Gnome on a swing Christmas crochet ornament

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“Happiness is a swing.” Christmas is just around the corner, and it was about time to have my own little crochet Christmas decoration for my home this year! This Gnome on a swing Christmas crochet ornament will be the cheeky touch of my Christmas tree. With the detailed instructions below, this pattern is beginner level, which makes it a great DIY gift idea for your loved ones. 

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I was looking for an idea of a cool crochet decoration for my Christmas tree, and I guess like many moms out there, my toddler is always a great inspiration. He’s so cheeky and happy, I wanted something fun, something that can make him smile. Then in my Pinterest Christmas crochet boards, I think what make me smile every time are Christmas gnomes. So nothing very original, but I just love the idea of a little gnome hiding and playing in my Christmas tree. That’s how the swing came up, plus it’s convenient to hang it anywhere, not just in a Christmas tree. 

Scroll down for the free version, or you can purchase a nice add-free pdf version of this pattern in my shop on Etsy for a small fee. The pdf version has all the step by step pictures, instructions, and it’s ready-to-print for you to carry around everywhere you can crochet and are not in front of a laptop.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU START

MATERIAL

• 3.5mm / US E-4 crochet hook
• Yarn: #3 / DK / light worsted yarn, 8ply, 80% Cotton 20% Milk Fiber, in dark red, light peach, light brown, dark brown, forest green (I use a local shop yarn)
• Some strands of Merino wool for the beard in white colour
• A pair of 8mm safety eyes
• Golden yarn or decorative string for the swing strings
• Fiberfill
• Small piece of green sewing thread (green to hide in a Christmas tree, or any other colour matching with where you want to hang it, like a light beige)
• Tapestry needle
• Stitch marker(s) (or a piece of thread to mark your round beginning)

GAUGE AND SIZE

• The gauge for this pattern is : 5-round circle=5cm (2”) with a 3.5mm hook. Find out how to measure gauge for amigurumis in my tutorial here. 
• When gauge is achieved, the gnome is 15 cm (5,9″) tall

PATTERN NOTES AND SPECIAL TECHNIQUES

• This pattern is worked in continuous spiral rounds (i.e. without closing the rounds with a slip stitch). It may help to mark the first stitch of each round with a stitch
• The number before the abbreviation represents how many times to work one type of stitch into consecutive stitches from the previous round (unless stated otherwise). Ex: 3inc = work one increase into each of the next 3 stitches.
• For this pattern I use invisible decreases to minimize the gaps between these stitches so that the fiberfill doesn’t show too much. You can check this simple technique in my tutorial here, but if it’s too much hassle and you prefer to start right away you can also work with normal decrease, no big deal!
• Colour change: check the video tutorial for an easy colour change in the round here.

ABBREVIATIONS

This tutorial follows US crochet notations.

• sc = single crochet
• inc = increase (= work 2sc into the next stitch)
• dec = single crochet decrease (single crochet two stitches together)
• st = stitch
• sl st: slip stitch
• (…) x 2 = repeat whatever is in between the parenthesis the number of times indicated
• [number] = total number of stitches of the round
• Rnd(s)= round/s

GNOME ON A SWING: CHRISTMAS CROCHET ORNAMENT FREE PATTERN

THE BODY

THE HEAD

With light peach yarn.
Rnd 1: Work 6sc into a magic ring. [6]
Rnd 2: inc in each st around. [12]
Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x 6. [18]
Rnd 4: (2sc, inc) x 6. [24]
Rnd 5 – 8: sc around. [24]
Rnd 9: (2sc, dec) x 6. [18]
Insert the safety eyes between round 6 and 7, With a gap of two stitches between the eyes.

Rnd 10: (sc, dec) x 6. [12]
Stuff with fiberfill.

Rnd 11: 6dec. [6]

Fasten off, sew closed, and hide the yarn tail inside. 

THE NOSE

Rnd 1: Work 5sc into a magic ring. [5]

Rnd 2-3: sc around. [5]
Fasten off, leave a tail for sewing

ARMS

Start with light peach yarn.
Rnd 1: Work 5sc into a magic ring. [5]
Rnd 2: sc around. [5]
Change colour to forest green.
Rnd 3: sl st in next st, chain 1, sc in next st, 3sc. [5]
Rnd 4: skip the sl st, sc in the chain, 4sc. [5]
Rnd 5 – 6 : sc around. [5]
Fasten off leaving a tail for sewing. Don’t stuff the arm. Make a second one.

THE HAT

With dark red yarn.

Rnd 1: Work 4sc into a magic ring. [4]

 

Rnd 2: sc around. [4]
Rnd 3: (inc, sc) x 2. [6]
Rnd 4: sc around. [6]
Rnd 5: (inc, 2sc) x 2. [8]
Rnd 6 – 7: sc around. [8]
Rnd 8: (3sc, inc) x 2. [10]
Rnd 9: (4sc, inc) x 2. [12]
Rnd 10: (3sc, inc) x 3. [15]
Rnd 11: (4sc, inc) x 3. [18]
Rnd 12: sc around. [18]
Rnd 13: (5sc, inc) x 3. [21]
Rnd 14: (6sc, inc) x 3. [24]
Rnd 15: (7sc, inc) x 3. [27]
Rnd 16: (8sc, inc) x 3. [30]
Rnd 17: (9sc, inc) x 3. [33]
Rnd 18: sc around. [33]
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

 

 

THE SWING

The swing is worked in rows. 

With dark brown. Chain 13.
Row 1: Starting in second chain from the hook, 12 sc. [12]
Row 2 – 5: Chain 1, turn, 12sc. [12] Fasten off, weave in ends.

 

ASSEMBLY

Start by sewing the nose to the head, just below the eyes.
Then sew the head to the body.

Then take some strands of merino wool, and sew them to the cheeks, just below the eyes and around the nose.

Keep them long for now, and brush them delicately with a comb to make them look more fluffy and airy.

Then with a pair of scissors, cut them to give the shape you like to the beard.

 

Then sew the hat to the head, so that the edge of the hat is just above the eyes. On the front side, try to make your sewing stitches 1 or 2 rows above the edge of the hat, to give it a nice curve.

Then sew the arms to the body, just below the head.

Sew the legs to the bottom, in a sitting position. It helps to use pins to secure their position before sewing.

Sew the gnome to the swing.

Cut two 80cm (27″) strings of golden yarn or decorative string. Thread your tapestry needle, and go through a stitch of the hand, make a knot, leaving a long enough tail to attach the string to the swing plank.

Then attach on the other side of the hand and swing. The swing strings should be about 5cm (2″) higher than the top of the hat. And finally to balance the gnome in upward position, sew a thin sewing thread loop to the top of the hat, dark green is great to hide in a christmas tree. 

And you’re done! Congratulations! If you liked this pattern share it with your crochet friends ! I’d love to see your finished gnome: don’t forget to share it on social media and tag me @octopucrochetdesign . I look forward to seeing it in your Christmas decor!!