Friday, December 09, 2011

December - Day 9


The sun rose at 1044am and set at 1337pm. The length of the day was 2 hours and 52 minutes. No sun today, but one could see that the sun was behind the clouds, temperature just below zero. Good weather up here, but the southern part of Finland was hit by a snow storm.

Tonttu continues:

today you will need

sewing thread
hand sewing needle
thin knitting needle, I used size 2mm(US0)
cardboard, about 7,5mmx7,5mm (3"x3")
scissors
fingering weight yarn for the body and the hands
some wool for beard
glue

Take the piece of cardboard and wrap the fingering weight yarn (color intended for arms) around the cardboard approximately 15-20 times.


Take the yarn off the cardboard and put a knitting needle inside the loop as in the picture.


Make a big loop of hand sewing thread, that is use the hand sewing thread doubled, and wrap it around the hand as close to the knitting needle as you can get (secure the end with few stitches). I use hand sewing thread to be able to make delicate, small hands.


Repeat for the other end. Snip off the yarn ends if needed.


Wrap the fingering weight yarn (color intended for body and feet) around the cardboard approximately 15-20 times. Wrap one end to make the feet the same way you did the hands and wrap the other end as in the picture (the red yarn); when attaching the head, it is easy to secure into these loops. Make two of these.


Take both of the body parts and put the wooden head, the stick (being a neck) pointing towards the body, in between the body parts. Take sewing thread (the same color as the body) and attach these three parts together. Take a look at the picture, there is grey thread around the base of the neck.

The head will come loose if one pulls it, so you might want to add some glue there. I have not used glue in mine. Please remember, this is not a toy, it will be easy to take apart thus being dangerous for small children. 


Once you have the body and the head attached to each other, take the arms inside the body.

The final part of the body is wrapping thread around the waist. I usually take the hands over the head (like the gnome was doing gymnastics), this way the hands will secure the head in its place and it is easy to arrange the yarns to make a nice waist. 


Big beard will cover minor mishaps, so glue a generous beard to the gnome.


Tomorrow the hat.

I put this together quickly and no one has tested this. So, please if you have questions and my text does not seem to make sense, leave a comment and I will try to update the pattern for the better.

Wool with you,
Lene

7 comments:

  1. Love your blog and sun rise/set data each day. the little elf is darling, will make one tonight

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  2. I love these little guys! I used to make them with all yarn when I was a young girl.

    Instead of "hands" I would say you are making "arms," except when you are wrapping the yarn close to the knitting needle when you are indeed making hands.

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  3. Nancy N23:44

    That is so cute! Thank you for posting the instructions. I'm looking forward to the next one to see how to do the hat.

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  4. A few days ago, I was shocked to realize you live in Finland. I don't know exactly how I got this idea, but I thought you lived in Alaska! I love Scandinavian traditional knitting and went totally nuts watching the Olympics when they were in Lillehammer.

    thanks for showing us how to make the little elf ornaments.

    Jo

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  5. Diane Edington01:22

    I love your little tonttu. Thankyou for posting the directions and I hope to see how you did the face too.
    Having just organized my wool stash, it will be satisfying to use up some leftovers.

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  6. I love this "troll"!!
    thank you for this tuto
    j'adore ce "troll"!!
    merci pour le tuto..

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  7. I got the heads and dowels in Michaels to make these. Am doing well making them but need some roving for the beards. So far no luck but will keep looking.
    I m thrilled with them !
    Thanks so much.

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