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Acorn Pies: How to Make a Gnome Hat For a Young Child

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Acorn Pies

Thursday, Novem ber 5, 2009

Beth Curtin

How to Make a Gnome Hat For a Young Child

I am an American artist living in Switzerland. I am married and have three children. I love sharing crafts, color, toy making, and outdoor fun with you. I also teach after school art to primary children, and I love it! Thanks for coming to Acorn Pies!

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You need very basic sewing skills to make this hat. Without the options, it has only one seam and is an excellent beginner's project. Begin with a felted thrift-store wool pullover sweater. To felt a sweater, throw it in the washing machine on warm. Keep an eye on it. Some sweaters shrink a lot more than others. The fibers will grab one another and make a dense fabric which is lovely to work with and very warm, and which hides sewing imperfections very well. If you are like me, you want to start RIGHT NOW. But it would be best if you read the instructions through first.

Beth's Art Website

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Acorn Pies: How to Make a Gnome Hat For a Young Child

Start by making a pattern with some newsprint or other inexpensive paper. Adjust the face measurement to suit your child. The face measurement goes from below the jaw, straight over the top of the head, and down the other side to the matching spot below the jaw. The 9 and a quarter inch measurement shown above is half the total face measurement, because you are going to cut the fabric on the fold, and of course the neck measurement is also halved. Place your pattern on the pullover. The pointy peak should be nestled under the arm. The top of the head runs down the side seam of the sweater. The face goes along the finished bottom edge of the sweater. Now boldly cut the sweater. This sweater has a very deep ribbing at the bottom of the sweater, so I folded it back before placing my pattern.

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Beth's article about tree sw ings!

This sweater feels a little scratchy, so I decided to make a cotton flannel lining which will go from the front edge to behind the ear. The lining is optional.
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Machine sew the hems on the long sides.

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Acorn Pies: How to Make a Gnome Hat For a Young Child

Now pin it onto the opened-up hat, wrong sides together. I have folded the ribbing out so that I won't sew through it. You want to position the lining all the way to the front of the hat. Now machine sew it. Trim the edges of the lining fabric. You can leave them raw, because they will be covered by bias tape. Do not sew down the back seam of the lining. Keep it loose. I realize I didn't give you a measurement for the lining. As you can see it goes from the front of the hat and ends before the back seam.
Make a Butterfly Wand

Now get out your bias tape to finish the raw edge at the bottom of the hat. This is also optional. (Supposedly, felted wool will not unravel.) I'm going to use the periwinkle. The bias tape is deeper on one side than on the other. That is so that when you sew it on the narrower side, you won't miss sewing the tape on the inside of the hat.

Outdoor Fun on a Rainy Day

Make a Little Spring Skirt

Stop! Before you put on the bias tape, try the hat on your child and make sure you are happy with the fit. You can still trim the bottom edge, and shape it around the back of the neck the way you want. You can also put a pin or a little mark of chalk where you want the chin ties to go right now, so you don't have to wrestle your child to the ground again later. I put the narrow side of the bias tape on the outside of the hat and pinned it. Fold the ends under neatly.

Bead Weaving w ith Children

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Acorn Pies: How to Make a Gnome Hat For a Young Child

The ends on the back seam of the hat are going to show. Make them as neat as you can.

Make a Sw edish Maypole

Make a Little Willow Basket

I machine sewed the bias tape. I wish I had hand-sewn it, though of course that would have been very time-consuming. I think it would have looked nicer. In the picture below, you can see that I have pinned the back seam. Sew it with your machine, from the bottom edge up to the tip. Just leave the raw edge out. It is too bulky otherwise.

Tyger, Tyger

Costum e Birthday Parties

I got out some special trims and some bells to look at. I picked the rick-rack. Look how the tip of the hat developed a nice little swoop. Have you checked to see where you want to put the chin ties? Also make sure your ties are long enough to tie a bow.

Make a Lovey w ith Your Child

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Acorn Pies: How to Make a Gnome Hat For a Young Child

Crazy Log Cabin Quilting

I hand-sewed the rick-rack, catching a thread from the hat under the ribbing from time to time, to keep the ribbing from flopping forward. I like to do some hand-sewing on every project, so I enjoyed it. Here is a picture of the lining, bias trim, and rick-rack chin straps. If the rick-rack is hard to tie in a bow, I will add some ribbon backing.

Visiting an Art Museum w ith Children

I sewed two bells onto the tip.

Make a Gnom e Hat

If you have a plainer fabric to work with, you can create some shapes out of wool felt for decorating your hat, and sew them on by hand. Mushrooms, acorns, flowers, squirrels...!

