Gnome Leprechaun Peg Doll With Roving Hair

Nothing says trouble or fun as much as a gnome leprechaun! Using our tutorial make one or many for a rollicking gnome leprechaun infestation!

Britta always has mixed feelings as Spring rolls around. She is always delighted as she anticipates the arrival of the flower fairies with their cheery faces and sweet songs, but, before that, she must endure the visit from the gnome leprechauns! Britta even has mixed feelings about the leprechauns. On one hand, the head leprechaun, Ronan, is one of Axel’s best mates and he is always so happy to see him. On the other hand, he truly is Trouble with a capital T! Whenever Ronan is in the area, things are apt to go missing, household order is disrupted and the men folk tend to stay out to the wee hours and are always a bit blurry eyed the next day! Nothing pleases a gnome wife more than an orderly household, and NOTHING causes more disorder than the leprechauns! On the other hand, before their visit is over, the leprechauns do return missing items and seem to set the house right again. Plus, Ronan is apt to leave a lovely gift or two. Britta heavily sighs and thinks, “Go with the flow, Britta, just go with the flow!” 

To read more about all kinds of Gnome Leprechaun Shenanigans in the Thicket check out the post found HERE.

Several years ago we share a tutorial for making a Gnome Leprechaun which can be found HERE. We thought it was time to update Ronan. Hope you enjoy this jovial trickster. There is never a dull moment when a gnome leprechaun is around!

Materials for the Gnome Leprechaun:

• wooden peg people (2 3/8″ x 7/8″)
• wool felt
• embroidery floss
• wool roving
• craft glue
• pattern

Important Note: Wooden peg people are not all created equal! Even pegs bought from the same company can be slightly different. I highly suggest you make a copy of the pattern, cut it out of paper, and “try it on” your wooden pegs. Make adjusts to the paper pattern before cutting out your felt.

Directions:
Make copy of pattern and cut out felt.

You may choose to leave your leprechaun faceless or add a face. If you want to add one, do so now. Check out our mini-tutorial on adding faces HERE. Lightly mark the center of the head with a pencil. Draw on features.

Using paint or a fine tip permanent marker, add face. When the paint or marker is thoroughly dry, you can erase the pencil marks.

Glue body wrap to peg. The bottom edge should be lined up with the bottom of the peg. The seam should be at the back of your leprechaun. The felt should be touching in the back but not overlapping. If necessary, trim felt to fit properly.

Using 3 strands of floss, sew across the top of the jacket (the straight line) using a medium running stitch. Leave a long length of floss at the beginning and end of the stitch for tying.

Wrap the jacket around the neck of the leprechaun. Gather the stitching line and tie under the leprechaun’s neck using a square knot. (right over left, left over right) Cut off thread ends to 1/4″. Place a wee drop of glue on the knot to prevent it from coming untied.)

Lift the jacket in the back and place a bit of glue on the peg near the neck. Drop the jacket. This will stop the jacket from turning.

 

To make the hat, begin by holding the straight edges of the hat together. Using a small running stitch and 3 strands of floss, start at the hat opening and sew half way up the seam. Back stitch on your last running stitch to lock the stitches in place.

Finish sew up the rest of the seam using a running stitch. Do NOT tie off the floss.

Gently pull on the thread, gathering the hat so the point curls over. When you are satisfied with the shaping, tie off the end.

To add the hat’s rim, hold the rim against the hat so the snipped tabs are on the inside of the hat. Attach the rim by sewing a running stitch around the whole hat. You do not need to pin the rim on. Simply hold in place, easing as necessary. This is very “ish”. Just make the tabs and snips are all inside the hat. Using small running stitches, sew the rim to the hat.

Position the hat band over the seam where the rim was sewn to the hat. Using 2 strands of floss and a running stitch, sew the top and bottom of the band to the hat. The seam should be in the back.

Glue a buckle to the center of the hat band.

Glue belt at waist. The belt will be too long, so trim it to fit. The seam should be in the back. Glue the other belt buckle to the center front of the belt.

Pull off a small bundle of roving, about 5″ long. Make a circle of glue on the leprechaun’s head going from the top of the head around the chin/neck.

Fold the roving in half and place the fold on top of the head pressing the roving along the side of the face and under the chin. When the roving is dry you can shape the beard.

Do a dry run of trying on the hat. Fit the hat on the leprechaun. The hat should be tilted backwards. When you fell good about the position, take it off and run a thin line of glue on the inside of the hat along the seam where the rim is joined to the hat. Adjust as needed. Firmly pat the hat in place.

Now give the beard a trim. If you notice some areas where the bare wooden head is showing, simply place a dot of glue and tuck in a little more roving. When it is all dry, give a final trim to the beard.

Your gnome leprechaun is now ready to cause a wee bit of mischief!