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Sock Gnomes
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Gnome DIY Crafts, Ideas and Instructions
This page covers your basic sock gnome using a glue gun not a sewing machine !!! There are lots of instructions, ideas and tips for both beginners and those who have made them before. I've seen several people post on social media groups that they want to make one but are afraid to try ??? Everything I use is either stuff I have around the house or fairly inexpensive. So what's the worse that can happen ? You deny your sock eating clothes dryer lunch ? Gnomes and making gnomes is FUN. Even if your gnome turns out to be totally laughable (yep I've made those !) Isn't a good laugh worth some rice. stuffing and a sock ?
Quick Links For This Page
Basics - Noses - Beards - Hats - Eyes - Arms and Hands - Coats - Boots, Shoes and Feet - Attaching The Boots - Legs - Themed Sock Gnomes - Dollar Tree Finds
The Basics
Please read through ALL the instructions BEFORE starting your gnome
From here you could keep him simple and call him done OR ...
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You could bend and glue his hat down and call him done ...OR
You could add some embellishments and call him done ...OR
You could add some shoes (See below for instructions) and call him done ...OR
You Will Need:
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1 CREW Sock
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Rice
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Polyfill (Stuffing)
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A piece of cardboard 4" wide
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Yarn
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Small Ball (Wooden, Ping Pong etc Something to use for a nose)
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1 Felt Square
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Rubber Band
You could add some paint to his nose and a larger pom pom and I'm calling him DONE.
You can add to, adjust or exchange ALL the elements. You may want to scroll down through out this page BEFORE you start your gnome and figure out which nose you want, which beard, arms vs no arms, sitting vs standing etc. Some steps need to be done before others depending on what you are adding. Example: If your adding arms they need to be attached BEFORE the hat
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You Will Need:
-
1 CREW Sock
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Rice
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Polyfill (Stuffing)
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Dollar Tree Mop
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Small Ball (Ping Pong etc Something to use for a nose)
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String,Twine
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Rubber Bands
No Sew Sock Gnome
Mop Beard Sock Hat
All the items can be found at Dollar Tree.
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No Sew
Female Sock Gnome
Although any kind of sock will work, a sock that has a tighter knit and is less stretchy will hold the shape better
The Tutorial for the Basic No Sew Gnome has CHANGED
I am NO longer recommending to fill socks with ALL RICE.
I have found that over time certain socks will stretch from the weight of the rice causing more rice to settle at the bottom. The gnome then has a triangular shape rather then a more cylinder shape. i.e. They end up with a really big butt. Although this does not hold true for all socks, I would rather use a small amount of rice in the bottom then fill with Polyfill (stuffing) and know my gnome will hold it's shape over time.
Boots attach more securely to a sock that is filled tightly with little stretch in it.
Although it's hard to see from this pic.
Baby Got Back !!!!
No Sew Sock Gnome
Yarn Beard and Pointy Felt Hat
The gnomes in this section are your Basic Starting Points. These are the EASIEST and most INEXPENSIVE. Supplies needed are things you probably already have around the house or can be picked up at Dollar Tree or Walmart at a reasonable price
The yarn beard is easier, then the mop beard below, you don't have to glue the strands on individually. And I think more people will already have yarn around their house. I also wanted to show a quick easy way to make a felt pointy hat. I did use a wooden ball for the nose which is probably the most expensive thing about him ONLY because you can't just buy 1. You can substitute any small ball, a ping pong ball, a marble, a POM POM. etc
How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through.There are more pics then what are seen. Click on First Pic to start.
How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through.There are more pics then what are seen. Click on First Pic to start.
How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through.There are more pics then what are seen. Click on First Pic to start.
​The Dog Gnomes are NOT in trouble for tearing up the pillow. (They did not remove the tag) Polyfil/Stuffing costs $5-$6 for a small bag, you can get pillows at Walmart for around $3.50. AND you get more !!!!!!!!!
Noses
This method lets you determine the size of nose you'd like
MAKE THE NOSE FROM THE SOCK
One way to add a nose to your gnome is to make it from the filled sock you are using, Shape the nose from the sock where you'd like it and simply tie it off with a string. When using a white sock these can be painted to whatever color you'd like.
Cold Nose Gnome
Use some makeup blush on his nose so he appears to be cold
White Gnome
Leave the nose white for a monochromatic look
PLASTIC NOSES
Small Balls make great noses. Dollar Tree's ping pong balls, or their seasonal accents can be painted any color you'd like.
