MERIDIAN, Idaho — Winter is here! Time to break out the mittens, hats and other woolly things.
"52 Freckles,” a Meridian-based business, has taken the term ‘sweater weather’ quite literally - making gnomes out of thrifted sweaters.
"The large holiday gnomes are 100% up-cycled," said owner Sarah Christensen.
The idea to create a home filled with gnomes began in 2007 when Christensen was raising her four kids. Christensen took her sewing skills and turned a few stuffies to a new level.
"We used to do little tiny stuffies and now we do a little bit bigger stuffies, but they're still for kids," said Christensen.
She makes hundreds of handmade gnomes - all shapes, all sizes - all out of sweaters and felt.
“We kind of hit the thrift stores all winter long, stocking up for the following year," she said.
Currently, 52 Freckles is in full "gnome mode." Winter is certainly her busy season, but these woodland creatures are just plain cute - gnome matter the weather.
If you’re looking to purchase a gnome of your very own check out Idaho Made, Instagram or her online Etsy shop.
"I’m a co-owner there, so that of course is where I have the majority of my items because I'm there the majority of the time" she said.
Christensen says as soon as this year ends it’s time to start prepping again. She’s considered slowing down but - will she? it’s impossible to gnome.
