Video link Kit Festive Christmas Tomte/Gnome Tree Decorations
Video link Kit Festive Christmas Tomte/Gnome Tree Decorations
A mix of Scandi simplicity, natural materials and handcrafted individuality which has a subtle sophistication all of its own makes these little fellas more than appealing. They’ll bring some hygge whilst you make them and then display them in your home.
This makes for a lovely family/friends group activity!
The kit provides sufficient materials for two tree decoration. Choose between red, dark red or grey hats and silver - palest grey, mid or dark grey beards. It includes equipment for one maker.
You will need to gather the following from your kitchen:
* teacup
* metal skewer
*kitchen sponge scourer approx 6.5x9cm - not necessary if you have a needle felting pad
*piece of bubble wrap, say A4 size (I can supply this but some is bound to pop through your door)
*a piece of sponge - I use half a kitchen scourer
In the video Heather will take you step by step through a combination of simple needle and wet felting techniques. How tall your finished Tomte is depends very much on the length of hat you create but a reasonable estimate is between 15 and 20cm tall.
Your Tomte’s hats will be made using a combination of Perendale wool batt and merino wool pre-felt. Their beards are made from Gotland locks sheared from a small flock who live in Essex. Extra materials will be available to purchase at the end of the class.
The Tomte story: This engaging little character comes from Scandinavian folklore, which has it that the gnomes (known as Tomte or Nisse) live under the floor boards in houses and farm buildings and are protective and helpful to both humans and animals. Despite this caring side to their nature, the Tomte are also prone to take offence easily, in which case they would play tricks and pranks and generally get up to all kind of mischief. Leaving little gifts for the gnomes was traditional, particularly on Christmas eve, and many Scandinavians still put out a bowl of hot porridge on the doorstep for the gnomes to enjoy, to curb their mischievous spirit in the year to come!