* These are the noses used in the 2nd tutorial
You can poke a hole in the ball and place it on a dowel to make it easier to paint. Place the dowel in a cup or piece of styrofoam to dry. When they are dry remove the dowel. Make sure you place the hole so it doesn't show when you glue it to your gnome.
WOODEN NOSES
Wooden Balls can be purchased at a Craft Store or Amazon.
Cheaper on Amazon.
Some of the wooden balls have a flat bottom. Although either will work I prefer these because it provides more contact with the base of your gnome when glued
Freckled Face Gnome
Use a marker to add some freckles
These you get more BUT the smaller ones are small. They work well for eyes and hands or really little gnomes
These are 1". This is the size I like the most for noses
Amazon Paid Link
Amazon Paid Link
PANTYHOSE NOSES
A small piece of Pantyhose/Nylon can make a cute nose. Yea you can still find these. (I don't think anyone wears these anymore, Old school you would NEVER wear a dress without them.) Dollar Tree carries them. These are a great and inexpensive, when you want a larger nose or a flatter nose. There is some BASIC EASY "sewing" involved here. Well it involves a needle and thread but not sure a seamstress would even consider this sewing.
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For this one I made 2. One for the nose and a 2nd larger one I used for the head cause I wanted part of the face to show.
How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through. Click on First Pic to start.
Beards
Dollar Tree Mops make easy inexpensive beards
* This is the beard used in the 2nd tutorial
MOP BEARDS
Mop strands can be dyed to whatever color you would want. Dilute acryllic paint with some water and just dipped them all in, lay them out and let them dry.
FUR BEARDS
When cutting fur you only want to cut the fabric backing NOT the fur. Use an exacto knife or seam ripper and CUT FROM THE BACK ... NEVER USE SCISSORS. Scissors will cut through the fur too, giving you a blunt edge which defeats the purpose of the fur
Notch out a spot for the nose so when you glue it on, the nose will still have contact with the sock. A nose glued right to the beard will not be as secure.
You can buy fur in a rainbow of colors including Rainbow
OR You can dye white fur any color you want.
Glue the nose on first to insure it's secure and bring the beard up and around it
When using fur make sure the fur hangs DOWN your gnome's face. Yep I've seen gnomes made where they attached the fur sideways. They kind of look like a gnome in a hurricane, although it definitely made me smile probably not the look you are going for
Cutting Fur
Fur is fun for animals too.
Kitchen cutting sheets are available at Dollar Tree 2 for $1.00 and are great to cut your fur on ... Yep husband is pretty tolerable of the craft things EVERYWHERE but draws a line at fur on our kitchen cutting board
Save the part you notched out for smaller projects ... Ornaments ... Magnets
This one you get 4 10"x 10" fabric squares, you'll be able to get several gnomes from each square
I found this on Amazon you get 20 pcs of Faux Fur PLUS 40 pcs of the wooden balls for $16. Lions Gnome was made from these. There are a couple of different options for the colors of the fur. The fur is nice and long. Depending on the size of your gnomes you will get SEVERAL out of every sheet. Several of the wooden balls are small but I like them for eyes and hands. It's a good way to try work with fur if you haven't tried it yet. Hobby Lobby's Faux Fur Sheets are $3 EACH x20, this is a pretty good deal.
Amazon Paid Link
Amazon Paid Link
Lions Gnome was made with this fur. Although he is not a sock gnome. He was made from a RX bottle. See Gnome Page for tutorial
When buying fur online it looks really bad when you unpack it. A hair dryer and a comb/brush will straightened it out.
CAUTION : Fur is sensitive to heat so keep moving the dryer so you DO NOT OVERHEAT it !!!!!
The length of your beard plays a big part in your Sock Gnomes appearance. The shorter beard gives the appearance of him having a body. A longer beard on the Sock Gnome appears to be just a head.
Both of these gnomes were made exactly the same way. The difference is the length of the beard and the one on the right has a slightly bigger nose.
A Loofa can make a cute beard
Hats
* If you are going to add arms to your gnome (Instructions Below) you need to attach them BEFORE you glue your hat on.
SOCK HATS
Socks are an easy way to make a hat for your gnome.
* These are the hats used in the 2nd tutorial
Use the toe part of a plain ole colored sock. You could glue a flower, a ribbon, buttons etc to embellish it.
A patterned sock can make a cute gnome
Or you could use the calf part of the sock and simply tie off the top. Or tie it off and cut slices to make it look like a pom pom like the first tutorial.
