Stay at home gnomes

Stay at Home Gnomes by Alison Davis

What is Being Made

Stay at Home Gnomes is a knitted toy design featuring two charming home gnomes. These are small decorative figures created using minimal yarn, making them perfect for quick projects or gift-giving. The gnomes are an original design by Alison Davis, crafted with attention to detail and beginner-friendly construction.

Craft and Primary Technique

This project uses knitting as the primary craft method. The gnomes are knitted flat on straight needles and then seamed together to create three-dimensional toy forms. This flat-knit-and-seam approach is an accessible method for creating stuffed toys and is ideal for beginners learning toy construction techniques.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches and techniques suitable for beginner-level crafters:

• Knit (K) – the basic knit stitch forming the foundation of the fabric
• Purl (P) – used to create texture variation and design elements
• Stocking Stitch (SS) – the primary fabric structure, created by alternating knit and purl rows
• Increases (Inc.1, KFB) – working into the front and back of stitches to add stitches and shape the gnome body and head
• Decreases (K2tog, P2tog) – knitting two stitches together to reduce stitch count and create shaping
• Slip stitches (SL1) – slipping stitches onto the right needle for various construction purposes
• Bind and Tie (B&T) – threading yarn through remaining stitches and pulling tight to close openings, with a 30 cm tail left for sewing seams

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Stay at Home Gnomes pattern calls for DK weight yarn (double knit), which is a medium-weight yarn ideal for creating small, defined details in toy projects. The design uses red yarn for the body and head of both gnomes. Additionally, faux fur yarn is incorporated into the design, likely used for creating the gnomes' characteristic beards or hair, adding texture and visual interest to the finished toys.

The project requires 3mm knitting needles, which are appropriately sized for DK weight yarn and allow for tight, even stitches essential in toy construction where stuffing security is important.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as beginner difficulty, making it accessible to knitters who are new to the craft or new to toy-making. The use of basic stitches, straightforward shaping through simple increases and decreases, and the flat-knit construction method make this an excellent introductory project for learning toy design principles.

Pattern Format

Stay at Home Gnomes is available as a downloadable PDF format, allowing crafters to access the complete instructions digitally and reference them while working on their project.