Thanksgiving Gnomes and Turkey Knitting Pattern

I simply couldn’t resist sharing this Thanksgiving gnome and turkey knitting pattern by Cheryl Andrews because it’s equal parts hilarious and heart-meltingly cute. There’s just something about a group of pudgy gnomes in oversized hats hanging out with a plump little turkey that instantly makes me smile. It’s the kind of whimsical holiday knitting project that brings a little extra joy to your seasonal decorating.

The Thanksgiving knitting set includes three characters—two gnomes and their feathered turkey friend—all cleverly designed so that their faces are mostly hidden under their tall, floppy hats. This design choice not only keeps them looking quirky and charming, but it also makes the knitting a little simpler since you don’t need to fuss with facial details. The bodies and accessories are worked up in worsted weight yarn, which means the pieces come together fairly quickly, even with all the little extras that make the pattern so special.

And yes, Cheryl even thought of the finishing touch—a miniature knitted cornucopia! You can tuck it into the scene to give the gnomes something festive to carry, or place it beside your turkey for a perfect Thanksgiving centerpiece idea.

These little characters would look right at home on your holiday table, tucked into a seasonal mantel display, or even attached to a wreath to welcome guests at the front door. They’re also just the right size for gift-giving to that friend or family member who loves whimsical holiday décor.

If you’re looking for a fun Thanksgiving knitting project that’s equal parts quick, quirky, and festive, this pattern is definitely worth adding to your holiday lineup. You can find the full pattern available on Ravelry.

You can get the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Cheryl Andrews.]

As we get into the part of the year with a lot of food-forward holidays, it might be time to start thinking about knitting some new things for your table. While a few of these are more fall/Thanksgiving focused, just changing up the colors would make others work for Christmas, or keep it neutral and use them all year long.

What got me started thinking about this was the lovely and simple Fresh Bread Dishtowel, a free pattern from Purl Soho. Worked in a lovely cotton and linen blend, the towel is mostly stockinette stitch with a bit of texture on the borders.

You could use this same kind of pattern to make anything from placemats to a table runner, but let’s look at some specific patterns for those kinds of projects as well.

The easy moss stitch table runner from Glass Bird Knits is beginner friendly can can easily be modified to fit your table (or, again, to make placemats instead of or in addition to a runner). This version is worked in macrame cord, but you could also use bulky yarn.

Emielle Design has a garter stitch runner pattern that’s made with braided cotton cord for a lot of texture without a lot of work. But be sure to take a lot of breaks when knitting with cord because it can be rough on your hands!

I also love the diamond pattern on the Hamilton Table Runner from Wyndlestraw Designs. It calls for a DK weight cotton and linen blend yarn and comes in three sizes with different widths and lengths. The pattern has both written and charted instructions.

Amy Marie’s Table Pumpkins (on Ravelry) is a fun mosaic knitting pattern that would be great to use as a table runner through the fall and for Thanksgiving. It uses a worsted weight cotton yarn in two colors, and you can make it as long as you like for your table.

The no cable knit placemats from Yarn Culture Studio have a fun faux cable look that would be great for the table through the fall and winter.

Or here’s another pattern from Wyndlestraw Designs, this time for an easy knit and purl stitch placemat pattern that looks different but still good on both sides. It calls for worsted weight cotton and comes in two sizes for placemats, but also has instructions for coasters, a hot pad and a table pad all using the same stitch.

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