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Sew Felt Mushrooms – Sew A Softie 2020

July 21, 2020 By Lauren at Molly and Mama 2 Comments

It’s Sew A Softie month and it’s my turn to share the cute little felt mushroom tutorial I created to celebrate this awesome event. Wishing a very warm welcome to those who have found their way here for the first time today. We’ll be making felt mushrooms that are super simple and can be used for a whole range of projects!

If you’re wondering what Sew A Softie is, Trixi (the founder) explains that it is ‘an initiative that aims to ignite a love of hand sewing in a new generation’. That’s exactly the reason for my own blog, so this is the third year I have joined Trixi’s month-long celebration of sewing with kids. If you’d like to see more Sew A Softie tutorials, head to the website, or join the Facebook group for daily updates and links for the entire month of July.

If you’re new here, take some time to look around. Head to the Tutorials tab too, because I have some really sweet projects you might like to make after this one!

Now, on to the sewing!

This tutorial is all about mushrooms! I’ve made a range of projects using two different sized templates, so you can choose which mushroom appeals to you the most! I’ve used wool felt because it’s such a fun and forgiving medium to use. You might like to see my Working With Wool Felt tips.

This tutorial will explain how to make all the examples above. Here’s some trivia for you… did you know that a group of mushrooms is called a troop? I had to look it up. You learn something new every day!

FINISHED SIZE: Large Mushroom – approximately 2.5″ (6.5cm) tall and 2″ (5cm) wide. Small Mushroom – approximately 1.5″ (4cm) and 1.25″ (3cm) wide. But you can enlarge the template to create any size of mushroom you would like!

You Will Need;

  • 3″ (8cm) x 4″ (10cm) rectangle of wool felt for the large mushroom top (less for the small version)
  • 2″ (5cm) x 4″ (10cm) rectangle of wool felt for the large mushroom stalk (less for the small version)
  • 2.5cm (1”) square of white wool felt for the spots
  • Embroidery needle
  • Six stranded embroidery floss (separated into two strands) to match the colours of your felt
  • Small, short blade scissors for cutting felt
  • Appliqué or craft glue
  • Print out of the template

Optional Extras;

  • 25cm (10”) square of freezer paper (to transfer the template to the felt)
  • Tiny amount of hobby fill or polyester stuffing to make a softie
  • 8″ (20cm) of 1″ (2.5cm) wide ribbon to make a bookmark
  • Large 2″ (5cm) paperclip to make a decorative paperclip
  • 1″ (2.5cm) ring to make a key ring
  • 2″ (5cm) of 3/8″ (1cm) wide ribbon for the key ring loop

Let’s Get Making A Mushroom Softie

Print the Pattern

Save a copy of the pattern template PDF to your computer and then print it in full size without any scaling or cropping.

Cut Out The Felt Pieces

Cut out the required felt pieces using your favourite method. Visit my beginner’s tutorial for a more detailed description on the different methods you can use, including my easy but accurate Freezer Paper method.

For each mushroom you will need to cut;

  • Two mushroom tops
  • Two mushroom stalks
  • Three mushroom spots

On one mushroom top, use fabric glue or a few small stitches to secure three felt spots in place.

Overlap the mushroom tops over the stalks and then place them back to back to make a matching sized pair. You might need to pin them or clip them in place. Use a running stitch (or your stitch of choice) to sew the stalks to the mushroom tops, using two strands of coordinating floss. Sew the stitching across the tops of the stalks only (as shown below).

Next, place the two mushroom halves together with their wrong sides facing and stitch them together, through both layers of felt. Sew the mushroom top first, from one side of the stalk all the way around the top and over to the other side.

Manoeuvre small balls of stuffing into the opening of the mushroom top (through the stalk), using a chopstick or stuffing tool.

Running stitch the stalk together starting under the mushroom top on one side, and travelling down and around the base. Add more stuffing to the stalk before stitching the stalk closed.

Be sure to start and end all stitching on the wrong side (or underside) of the felt, so that the knots and thread ends can’t be seen.

You’re all finished! The red version above is the mushroom I made for this tutorial. The peach one below was made by my 10 year old daughter who was absolutely thrilled with the results and has consequently ‘borrowed’ all the mushrooms we made for this tutorial!

Sew a Key Ring

To make a keyring, cut out the large mushroom shapes as described for the mushroom softie above. Add the three felt spots to the front of one mushroom top.

