Vince the Garden Elf

A wool felted hanging garden elf named Vince, made by hand by Fabode’s mother in Scotland.

The making. Each elf is needle-felted from natural wool by Fabode’s mother, with a pipe-cleaner skeleton inside so he can be gently posed. The wool forms his body, hat, and small features in distinct character. A long, fine golden string is attached at the top of his head so he can be hung at the height you choose.

How it looks and feels. Vince stands approximately 15 cm tall — small and slightly hunched, the silhouette of a garden gnome rather than a delicate fairy. The wool surface is softly fuzzy under the fingers; the pipe cleaner inside lets his arms and stance shift slightly when handled. He is, in the story we tell about him, a bit grim around the edges but secretly sweet — the one who turns up the long-lost trowel from under the hedge.

Use it for:

• Hung on a houseplant or a kitchen-window herb pot
• Tucked into a bookshelf or among the candles on a mantel
• Hung on a Christmas tree branch alongside other handmade ornaments
• A small gift for a gardener, allotment-holder, or anyone with a plant-filled home
• A stocking filler for a child or grandchild who likes small odd creatures

A considered gift for a gardener, a Waldorf parent, or anyone with a soft spot for kobolds and gnomes — Christmas, birthdays, or simply because.

Spot clean only — do not submerge in water.

Approximately 15 cm tall.