Instructions

1. The first step is to fill one of the old socks with rice. Use one of the neutral or flesh-colored socks for this purpose, because it will become the body of your gnome.
2. Once the sock is plump with rice, use the rubber band to tie off the top. Set the sock aside for now as you proceed to the next step.
3. Next, get some yarn. Go with a color of yarn which could represent a hair color, such as brown, blond, red, black, white, etc.
4. Start winding the yarn around your hand again and again as if you were making a pom pom (on that note, check out this recent video tutorial to learn how to make a pom pom rug using yarn).
5. Get a second piece of yarn and tie that around the middle of the spool of yarn you have just created to pinch it all together. This is again the next step you would take if you were creating a pom pom.
6. With a pair of scissors, cut through the loops of yarn, just as you would while making a pom pom.
7. Now you need to straighten out all the ends of yarn to make sure that they are not tangled together. This is going to become the gnome’s beard. I used a comb to help me do this, but you can also do it by hand if you prefer.
8. If you need to, do some trimming in order to shape the beard to your liking. You can also get back to this step later if you prefer. You may find it easier to visualize the effect that you want later on in the process.
9. The piece of yarn which you used to tie everything together while you were making the beard is still attached to it. Do not cut it off. Instead, you are going to use it to attach the beard to the gnome’s body. Return to the sock filled with rice, and tie it on around a third of the way down from the top. I recommend using a square knot since this should hold in place.
10. Now it is time to craft the gnome’s nose. Get the other unused sock in the neutral or flesh color which matches the one you used for the body of the gnome, and cut a circle out of it.
11. Work a needle and thread through around the edges, pinching in the fabric as you go. Once you've worked your way all the way around the edges, do not remove the needle and thread just yet.
12. Get some cotton stuffing and place it inside. If you do not have stuffing, some simple cotton balls can do the trick. Just shred them apart and stuff them inside.
13. Once you have sufficiently stuffed the nose, pull the thread tighter to pull the edges together around it. Then tie off the thread and remove the needle.
14. Get the colorful sock and place it on top of the gnome’s head, covering up the tied-off end. This will be the gnome’s hat.
15. Use hot glue to attach the nose above the beard and below the hat.
16. If there is any last-minute arranging or trimming you want to do, take care of that, and your gnome will be complete!