Gnome 3D Figure Box

Winter woodland gnome has a cone profile, 

composed of base, inner tube and hull, 

with hat cone that fits snugly over top, face 

(with nose as .25” wooden mushroom button accent, 

or stacked card stock circles) 

and beard shapes that wrap around hull. 

Accents on hat include fur panels, with stripes 

that are added as an overlay that is trimmed 

even with hat panel edges; 

add a .5” wooden ball in place of paper tassel. 

(Paper tassel shown on version below.)

Pine tree outline overlay accents bottom of hull. 

Measures approx. 6.125” tall x 2.75” deep 

x 3” wide at base.

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A hex built-up base (6)
B contour base   
NOT SHOWN: base "fur" trim overlay (6)
C interior tube
D top body cone  E tree silhouette overlay (2)
F hat cone   G paper tassel scallop circle (2)
H hat stripe overlay panel (6)
I hat bottom edge "fur" trim
J face with eyes, beard, mouth contrast
K nose circles for build up (8)

2. Layer and glue together the base hexagons,

taking care to match up the edges as precisely

as possible.

NOTE when layering for build up, (here and 
for nose as shown next), it will be
helpful to press the assembled flat shape under
a heavy flat object such as this re-purposed,
fabric-covered weight machine bar, until glue
has dried completely. This may take a few hours,
but will help avoid warping and curling.

3. If including the card stock built-up circle nose

in your design, stack and glue together the circles,

taking care to match edges. Press under weight

while drying.

4. Prepare the contour base shape by bending

back on all perf lines for bottom hex, side panels,

upper angle panels, bottom and end tabs.

At top, bend the flange tabs forward.

5. Form the attached boxing strip into a ring

to bring the side straight edge to overlap

the opposite tab to perf line, adjust and glue

the short side seam.

6. Bend bottom tabs inward,

then bottom hex panel down into position

to align straight edges at bottom angles, adjust,

and glue tabs in place to bottom hex.

7. Prepare the interior tube shape by bending

back on all perforation lines.

8. Form the upper portion into a tube to align
and join the side seam.
9. Bend the bottom tabs inward, then position
and attach the bottom hex panel as for
the contour base shown in step 6.

10. Position the contour base on top of

the hexagon built-up base stack, centered

within all edges, and glue together.

11. Apply adhesive to the bottom, then insert interior tube 

into base assembly and make sure it is centered

on the base bottom hex. Apply pressure to attach.

12. Bend each contour upper section inward
and glue upper flange to the interior tube wall.
NOTE: getting the angled wall to match up
at the "mitered" edges is important, so test
this to see how the adjacent sections will align
to determine positioning - up or down slightly -
of the flanges onto the tube.

13. Position and attach a base fur trim overlay shape
onto each face of the contour base.

14. Prepare the upper body cone by bending back

on all side walls, wedge tab, and bottom walls.

Take especial care at the narrow ends of angled

perforation ends to crease to the end of "seam".

15. Bend two adjacent triangle panels together

to overlap the straight edge across the corresponding

flange tab to perf line, and glue seam.

Repeat for remaining 4 seams across the panel.

16. Repeat this process along the bottom of the shape

to join the seams at the short wedge tab seams.

17. Form the panel into a cone to align the straight
edge over the opposite long flange tab, adjust
then glue the top portion of the side seam.

NOTE: it will be helpful while gluing this long seam

to insert a press-against tool such as this pencil

to place behind the seam and apply pressure.

18. Bend the top tabs inward, then bend
the top hex down into position and glue in place.

19. Prepare the hat cone by bending back along

the long radiating perf lines and side flange tab.

At top, bend the tabs back, and the two rounded

long tabs forward.

NOTE that the cross-perforation lines on each

wedge panel are GUIDE MARKS and not
perforation lines that should be bent.

20. Attach the first striping overlay, centered

over one wedge panel, with bottom edge

aligned at the guide mark dash lines.

21. When shape is secure in place,

use scissors to carefully trim away excess

overlay sides exactly along the edges of

the wedge panel. This is most easily done

by bending back the adjacent portion of the hat.

22. Position the second stripe overlay in the same

manner on the adjacent wedge panel . . . 

. . . aligning at the guide mark and gluing in place.

While glue is still adjustable, it may prove helpful

to view from the side to see how the stripes

align with the previously-placed stripes, and

nudge slightly as necessary. Then . . . 

. . . trim excess as before.

This image shows the first two stripe arrays
on two wedge sections.
23. Complete the remaining stripe panel attachments.

24. Form the hat into a cone to bring straight

edge to overlap the opposite flange, adjust

and glue together. Use a tool as needed

behind the seam.

25. At top, bend the tiny wedge tabs inward
to perpendicular, bend the rounded tabs inward
to attach back to back the upper portion, as well as 
to wedge tabs. To assist with this glue up . . . 

. . . insert the flat end of 
an un- sharpened pencil inside the hat cone
to press against behind the top.

26. Prepare the paper tassel shapes by bending

forward at the lower near-edge perf lines.

(If you choose to use painted wooden ball

in place of paper shapes, that information is

found at the end of the tutorial, step 39.)

27. Position first tassel, centered, over top tab

extension, with bottom bent section seated at 

tab base, and glue together all touching surfaces.

28. Position and attach second tassel back-to-back

with first in same fashion.

29. Position and attach a fur trim overlay at

bottom of each wedge panel, 

with bottom edges even.

30. Prepare the face panel by bending back

on the pair of perforation lines.

(Also highlight and add cheek rouge as desired.)

31. Position the face over the front panel of
body cone, with nose circle openings matched,
and perforation lines aligned, and glue in place.

32. Slide the hat cone over the top of the body hull

and push downward into position until it rests

at the top of the face shape, and glue in place.

33. Prepare the beard shape by bending

at side perforation lines as shown.

Position the contrast mouth behind the smile opening,

and glue in place.

34. Position the beard shape below the hat

(with some overlap of face lower edge), with

perforation creases matched to hull angles,

and glue in place.

35. Prepare the tree overlays by bending back

slightly at the tiny perf cuts near horizontal center

and between each tree.

36. Position the first section, centered at lower

angle of front panel, with perf bends at the

upper hull angle, and glue in place, bending

the tree trunks downward to touch hull.

Repeat for the second tree overlay at hull back.

37. If using the nose stack shape, position

and attach it to cover the nose circle opening.

If using the wooden button, insert it into the circle
opening, and glue in place.
NOTE: these wood mushroom buttons are
available a craft stores such as Hobby Lobby
(part of the packaged Woodpile shapes line.)

38. To close the "box", insert the base/interior tube assembly

into the hull cone assembly (this is a snug fit), and . . .

. . . push down until cone until it rests on top
of the upper flange of the contour base.
Here is the completed gnome with wood nose.

39. When using the painted wooden ball tassel,

. . . trim off the rounded tabs at perf line, then

push slightly inward to form a depression

where the painted ball will sit.

Apply adhesive to the depression, then place
the painted and finished bead on top of hat cone
and hold in place until secured.

Here is the gnome with wooden bead tassel.