your fake fur at the back lining to minimize shedding.
Now cut out a cone shape from your felt. To make a custom template, measure the height and diameter of your cone. Using a geometry compass or pencil tied to a piece of string, make an arc on a piece of stock paper. The arc will be the same height as your cone (mine was 7" tall to the top point).
Multiply the diameter of your cone by 3.14 (i.e. pi). Mine was 3" multiplied by 3.14. This number is the final width of your arc. It should look something like this when you connect all the points.
Glue your hat to your gnome. There may be some exposed styrofoam along the back of his head – don't worry, this will get covered up later.
Time to add your Christmas sweater! I took one of my cut up socks and added arm holes on both sides.
Next, cut out your arms and mittens from your felt. Roll up the arm pattern and secure with glue. Stuff with batting if your gnome wants big guns. Secure arms and mittens with glue.
Now add your grapes from your purple poms and floral wire. Secure to your gnome with glue.
For a final decorative touch, make a chalkboard sign for your gnome.
Here's one last fun option: turn the other half of your cut-up sock into a decorative cover for your wine bottle. Full disclosure: this gnome is posing on a bottle of Frank's hot sauce.
These little gnomes are a symbol of hope and grit this holiday season. Turn up the wine and put a smile on everyone's faces by adding them to your collection. If you liked this felt project, check out these adorable ornaments created by April! I'm obsessed with candy art and candy charms lately.
If you missed the other installments of our 2020 Christmas Craft Material Challenge, you can find them each here:
Week 1: Clay
Week 2: Macramé
Week 3: Felt
Week 4: Cork
Week 5: Cement
Week 6: Chalkboard
Cheers,
Erin
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