Build a Cardboard Castle

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Acorn Pies: How to Make a Gnome Hat For a Young Child

Weaving w ith Children

I can't wait to try it on somebody! If you make a gnome hat for a child, please send me a picture for a special posting at the beginning of December. Try to take a picture of your gnome outside! Copyright 2009 Beth Curtin
Posted by Beth at 1:20 PM

20 comments:
Hip Mountain Mama said... Thank you so much for sharing this pattern! I am glad to see that it takes basic sewing skills...I have a machine, but have only used it a few times and much prefer hand sewing. This is going on my to do list! Another great idea from an amazing Mama!! November 8, 2009 at 10:55 PM
Beth's Stories

The Stick Giant and the Oak Family A Gnome's Day The Owlets Can't Sleep The Monkey Twins Eat Too Many Tomatoes The Snails and the Acorn Children Zibby Gets Stuck in a Tree The Monkey Twins Don't Want a Nap A Springtime Forest Adventure The Monkey Twins Are Jealous The Easter Egg Hunt

Linda said... This is a beautiful tutorial, thank you so much for sharing :) November 9, 2009 at 12:03 AM

Linda said... This is a beautiful tutorial, thank you so much for sharing :) November 9, 2009 at 12:04 AM

The Monkey Twins Play Restaurant Bedtime for the Monkey Twins

Beth's Studio

farmama said... Awww...this is so cute! Your ideas are never ending Beth! You're amazing! love, Sara November 9, 2009 at 12:50 AM

A Visit to My Studio Beth Curtin's Art: The Disguises Project Beth Curtin's New Lino Prints

Blog Archive

Ravenhill said... How very beautiful this little gnome hat is! Thank you so much for taking the time to share the tutorial! November 9, 2009 at 5:02 AM

2013 (30) 2012 (52) 2011 (78) 2010 (169) 2009 (145) December (16) November (17) Making an Advent Wreath Cyber Monday Sale for Acorn Pies Readers Gratitude: Fresh Air Vision Make a Fall Swag How to Make a Simple Button Toy The Stick Giant and the Oak Family Autumn Fairy Stick Giants

Beth said... Thanks for your comments. I think I made it look more complicated than it is because of the lining. If the wool is soft, it will take you about 15 minutes to make!!!!! Beth November 9, 2009 at 8:02 AM

gardenmama said... I love it Beth! I will certainly let you know when I make this! I know three little ones who would love to have gnome hats this winter : ) November 9, 2009 at 8:16 PM

Naturalearthfarm said... Thank you for sharing this. I have recently bought some wool sweaters at a rummage sale and felted them... perfect! November 10, 2009 at 8:28 AM

Little House Ornaments Fall Farmer's Market Birchbark Trail Kettle Making Demonstration How to Make a Model of a Birchbark Trail Kettle

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5orangepotatoes said...

Acorn Pies: How to Make a Gnome Hat For a Young Child

How to Make a Gnome Hat For a Young Child Gathering Hickory Nuts Bead Weaving With Children A Gnome's Day A Gnome Climbing a Rock October (20) Beth said... I can't wait to see people's hats! Beth November 10, 2009 at 9:00 PM September (21) August (12) July (17) June (7) onegoldensun said... Thank you for this beautiful tutorial. Your hat is too cute for words! Love it! November 13, 2009 at 7:33 PM All original photographs and text on this site are the sole property of Elizabeth F. Curtin and may not be used, copied, or transmitted without her consent. You are welcome to link to this site. May (16) April (19)

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this FANTASTIC tutorial. I am new to sewing with a machine and this looks easy enough for me to sew up a few. lisa November 10, 2009 at 8:52 PM

Mama Rose said... My goodness that's an adorable hat! Thank you for the tutorial. I'm definitely bookmarking and can't wait to make one too :D November 18, 2009 at 12:24 AM

June said... This is wonderful, I had one question though, the gnome hat with the mushroom, the strap under her chin looks like roving....almost like a little beard.... (which is adorable) what is that made out of and how did you attach it? March 16, 2010 at 8:17 AM

Abigail said... Thanks so much for this tutorial! I found it today and grabbed a felted sweater I had laying around and quickly made one for my 4 year old. Love it!! October 18, 2010 at 10:01 PM

Thank you, Sara, of Farmama.

Ryan said... I just made that hat! For myself! And I'm 19 years old! And being a Gnome for Halloween! It is absolutely adorable!!! LOVE IT Cheers Kenzie October 29, 2010 at 5:21 PM

vamdep said... Just saw this and LOVE the Gnome hat!! Any measurements for making an adult-sized hat? Thanks! October 21, 2011 at 7:33 PM
My List of Som e Favorites

Thank you, Nadja, or patchodirtfarm and Hallie, of ourbrokenroad

Treeish said... Great instructions, easy to follow. I think next time I`ll make the neck an inch longer to wrap under his chin better and perhaps adjust the face to measure a little shorter as I had to add a dart to keep the wool snug around his brow. How do I add a picture here? October 31, 2011 at 10:16 AM

Doll
another little fox girl 2 hours ago

Beth said... Hi, Treeish, Send a beautiful picture as an attachment in an email to me and I will put it up. Beth October 31, 2011 at 3:36 PM

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Thank you Marcia, of childinharmony.

Attic24
Transition 1 day ago

Amanthus said... What a great post! Will be trying this out for a Halloween project. October 8, 2012 at 2:40 PM Where Five Valleys Meet

christarella said... What would be the best way to adjust this pattern for adult measurements? October 22, 2012 at 2:53 PM Post a Comment
September Trs Riches Heures 1 day ago

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