toadstool doorstop

how many posts featuring mushrooms can one little ol’ blog really have? well here’s one more! for years i’ve been using a big plastic jug full of thistle seeds as a doorstop for the back door. i finally decided to make a cute doorstop and settled on-you guessed it-a toadstool!

toadstool doorstops!

the tall one is about 10 inches tall, the short one is about 8½ inches tall. The bases are made using a 32oz yogurt container and a 16oz earth balance container. i filled them with gravel to give them some weight.

empty containers...

the pattern i made for them is here:

http://www.madewithlovebyhannah.com/toadstooldoorstop.pdf 

so you can print it out and make one yourself! the letters in the directions below refer to the pattern pieces.

first fill the container with something heavy, i used gravel but sand or rocks would work well too. put on the top and tape it on securely.

sew the stem sides (A) together on both sides, then sew on the stem top (B). turn right side out and insert your container. pin the stem bottom (C) on and stitch by hand.

sew on the stem bottom by hand

sew the 5 cap pieces (D) together, meeting together at the top. then sew the cap bottom (E) on a little more than half way around, leave about a 6-7 inch opening.

turn right side out, and insert the cardboard piece (C) so it sits inside at the bottom of the cap. stuff the cap. sew up the opening by hand.

glue the top to the base.

i decided to glue some cute trim around the edge of the cap and some ric-rac ‘grass’ around the bottom. it’s really hard for me to make something and not put ric-rac on it. i couldn’t help topping them off with a pair of sleepy pixies! whee!

sleepy pixies!

27 Responses to “toadstool doorstop”

  1. Jessica McLeod Says:

    Those are amazingly cute!!! Did you make the pixies yourself? Their faces have a very 50s quality. So charming!

  2. Kitschen Pink Says:

    good enough for the mantelpiece let alone a doorstop! just beautiful! t.x

  3. fifrildi Says:

    First – your craft is so great! All of it! I’v been reading your blog for ages and lusting over your skirts :)

    But what made me comment here… is that I thought I was “the only one” with that vintage happy sewing needle book! My mum got it for me at a flee market like 15 years ago. I love mine so much!

  4. Jenny Says:

    YYYYYYYYYYEAH!! Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!!

  5. knittinandnoodlin Says:

    I love these! Thanks for posting the pattern!

  6. eileen Says:

    These are MOST adorable!

    I love your sewing machine. And I have that exact same needle book. Precious stuff. Love it all.

  7. clarice Says:

    Thank you, these are sooo wonderful !!!!! Clarice

  8. Holly Says:

    I made a toadstool this past week, too!
    Check it out!
    http://hollyklein.blogspot.com/2008/08/fun-guy-foot-stool.html
    You can never have enough fungi around…can you?

  9. hannah Says:

    thanks everybody! the pixies are vintage, i bought them from shop66 on etsy last year. holly, the toadstool stool makeover came out amazing!! i love that ‘happy sewing’ needle book too, especially since i don’t like sewing by hand so every time i pull it out to do some it’s like a little pep talk!

  10. Amy B. (Early Bird Special) Says:

    Absolutely adorable and a brilliant way to recycle! Thank you for sharing such a fabulous project. xoxo

  11. Paula Clare Says:

    OH MY GOSH! HOW CUTE ARE THESE ?!?!? I LOVE them! Soooooooo completely adorable! LOVE LOVE!

  12. Allison Says:

    Oh, I love these so much! You are so clever! Yay for ric-rac!

    Allison x

  13. Sarah Says:

    Oooooh! Will be perfect in my daughter’s room! It’s all woodland animals and mushrooms. And I’m all about the mushroom posts too!

    http://welcometogirlland.blogspot.com/search?q=mushroom

    Can’t wait to sit this guy right on top!

    http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1006/1351429245_8bb9146bf3.jpg?v=0

    Love your blog. Knew about your shop, but not your blog! Loves me another blog added to my Bloglines!

    Thanks for the pattern. xo

  14. Jennifer Says:

    omg, hannah, so cute!! love, love, love.

  15. Lissy Says:

    Thank you,, next week i will throw out my Waterjugg,,,smile

  16. Becky Says:

    i love these!!!
    they wouldn’t be the same without the pixies tho & i don’t think i have any of those laying around ;)

  17. donagorr Says:

    Your idea is magnificent

  18. elizabeth Says:

    These toadstools are amazingly adorable! Hate to be just on the door. Could be a centerpiece or on a corner of a kids room with frogs and a pond, made of cloth of course.

  19. cornsilk Says:

    Since we moved into our farmhouse, I’ve had those brisk winds that rush through. How clever you are to solve my problem in such a delightful way! Thank you so much!

  20. arsenicvitriol Says:

    c’est adorable
    et le visage des lutins a craquer

  21. twigandtoadstool Says:

    I LOVE you!!!! Just for coming up with this idea! I can tell we are kindred souls! xo maureen

  22. The Dutch Girl Says:

    There is no such thing as too many mushrooms! I love your doorstops.

  23. Nicole Says:

    Hi,
    I have just come across your toadstool doorstops! Lo9ve them! I don’t suppose you have the dimensions of the tubs you used?? I live in Australia and we don’t have those products! I want to find something the same size so I can use the pattern pices you have. I don’t think I’m talented enough to adjust the pattern sizes! I’m only new to sewing!!!
    Thanks so much for sharing this – they are amazing! :) xo

  24. hannah Says:

    thanks nicole, i’m so glad you like them! the tall yogurt container is about 5.5 inches tall, the top is 4.5 wide and the bottom is about 3.5 inches wide. the shorter container is the same as the top & bottom but the height is only 3.75 inches tall. i hope that helps! if you make one i would love to see a picture!

  25. Karen Says:

    Absolutely adorable!

  26. Helen Barclay Says:

    where can I buy fairies similar to yours please? I live overseas and can’t find anything even close to yours. Please help as I fell in love with your mushroom & I’m mushroom crazy.
    Thank you for your time
    Helen

  27. hannah Says:

    hi helen! i found these ones on etsy.com search for vintage elf or pixie

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