Dollar Tree offers a constantly changing variety of socks. Make sure you look not only in the sock row, but also in the holiday section and the front of the store
MICROSOFT FIBER CLOTH HATS
I found these in the auto section of Dollar Tree. Super soft and so easy to work with.
2 Steps
Fold the corner into a triangle whatever width and size you'd like and glue. Use the factory seam as your seam.
Fold a little of the fabric inside the opening to make a hem. So it doesn't fray and glue.
POINTY HATS/ STOCKING HATS
These are probably the most common. I usually just use a piece of material and roll it into a cone shape and glue it. Then stuff it with a little polyfil so it will hold it's shape.
Add a pipe cleaner to the inside of your hat so you can bend it into the shape you like. I often use 2 twisted together so it holds better.
STIFFENING FABRIC
Stiffening the fabric is another way to give you a different look for your hat. It lets you strategically put in the wrinkles where you want them. This is great for getting that Harry Potter Sorting Hat type look. Although great for all materials I especially like it for felt. Felt is very easy to work with, it doesn't unravel, you don't need to make a seam and it's inexpensive. However felt has a tendency to look like a kids craft. Stiffening the felt gives it a more finished look.
Fold the bottom of your hat to make a pocket like brim and you can add ears
You will need Mod Podge or a clear glue, water, styrofoam cone or pool noodle and some straight pins. Dilute Mod Podge with water. I don't have an exact recipe, however the more Mod Podge you use the stiffer the fabric will be. So it depends on your fabric, (heavier fabric will need more mod podge) and the look you want.
Dip your hat into the solution and squeeze out the excess. Yep this is messy, make sure you cover your work surface with plastic, foil etc. A cookie sheet with edges covered in something works well because the mixture will pool as it dries.
Place your fabric onto to styrofoam or a pool noodle and use your straight pins to to pin it into the shape you want. Add wrinkles or twist the end.
As it dries this is going to pool at the bottom, keep turning the hat so the mixture doesn't build up in one spot. I usually remove a pin or two after a few hours to check that it is keeping its shape and to make sure its not sticking to the pool noodle. If it's not add more mixture.
When it appears to be holding its shape remove pins and let dry thoroughly.
POOL NOODLE TOP HAT
Holly Hat Gnome
Cut out felt holly leaves and use them as the brim.
Modify this technique to get other looks
S'More Gnome
Add a square brim and dripping chocolate
MUSHROOM TOP HAT
Cut out 2 fabric circles. Right/Patterned sides together glue the edges together 3/4 of the way around, leaving a section so you can flip it right side out. Stuff with some polyfil and close it off with glue
TWISTED RUFFLE HAT
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Twisted Ruffle Hat can also be made from the Faux Leather from the Dollar Tree purses. For these I over lapped the leather when I made the cone part, The leather isn't going to twist as much so it's harder to hide that seam.
This gnome is a Faux Fur Pom Pom Gnome shown on our Main Gnome Page not a Sock Gnome I just wanted to show you the hat.
How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through.There are more pics then what are seen. Click on First Pic to start.
Eyes
To Eye or Not To Eye
There are some who claim "Gnomes" don't have eyes. Honestly I don't know. I am embarrassed to admit this given this website, BUT I've never actually seen a REAL gnome. I do know that for some "Gnomes" I like the eyes for others I don't. I think it's a personal choice, if YOU like your "gnome" with eyes, add them, if not then don't. If you decide your gnome needs eyes here are some choices.
WOODEN EYES
Small wooden balls painted black are probably the most common eyes.
Add a gleam to them to give him more character. I glue the plain black eyes on to the gnome first and then use the back end of a paint brush to make a dot for the gleam. It's easier then trying to get the eye glue on in the right position. Generally for a gnome facing forward the gleams go at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock.
Or you can paint the whole ball white and add a black circle over it once it dries and then add the gleam. Again I paint the white, glue it to the gnome and then add the black and gleam.
They seem to pop more on a white beard. The ones on the brown are a lot more subtle.
These are the ones I showed you in the nose section. The smaller ones work great for eyes.
Amazon Paid Link
Glasses
Glasses are a fun way to give your gnome personality.
Amazon Paid Link
These are the same glasses. Yes Amazon sells doll sunglasses but I didn't need a lot AND I already had these. So I painted the INSIDE of them with blue paint and Mod Podge mixed together. I painted the inside because my steady hands aren't so steady so if I got paint on the frame, it wouldn't show.
