Instead Of Tossing Laundry Detergent Lids, Use Them To Craft The Cutest Gnome Decor

If the constant cycle of doing laundry has left you with a pile of old laundry detergent bottles, why not use them to add some whimsy to your home? You can repurpose the laundry detergent bottles into floral decor, but save the lids for this cute craft from YouTuber Evrim Taşer Yılmaz. She used the lids from old laundry detergent bottles to make boots for the most adorable gnome decor. In addition to the lids, you'll need cardboard sheets and tubes, fabric, cotton stuffing, and a bottle or box. For your tools, gather scissors, tape, and hot glue. If your tubes are made from thicker cardboard you may also want a saw, and you can sew the fabric if you like. Optional decor items such as bows, ribbons, or buttons may also be nice to have on hand.

The laundry detergent lids and tubes form the legs and feet of your gnome, while the bottle or box sits on top to become the gnome's torso. The cardboard sheets give it extra stability, while the stuffing rounds out the harsh edges and can be used to make arms and a beard. When picking your fabric, there are a few things to keep in mind. Using different, but complementary, fabric colors or patterns for the different parts of the gnome will make it look like it's wearing a full outfit. Additionally, you can use imitation fur or a textured fabric for the gnome's beard if you'd rather not use the stuffing.

Trim any excess material on the bottom of the detergent lid so that it sits flat. Cut your tubes to the length you want your gnome's legs to be, ensuring that both are the same size. For each leg and the torso, you'll need a rectangle of fabric that is large enough to wrap fully around it, with a bit of extra fabric sticking up over the top. With the prep-work done, it's time to start putting it all together. Start by attaching one laundry detergent lid to the side of each tube, with the bottom edges even. Glue each tube and lid together to a piece of cardboard, then cut around them so your gnome's shoe has a cardboard sole. You can also trace the shape and cut it out first, then glue it on if you'd rather.

Take the fabric that will become the gnome's pants and fold each one in half to form a tube, gluing it in place. You can reinforce the seam with an extra strip of fabric, then flip it inside out before slipping it over the tubes. Fold the excess at the top into the tube, gluing it down. You can glue some cotton stuffing to the detergent lids to soften their shape a bit before wrapping them in fabric. Add a piece of cardboard to the top of the tubes, connecting them and giving the gnome's torso a stable base. Glue your torso to it, then wrap it in fabric. Add your fabric or cotton beard to finish the gnome.

Evrim Taşer Yılmaz gave her gnome arms made of small tubes of fabric ending in mitten-shaped hands, which she stuffed with cotton stuffing to add dimension before attaching one to each side of the gnome. You could also leave your gnome armless or give it arms made of sticks or cardboard. Straw or yarn can be added to the top of your gnome's head to give it hair, and you can add facial features like a classic round nose or eyes. For the hat, you could fold a piece of paper into a cone or glue two triangles of fabric together, leaving the bottom open to fit over the top of your gnome.

There are endless ways to decorate your gnome. Glue buttons to the front of the gnome's shirt, add ribbon or imitation fur to the bottom edge of its hat, or give it a classy bow tie. You could even add small jingle bells to the tops of its laundry detergent cap shoes. For a more classic, nature-inspired gnome, grab some artificial flowers or moss, or even pine cones and tree bark. You could even use real flowers, especially if you know how to care for dried flowers. If you still have some laundry detergent caps left over, you could try turning one into a small top hat for your gnome, or flipping it over and making a basket for it to carry. You can even turn the detergent bottles into smaller gnomes to match the one you just made.