Loop a 2″ (5cm) length of ribbon through a metal ring. Baste the two ribbon ends onto the back of the mushroom top to help hold the ribbon loop and ring in place while you stitch.

Follow the instructions for the mushroom softie to assemble the pieces, to sew the mushroom top together (stitching directly through the ribbon loop to secure it in place) and to sew the mushroom stalk together. Then remove the basting stitches.

In this pink version above, I did not add stuffing, though you could if you wished. The mushroom was stitched together using blanket stitch. My daughter made the beige mushroom on the right, using fabric glue to keep everything together – the perfect no-sew option!

Stitch a Bookmark

To make the bookmark option with the striped ribbon, follow the instructions to create the large mushroom softie as described above but leave out the stuffing. For this version I used whip stitch for the mushroom top and running stitch for the stalk.

When stitching the stalk base together, insert an 8″ (20cm) length of 1″ (2.5cm) wide ribbon into the opening at the base. Stitch through the ribbon to secure it in place. Trim the ends of the ribbon and heat seal them to prevent the ribbon from fraying. You’re all set to jazz up your planner or stylishly keep your place in your latest book.

Decorate a Paperclip

Planner accessories are so popular right now. This small mushroom paperclip would be perfect. To make one, use the small mushroom template and cut 2 tops, 2 stalks and 3 dots. Assemble the small mushroom using the same method as the large one. However, insert a large 2″ (5cm) long paperclip into the base of the stalk before stitching through it to secure it in place. Cute, right?

Try Something Else? Here’s some more cute mushroom ideas!

When sewing the mushroom top together, stitch a ribbon loop in the top so you can make a hanging ornament.

Sew a metal brooch clip to the back of the large mushroom to make a decorative brooch.

Glue a hair clip to the back of the large mushroom. You can use my Hair Accessory Tutorial for more information.

Imagine a whole row of sweet little mushrooms, sewn in a range of different colours and strung up on decorative twine to make a garland. What a beautiful way to add decor to a bedroom or even a celebration.

I hope this tutorial gives you lots of fun ideas and an opportunity to sew with (or for) a loved one. And if you like these projects, you might like the projects I made for the last two years too. Click on the photos to learn more.

Happy stitching, Lauren x

This post was written by Lauren Wright and appeared first on Molly and Mama www.MollyandMama.com.au

Filed Under: Tutorials Tagged With: Felt Mushroom, felt tutorial, Sew A Softie

Comments

  1. Catherine Doust says

    July 23, 2020 at 9:47 am

    These are so cute. I’m new to the world of working with felt but have very limited access to felt here where I live. It’s only acrylic felt mainly. Occasionally I can get a wool blend.
    I only found your website today through Fiona Fee Ransley on her Tilda Group

    Reply
    • Lauren at Molly and Mama says

      July 25, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      I’m so glad you found my website Catherine. Thanks for being here!

      Reply

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Studio For Pretty Stitches
🧵🪡 Our fourth week of the #seworderly challe 🧵🪡 Our fourth week of the #seworderly challenge that I am cohosting with Ali from  @arabesquescissors has already begun! For our final week we’re discussing how you organise your projects for SEWING ON THE GO! This might look a little different for you at the moment (depending on where you live) but how and what do you pack to maximise sewing whilst travelling or out-and-about? 

Travel sewing kits are especially applicable for hand sewing projects like English paper piecing and embroidery (even if you’re moving from the sewing room to the couch🤣). But you may also have tips for traveling with your machine and quilt WIPs too, particularly if you have enjoyed sewing on holidays or attending retreats. 

To join the challenge, simply share a public photo showing us how you plan for sewing on the go. Tag us and use the #seworderly hashtag so others can find you. We’re thrilled to see the generosity with which you’re sharing ideas, tips and more! 

Your post will put you in the running to win this gorgeous bundle of three PDF ‘Cathedral Window’ patterns from @arabesquescissors. So cute, right? Please see Ali’s prize post for more information. And don’t forget that we’ll also be selecting a Grand Prize Winner at the end of the month. Good luck everyone! 💗
🧵🪡 Week 3 of the #SewOrderly challenge with 🧵🪡 Week 3 of the #SewOrderly challenge with me and Ali from @arabesquescissors has come to an end. For the past week you’ve been sharing your tips and tricks for storing and organising your Work In Progress (WIP) projects and we’ve been loving reading all the suggestions and seeing all of your photos. 

