Clay Gnome Napkin Rings – Easy Crafting
A few weeks back I found the cutest paper napkins on Amazon. We call them serviettes here in South Africa. Napkins or nappies are something you put on a baby’s bottom. Either way, Amazon has them listed as napkins, so I’ll stick with that. Plus, it’s easier to spell too, especially since I’ll be writing that word over and over again when I show you how to make these clay gnome napkin rings.
Aren’t they cute?
They’re so easy to make and didn’t even take me an hour to cobble together.
If pint-sized, bearded creatures with pointy hats aren’t your thing you can use any printed paper napkin as a base for this craft. Think bunnies for Easter, classy graphic prints, flowers, or Father Christmas. Oh, wait he’s also got a beard and a pointy hat. Mmmmm, oh well you get the idea.
In this easy craft tutorial, I’ll show you how to make these clay gnome napkin rings. But, before we get there, do me a favor and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll never miss a post!
What you need
The most important thing for this craft is the napkin. You need something with a print that’s not too fussy and matches your theme. This is what the my gnomish paper napkin looks like when it’s open.
It’s one of those tall thin napkins for messy eaters who need something a little bigger. My kinda napkin. But’s it’s the little gnomes on the border that sold me.
You’ll also need:
- Craft clay
- Iron
- Sharp craft knife
- Nail scissors
- Acetone and cotton wool
- Cardboard tube
- Aluminium foil
How to make clay gnome napkin rings
This is one of those “blink and you’ll miss it” tutorials. Open up the napkin and iron out the folds.
Remove the unprinted layers. The easiest way to do that is to put a small piece of sticky tape on the back of the napkin and just gently pull the layers apart.
Carefully cut out the gnomes, or whatever image you’ve chosen. I normally use nail scissors for something like this. They’re great for cutting around small, delicate shapes.
Making clay napkin rings
Prepare the clay by kneading it between your fingers. Use a rolling pin or bottle to roll the clay into a long strip, that’s a little taller (wider) than the image.
The clay strip should be about 3-5 mm (1/8” or so) thick and long enough to go around the cardboard tube. To prevent the cardboard from burning, I covered my tube in aluminium foil. It also makes it easier to remove the napkin rings once they’ve been baked.
Now there are two ways to do the next step. “Cut and Wrap” or “Wrap and Cut”.
Option 1 – Cut and Wrap
Lay the gnome images on the clay strip and dab a little acetone all over to “embed” it into the clay. You can get all the details on how it’s done in this napkin-baked clay tutorial.
Use a sharp craft knife to trim away the excess clay at the top and bottom of the image. To create a sense of drama I cut my edges along the gnome outlines. If you prefer a solid, straight-edged napkin ring you can cut a straight line across.
Don’t cut any clay from the sides. We need to wrap the clay around the cardboard tube to make a ring before removing the excess.
Use your fingers to gently press and blend the cut clay side edges to smooth them out.
Option 2 – Wrap and Cut
I actually prefer this way. It makes joining the clay sides together easier and neater. Wrap the clay strip around the cardboard tube and blend the edges with your fingers. Gently roll the tube over a smooth surface once or twice to create a seamless join.
Place the napkin cut-out over the top and dab on a little acetone, being sure to cover the whole image. Cut around the image with a sharp craft knife and remove the excess clay.
If you don’t want to fuss about joining seams, or you image isn’t wide enough, you can make an open ring by just wrapping and cutting.
Baking the gnome napkin rings
Pop the clay gnome napkin rings in the oven and bake according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Wait for them to cool down completely before sliding the rings off the tube. To seal and protect, spray on a clear coat of varnish.
And that’s it. Quick and easy crafting at its best and so perfect for a Winter-themed dinner party.
What do you think?
If you like the idea of making cute clay gnome napkin rings, don’t forget to pin the tutorial for later
Sharing is caring
Oh, and if you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered. Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us make more amazing crafts to share with you 😉
And if you prefer to buy rather than DIY, then these gnomish cuties may appeal.
And as always, wishing you a wonderful, crafty week filled with lots of love. Thank you for popping in for a visit.