These are the same glasses and the gnomes are pretty much the same size. The difference is in the placement of the glasses
Arms and Hands
Arms need to be attached BEFORE you glue on the Hat
DOLLAR TREE HAIR ROLLER ARMS
The hair rollers you can get at Dollar Tree are probably the easiest way to add arms to your gnome. They come in various lengths and widths
These Tutorials only cover the arms, You need to have the body, nose and beard already done. DO NOT ATTACH THE HAT UNTIL YOU ADD THE ARMS.
This tutorial is an older tutorial on Arms Made From DT Rollers, not as many pics, but it has a printable PDF File, so I am leaving it here
Hair Roller Arm 1
Cut one end of the curler off to the length you want the arm. Glue a square piece of material (I use a sock) to form the hand,
Hair Roller Arm 2
Cut your "arm" fabric long enough and wide enough to wrap around the curler, leaving the hand showing out on the end.
Hair Roller Arm 3
Roll and glue the fabric to the hair roller
Hair Roller Arm 4
Make sure you glue the fabric to the roller on the open end. This will help give the arm more sturdiness when you glue it to the body.
Hair Roller Arm 5
Glue the arms to the back of the gnome behind the knot of the sock, (Hat will cover this)
Hair Roller 6
Front View
Hair Roller Arm 7
Add your hat. Make sure you glue the back so it covers the where the arms are attached
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How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through. There are more pics then what you can see here. Click on First Pic to start.
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How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through. Click on First Pic to start.
BASIC/RUSTIC HAND and ARM
How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through.There are more pics then what are seen. Click on First Pic to start.
Can't find the hair rollers ? You can use material, polyfill and wire.
These have more of a unfinished rustic look.
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Coats
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You can also add some fur around the cuff
A rectangular piece of felt or material can easily be turned into a coat. Simple easy and takes your gnome to the next level.
How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through.There are more pics then what are seen. Click on First Pic to start.
Boots, Shoes and Feet
One of the easiest ways to add shoes is a wooden ball or 1/2 wooden balls. I glued it to a craftstick/popsicle stick and glue the stick to the bottom of the gnome. Leave them natural or paint them.
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These are available at most DT's.
You get 6 for $1
BOOTS FROM DOLLAR TREE BABY SHOWER BOOTIES
Add fur to your boots
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CAN'T FIND DOLLAR TREE BABY SHOWER BOOTIES
MAKE YOUR OWN !!!
Card Stock or Poster Board and a Printer and you can make your own. Each shoe is only 3 pieces.
These work out well for the Sock Gnomes you are gluing the boots directly to the socks. (See Below) They are a little bigger at the opening, not much but enough where you can get a larger piece of styrofoam in them. More styrofoam means more contact, more contact means more stability
The Instructions cover how to put them together so it's the same for both. Make sure you download both the pattern AND the Instructions
Dollar Tree Faux Leather Purses work well for covering your boots. Inexpensive and cute. I even cut apart the grommets and used them as buttons
How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through.There are more pics then what are seen. Click on First Pic to start.
How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through.There are more pics then what are seen. Click on First Pic to start.
FEET
This mold is available at Amazon. The big ones are 2" the small ones are approx 1 1/2". You can fill them with clay and wait for clay to dry OR ....
Simply fill them with your hot glue gun.
Paint them with acrylic paint and use some Mod Podge to seal it. I like to sprinkled some dirt on to the Mod Podge. Yea my gnomes have Dirty Feet
OR
Some of them wash them up nice and clean.
His hat is a Microfiber Screen Cleaner I found at Dollar Tree
Amazon Paid Link
Love these
Small Tennis Shoes
Not sure why they market them as bird shoes ????
I filled the shoes with styrofoam so it was level with the top of the shoe and glued them right to the sock. Like you do with the boots you attach right to the body. (See Below)
SHOES
Amazon Paid Link
MAKE YOUR OWN TENNIS SHOES
These are both cute and easy. There is both a Printable PDF Pattern for those who don't have a Cricut and a SVG File for those who do.
The Instructions cover how to put them together so it's the same for both.
(Cricut users if you need help to import the file into Design Space See Our Bear Budget Cuts -Vinyl Cuts Page for Help)
We used Craft Foam for these and No Grommets
We used faux leather for these and made cute work shoes
Whether you use the SVG file for Cricut OR the PDF File Printable Pattern, You need the instruction file too.
Attaching The Boots
To attach boots/shoes right to the body of the SITTING GNOME glue a piece of Styrofoam into your boot. Make sure the styrofoam and the the top part of the boot are the same height. This is going to give the boot more contact to the body of your gnome. Add glue around the top edge of the boot itself and on the piece of styrofoam.
