Embroidered gnomes with a free Christmas embroidery file

Machine embroidery can be incredibly exciting – glitter and special textures don’t just inspire children! I personally love glitter and am looking forward to really letting off steam with it, especially at Christmas time. Today I would like to show you a motif with special effect embroidery foil and the trapunto technique, exactly matching the motto of this year’s blog advent calendar 2024 “Create your Magic”. Of course, the cute embroidered gnomes can also be embroidered without embroidery foil and without the trapunto effect. The motif is wonderfully suitable for many applications: on placemats, table runners, cushions, sweaters, jackets or even on embroidery felt as decorative pendants. I opted for a table runner and decorated it with this motif. So lets start making the cute embroidered gnomes.

Required Material:

Fabric for embroidery
Embroidery stabilizer to match the fabric
Embroidery threads, embroidery bobbin thread
Special effect embroidery foil (available from me in the store or in the Creative Center)
3 x 3 cm 3 mm embroidery foam
4 x 4 cm fleece, jersey or sweat in red for the nose

The embroidery file measures 118 mm x 179 mm and fits into the oval embroidery hoop and is intended for private use only.

Download embroidery file here

Embroidered gnomes

The color chart contains shortcuts that make it easy and convenient to embroider the design even without detailed instructions.

The embroidery file contains special stitches. If you would like to open them in the embroidery program, for example to add fonts or other elements, please select the option “Grade D” (i.e. “Leave stitches as individual stitches”). This prevents the stitches from being recalculated and possibly changed in the embroidery software. To open, simply click on “File > Open > Options > Grade D” and then on “Open”.

But now we’re embroidering! First hoop the stabilizer and fabric drum-tight. If, as in my example, a finished table runner (or cushion cover, placemat etc.) is embroidered, it is sufficient to simply hoop the stabilizer and glue and pin the material to it.

If desired, the embroidery film can now be applied and secured with the hoop of the embroidery machine. The foil shimmers through the loose stitches of the pattern, creating a metallic glitter effect.

Colors 1 to 6 are then embroidered as normal according to the color chart.

Color 1: Cap

Color 2: Shoes

Color 3: bobble, stripes on the hat, gloves

Color 4: Muzzle and beard

Color 5: Sleeves

Color 6 : Contours

Trapunto effect embroidery

Now embroider the 3D nose of your gnome. If you don’t want to do this, you can skip colors 7 and 8 and work the nose with color 9 as a fringe appliqué instead.

First embroider the placement line for the 3D foam with color 7. Then place a piece of foam on top and perforate with color 8. To prevent the foam from slipping, it can be fixed in place with a little spray adhesive.

Carefully remove the excess foam so that only the nose of the embroidered gnome remains on the material.

Now place a piece of fleece, jersey or sweat fabric on top, embroider with the next color and cut the fabric back as for an appliqué.

Then remove the basting stitches and tear off the embroidery foil – the embroidered gnome is now finished!

Embroidered gnomes as outline

For my table runner, I embroidered three glittering gnomes and one outline. Simply embroider sequences 6 and 9 in the same thread color. Alternatively, you can just embroider the outline and add the 3D nose – there are many creative possibilities!