We’ve selected @kirsty_sews and @mtnlaurel96 as our winners of the Molly and Mama Pattern pack including the #SimpleSewingFolder, #SummerRosePouch and #MissMollyandFriends. Congratulations ladies! 

I’m looking forward to putting together a blog post with some of the fantastic ideas that have been shared this week. Here’s a couple of my favourites. 

-	Small square pastry or cake containers work well for storing WIPs, as do scrapbooking shelves and containers. 
-	If a WIP is something you’d like to work on more, put it somewhere that you’re likely to see, so you’re more likely to pick it up and get some stitching done! 
-	Label each box or tub with the name of the project, the date it was started, the fabrics used, and any other relevant information you want to keep at hand. 
-	@amandalovestocreate shared a terrific tip of adding an adhesive photo of the project to the label! I love that idea!
-	Make a note in your diary or set an alarm on your phone to remind you to check in with your WIPs and their progress. This might give you a much needed push to get stuck into a project you may have otherwise forgotten about.
-	Find a likeminded maker and ask them to become your Accountability Partner so you can periodically check in with each other and give yourselves a gentle nudge to make some progress on your WIPS! 

If you have more ideas, we’d still love to hear them. Ali has put together a great round up of ideas on her blog too. 

Stay tuned as we now share more information about our fourth and final week, with Sewing on the go! 

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Did you see my posts over at @aurifilthread this w Did you see my posts over at @aurifilthread this weekend? I did an Instagram takeover which was heaps of fun! Pop over to see what I shared. One of the posts included my Top 5 Tips for Embroidery Success, and I thought it was silly of me not to share those tips here too! But really, these tips apply to all sewing. They’re simple but true! 

1.	Choose the right tool for the job. You don’t need to spend a lot of money, but using a needle you can easily thread with the right type of thread for the job, can make all the difference to your experience. 

2.	Start simple. As a beginner, starting a large and intricate design might become overwhelming if only because of the amount of time it will take to complete. Start with a smaller design and move on to more detailed projects as your skills progress. 

3.	Get help from the experts. Watch You Tube videos, read blog posts, enrol in online courses. Over time you’ll develop a whole new skill set that you’ll be able to pass on to someone one day too. 

4.	Don’t rush. It’s not a race, and embroidery is all about slow stitching. 

5.	Leave out your embroidery so you’re more likely to pick it up and continue stitching when you have a spare moment. The more you stitch, the better you’ll become. And it’s a wonderful mindfulness activity! 

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One of the sewing patterns up for grabs in this we One of the sewing patterns up for grabs in this week’s prize pack for the #SewOrderly challenge is my Simple Sewing Folder. So I just wanted to show you a little more about this pattern in my store. 

Featuring a hand embroidered front panel, little hexie details, and simple patchwork, the cover is all about showcasing the ‘pretty’. 

Open it up (swipe to see) and it’s all about the practical! There’s a lace zipper pocket, tabs for tools, a wool felt needle and pin minder, a thread holder and spaces for hoop storage. 

This folder is perfect for storing ‘work in progress’ projects - the focus of this week’s theme for our sewing room organisation challenge, hosted by me and @arabesquescissors. 

If you’d like to know more, there are links in my profile to my store and my blog. I’d love you to get involved! 

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I don’t show my face on here anywhere near as of I don’t show my face on here anywhere near as often as I should. And it’s funny because you’ll have a picture of someone in your head and they often don’t look anything like what you imagine. So for what it is worth, this is me, Lauren. I wanted to say hi and share a bit more about me, as there’s so many new faces here lately. Thank you so much for joining us! 

Here’s 5 facts about me;

1️⃣ My first degree was in Behavioural Science, but I used my second degree in Education to become a primary school teacher. 

2️⃣ After having our two kids, we decided I’d work from home and I’ve been sewing, blogging and designing ever since! 

3️⃣ My maternal grandmother’s name was Molly and my kids call my mum ‘Mama’. I named my business after Molly and Mama in honour of the skills, lessons and traits they passed down to me. I’m so blessed to be able to  share that love of creative expression with all of you! 

4️⃣ My favourite colour is pink. Big surprise there 😂! And I have a love for all things pretty and sweet. 

5️⃣ I love drawing and illustrating and hope to bring more of that to my work in the future! 

