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12 Easy Craft Ideas for Making Gonks!

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Explore the different ways to create charming DIY gonks using everyday materials. This fun and accessible craft is perfect for any craft workshop and can be adapted for any season - we made Christmas gonks, Halloween Gonks and even an Easter/Spring coloured gonk.

easy craft idea for making gonks from pom poms

1. Fancy making gonks like ours?

We provided all the craft supplies from our surplus donations, but here's what you will need:

Yarn.
Felt, to make a hat. You might use thick paper if you don’t have any felt.
A wooden button, bead or counter for the nose, and extra if you’re making some dangly legs.
Glue.
Scissors.
A pom pom maker, or a U-shaped piece of stiff cardboard.

If you don’t have a pom pom maker, don’t worry. A U-shaped piece of cardboard will work instead. The wider the ‘U’, the bigger your pom-pom will be.

How to Make a Pom Pom Gonk

Simply wind the yarn around the two U-shaped ‘horns’ over and over until you’ve got a thick layer of yarn.
Cut a long piece of yarn and tie it around the middle, so the yarn looks like a bow-tie.
Tie a strong knot - if you want to make a hanging gonk, don’t trim this, keep it nice and long.
Cut through the loops of yarn along the edges of the cardboard template. Roll the pom-pom in your hands to fluff it up, then trim any uneven bits to make it nice and round.
Now we can begin decorating the pom pom. Choose different colours for the pom and the hat to make your gonk stand out.
We cut out a cone hat template for our workshop. Cut your felt or paper to match the template, then glue the short sides together to create the cone shape.
If you’re making a hanging gonk, try to leave a little hole to feed the long yarn strands through.
Once the first glue is dry, feed the yarn strands through the tip of the hat and tie them together to make a loop.
Now glue around the inside edge of the hat and press it down gently on to the pom pom.
While the hat is drying, you can cut a heart shape out of felt or card to make feet for a sitting gonk, or tie beads on to the end of two strands of yarn to make dangly legs.
Tie these strands to the bottom of the pom, as close to the centre as you can so that the knot is less visible.
And don’t forget that little button nose! Glue it so it rests on the edge of the hat.

What's the Best Yarn to Use for Pom Poms?

DK or Aran weight yarns are the best for a full, fluffy pom pom. Yes, gonks are traditionally made to resemble a bearded gnome character, so white or grey pom poms that imitate a beard are the most popular colours - but you can let your heart choose the colours, there’s no wrong answer.

a gonk with a blue hat and expressive eyes

Pom Poms - the Gateway to Gonk Making

Once you've got the hang of making pom poms, you'll always have something to do with those yarn scraps. Our gonks with multi-coloured beards came out looking amazing!

handmade gonk with a green felt hat sits on the table

What Other Eco & Crafty Ways Are There to Make Gonks?

2. Gonks from a Sock

Got an odd sock? You can turn a sock into a gonk in no time!

One sock (for the body)
Rice, lentils, or stuffing (to fill the body)
A wooden bead or pom-pom (for the nose)
Faux fur or yarn (for the beard)
Felt or fabric (for the hat)

Simply fill the sock with rice or lentils for weight, tie off the top, glue on a fluffy beard, add a nose, and top it off with a DIY felt hat. Done!

3. Gonks from Fabric Scraps

Got leftover fabric bits? Perfect!

Felt or cotton fabric (for the body and hat)
Stuffing or batting (to shape the body)
Wooden bead, button, or felt ball (for the nose)
Faux fur or wool (for the beard)

You can sew or glue the body and hat together, then attach the beard and nose. This is fab if you like to sew, but glue works just as well if you fancy a no-sew version.

4. Gonks Using Pine Cones

For a more rustic, natural look, pine cones make amazing gonk bodies.

Pine cone (for the body)
Faux fur or moss (for the beard)
Wooden bead or acorn (for the nose)
Felt or fabric (for the hat)

Glue a bit of faux fur onto the front of the pine cone for the beard, stick a wooden bead or acorn nose just above, and create a small felt hat to pop on top. It’s a super cute natural decoration!

5. Gonks from Wooden Blocks or Spools

Wooden blocks or thread spools can be used as sturdy bases for gonks.

Wooden block or thread spool (for the body)
Wool or fur (for the beard)
Small wooden ball or button (for the nose)
Felt (for the hat)

Wrap your wooden block or spool in fabric or paint it, glue on a fluffy beard, and attach your nose and hat. They make sturdy little figures for shelves or mantels.

6. Gonks from Tin Cans & Jars

Repurpose old tin cans or jars – a fab eco-friendly option!

Tin can or jar (for the body)
Felt or fabric (to cover the body)
Faux fur or yarn (for the beard)
Button or wooden ball (for the nose)
Felt (for the hat)

Wrap your can or jar with fabric or felt to give it colour, stick on the beard and nose, and create a hat to fit snug on top. They make excellent upcycled decorations!

7. Gonks out of Clay

For a sculpting project, you can make your entire gonk out of clay!

Clay or air-dry clay (for the body and hat)
Faux fur or wool (for the beard)
Wooden bead or clay ball (for the nose)

Mould the body, shape a hat, and attach it to your gonk before the clay dries. After it dries, you can paint the gonk and add a beard and nose.

8. Gonks out of Gloves

If your gloves are wearing a bit thin, then this is great up-cycling project!

An old glove or mitten (for the body)
Stuffing (for filling)
Wool or faux fur (for the beard)
Wooden bead or button (for the nose)
Felt or fabric (for the hat)

Fill the glove or mitten with stuffing to give it shape, tie off the top, add your beard and nose, and craft a little hat. These make unique gonks that have a cosy look.