Glue boots to the front of the body for Sitting Gnomes
I attach the boots with the gnome sitting on a table, so the gnome will sit properly after they are attached. Be careful not to glue him to the table. Yeo, I've done that :D
Glue boots to the bottom of the body for Standing Gnomes
*Boots attach more securely to a sock that is filled tightly with little stretch in it !!!
This is especially important when attaching boots for a standing gnome. You are only securing the boot to the outside of the sock. If the stuff inside can move around, it will change the shape of your gnome, so he may be unstable and fall over. So you want that sock to be as solid/stiff as possible.
Attaching the boots to the bottom does take a little more finesse so he will actually stand. I usually stand my gnome on top of the boots BEFORE I add the glue. Once I get him positioned so he stands I remove the gnome and add the glue to one boot. Place the gnome back down securing that boot but still sitting on the other to make sure he still stands. After that one has set, I lift the gnome with the attached boot and add glue to the other. Set the gnome back down and secure that one so he still stands. With the polyfil and the rice there is still some play in the body of the gnome where you can get him to be balanced, I just find it easier to get him as balanced as possible before he is all glued together.
*Boots attach more securely to a sock that is filled tightly with little stretch in it
To add boots to a SOCK GNOME. Glue a piece of Styrofoam into your boot. Make sure the styrofoam and the the top part of the boot are the same height. This is going to give the boot more contact to the body of your gnome. The styrofoam needs to be to the top but it does not need to be packed from side to side. Leave some width to ADD MORE RICE OR SOMETHING FOR WEIGHT (ball bearings, washers) into the boot around the styrofoam. The MORE WEIGHT you can add the better the gnome will stand. Add glue around the top edge of the boot itself and on the piece of styrofoam covering the entire top of the boot a.) so rice or weights don't move b.) to add more weight. I have even shot glue into the boot for extra weight. Gnomes are going to be top heavy THE MORE WEIGHT YOU CAN ADD TO THE SHOES THE BETTER !!!!
For extra stability glue the boots together after you have glued them to the body. Just a little glue on the inseams at the bottom will work
He didn't want to stand up !!! Whether you been making gnomes for a long time or just starting, you're going to get the ones that just don't want to stand up. Repositioning the shoes wasn't an option (I use LOTS of glue). My solution to counter balance him was to use the large present. He's cute but not what he was intended to be. In crafting sometimes it's about improvising.
Legs
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SHELF SITTERS
DOLLAR TREE HAIR ROLLER LEGS
Shelf Sitters are the only type of Gnome I would recommend adding legs too for a Sock Gnome. Standing Gnomes need something more solid to attach the legs too.
See Stand Up Gnome Page for instructions
LEGS WITHOUT HAIR ROLLERS
You can make the legs for your shelf sitter gnome without the rollers, using the material, polyfil and wire. Make a tube from your material and add a wire and polyfill (pretty much the same as you would for the arms without rollers). Glue one end into the shoe and attach to the bottom of your gnome like in the instructions above.
Leave out the wire for floppy legs.
Just stuffing the arms and legs with polyfill and no extra support (hair rollers, wires), will give your gnome a rag doll look.
How Did I Do This ?
This guide is a slideshow you can click through.Click on First Pic to start.
Themed Sock Gnomes
Deer Hunter Gnomes
I'm Lovin' It
Maybe if these guys were better at the deer hunting thing, they could help control the deer population and Spare my CAR !!
The hamburger is a small styrofoam ball I cut into 3 pieces. Top bun, burger and bottom bun I flattened a little and covered then in felt. More felt for the lettuce and cheese. Tomato is another piece of styrofoam covered in felt. Mustard was not originally suppose to be there but I got carried away with the hot glue and it was showing so I went with it, added more glue and painted it yellow. Looking at the picture I think it might need ketchup below the burger, It was a messy craft day.
Dollar Tree Finds
Cancer Radiation Gnomes
Decorating your gnome doesn't get easier then this... Dollar Tree offers a never ending array of headbands. Simply remove their "parts" and glue them to your gnome.
Gnome Phone Holder
Phone holder was a Dollar Tree find. I used a sock filled with all rice for the body. In this case I wanted the weight to help support the phone. I put the phone holder around the sock at the bottom and at an angle so he isn't totally hidden behind it. The phone will actually rest on the table and he is not actually holding the weight of it. I hid it with the coat. The arms are separate and are attached at the wrists of the hands and the shoulders of the gnome.
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