I’d love to meet more of you and hear where you are from. Feel free to leave me a reply.  Thanks for your support and encouragement of my little biz. It means the world to me! Lauren 💗
🌼🌸🪡There’s something new and very excit 🌼🌸🪡There’s something new and very exciting coming to Molly and Mama soon! Are you subscribed to the newsletter? Find a link to join in my profile, so you can stay tuned for the release of the ‘Pretty Stitches Club’. It’s all about sharing my love of embroidery, slow sewing and beautiful stitchery🪡🌸🌼

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Our Week Three prize pack for the #seworderly chal Our Week Three prize pack for the #seworderly challenge with @arabesquescissors includes three of my @mollyandmama  PDF sewing patterns; the #SimpleSewingFolder, the #SummerRosePouch and the #MissMollyAndFriends pin cushion pattern. 

 Ali and I will each select a winner on Monday, 22nd February, 2021.

To enter, post a photo or video on your public profile showcasing how you store your projects and quilts as you’re working on them or even when they are completed. Tag @mollyandmama and @arabesquescissors and use the #seworderly hashtag so others can find you. 

T&Cs
- the giveaway is open worldwide to participants 18 years and over, with a public Instagram profile, and who post in alignment with the guidelines outlined above. 
- Entries will close at 11.59pm AEST on Sunday, 21th Feb 2021. 
- The two winners will be announced here on Monday, 22nd Feb, 2021 and will need to provide an email address to receive their prize. 
- This giveaway is in no way associated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Instagram. 

Thanks so much for sharing the #seworderly love! And you can find out more about these patterns in the store - there’s a link in my profile. The Simple Sewing Folder is a fantastic project folder for embroidery or EPP storage, perfect for WIPs. How do you store your ‘work in progress’ projects and quilts?
Have you been participating in the #seworderly cha Have you been participating in the #seworderly challenge with me and Ali from @arabesquescissors? We’re sorting our sewing rooms for the month of February and have already tackled NOTIONS and FABRIC. 

This week we’re exploring how to store and organise our completed QUILTS AND PROJECTS and those we’re still working on (WIPs). Would you like to join us? There’ll be a sweet @mollyandmama prize pack up for grabs, but more importantly, you’ll be having fun sorting your sewing space knowing that there are likeminded friends joining you! 

Share a photo of your quilt and project storage, tag @mollyandmama and @arabesquescissors, use the hashtag #seworderly, ask questions or share tips and advice. We’d love you to join us! 

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Ali from @arabesquescissors and I are wrapping up Ali from @arabesquescissors and I are wrapping up week 2 of our #seworderly challenge. This week has been a HUGE one, where we’ve focussed on FABRIC STORAGE. We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of you who have wholeheartedly jumped onboard and unreservedly shared your sewing spaces and craft rooms. So thank you and congratulations on the success you have achieved this week; from tidying just a small stash, a basket or a drawer, to refolding and sorting all the fabrics in your entire room! 

So many of you have tackled your yardage, pre-cuts, scraps, fusibles, interfacings, batting and more! And you’ve been so generous with your tips and ideas. So thank you! I’m sure those of you who are yet to tackle your stash will get a lot of inspiration from heading to the #seworderly hashtag! 

We can’t always keep our fabrics in pretty little arrangements like my first photo of Liberty here. So swipe to see my second photo – a more realistic view, taken from the inside of one of my newly organised Billy bookshelves from Ikea. I like to keep my fabrics folded, in plastic tubs, behind solid cupboard doors, so I can avoid sun damage and reduce the effects of dust, pests and moisture. They’re organised by type and size (so yardage, fat quarters, smaller pre-cuts and scraps are generally all separated), then by colour or their use. How do you organise yours? 

I’ll be compiling all the tips and tricks I learned from my own experiences and from reading all of your posts, into a blog post really soon. So stay tuned for that. 

And Ali and I have both chosen a winner for the @arabesquescissors pattern prize pack for this week. Please see Ali’s post to see if it’s you! Thank you so much to all who participated. We’re looking forward to kicking off Week 3 shortly. Let’s explore PROJECTS & QUILTS. Please join us (find out more about the #seworderly challenge on the blog, using the link in my profile). 

Happy sorting, Lauren x 

#mollyandmama #arabesquescissors #sewsorted #seworganised #seworganized #stashbusting #stashstorage #fabricstorage #fabricsorting #fabricstash #libertytanalawn #libertyfabrics #libertybundle #fabricbundle #fabriccontainers #sewingroom #craftroom
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