Gonk Gnome Knitting Patterns

Sometimes I find interesting things in the terms that people are searching on the website. Most of the time them make sense, but other times I’m scratching my head. When “gonk gnomes” turned up, I had to search it to learn that gonks aren’t really gnomes. They’re from Nordic and Scandinavian mythology and are kind of a mix of a gnome and a hobgoblin.

So I don’t know if these gnome knitting patterns really all qualify as gonk gnomes, but I assume it’s the personality that you give them that will decide that.

First of course I have to share this knitting gnome from Sharon Mooney, which you can find on Ravelry. It uses DK weight yarn and while it’s a small project (5.5 inches or 14 cm tall without the hat) there are a lot of techniques packed in, including cables (on the scarf the gnome is knitting), increasing and decreasing, stranded colorwork, knitting flat and in the round, making bobbles (its nose) and I-cord (the legs).

Hélène Magnússon’s Kertasnikiris more specifically a Yule Lad in the Icelandic tradition, who traditionally comes to your house on Dec. 24 and tries to steal your candles (his name means “Candle beggar”). I love all the details on this one, too. His little colorwork boots are the best! A variety of yarns are used for all the different parts, and this one measures 16 inches/40 cm tall. You can find it on Ravelry.

Lots of gonk gnome knitting patterns are seasonal, whether Christmas or some other holiday. You’ll find autumn gonk gnomes from Tanya Oakley Designs on Etsy, and she also has more spring and summer versions decorated with flowers.

January Knits’ rainbow gnomes aren’t necessarily seasonal, but in their pastel colors as shown they’d be lovely for spring, or you could make a set in jewel tones for fall.

I also feel like if you knit gnomes you have to give them a story. Like what are the gnomies by Huggable Bears doing? They look like a bunch a friends headed to the park or something.

If you don’t want to come up with the story on your own, try knitting up Someone to Write Gnome About from Imagined Land Knits. This one’s name is Gnock, and her favorite thing is reading in her hammock.

Or how about Gnana by Sarah Schira? This gnome reminds me of Baba Yaga and looks like she’s cooking up something interesting. The pattern uses fingering weight yarn and includes colorwork on the body and a removable cloak (it’s not safe in the kitchen with a cloak on!). The pattern includes a recipe, coloring page, decorative envelope and storybook file so you can learn all about your new gnome. This one is available from Ravelry.

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If you’re looking for a fun project to play with brioche knitting, check out the My Buddy knitting pattern/recipe from Casuarinagirl on Ravelry.

This project doesn’t include a brioche tutorial, so it’s good to know the basics, including how to increase and decrease, but you can always practice on a swatch before you start the project if you want.

The design is meant to be flexible for the yarn you have and what size and shape of project you want to make, from a skinny neck scarf to a asymmetrical triangle or a more classic triangular shape.

The shape you end up with will depend on how often you increase (and then decrease on the other side). The pattern mentions increasing every fourth, fifth or six row (and the one shown increases and decreases every sixth row) but you can do it even more or less often depending on the shape you’re looking for an how much yarn you want to use.

You can work to whatever depth you would like, or use almost half of the yarn you have set aside for the project and begin decreasing.

When it comes to yarn, she used three strands of yarn held together to make a super fluffy shawl, but you can work it with whatever yarn and needles you like to make a wrap that’s all your own.

If you are new to brioche (or to increasing and decreasing in brioche) it might be a good idea to make a little scarf or head wrap first before diving in to the bigger pattern, just so you’re more comfortable with the technique. Or just give it a go; nothing about brioche knitting is that difficult. (But you might want to use a lifeline because I find brioche hard to rip out or fix mistakes in properly.)

You can grab the free pattern for the Buddy Wrap on Ravelry.

[Photo: Casuarinagirl]

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