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!
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.
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 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!
August 7th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Those are amazingly cute!!! Did you make the pixies yourself? Their faces have a very 50s quality. So charming!
August 8th, 2008 at 12:52 am
good enough for the mantelpiece let alone a doorstop! just beautiful! t.x
August 8th, 2008 at 1:53 am
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!
August 8th, 2008 at 2:02 am
YYYYYYYYYYEAH!! Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!!
August 8th, 2008 at 3:02 am
I love these! Thanks for posting the pattern!
August 8th, 2008 at 4:17 am
These are MOST adorable!
I love your sewing machine. And I have that exact same needle book. Precious stuff. Love it all.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Thank you, these are sooo wonderful !!!!! Clarice
August 8th, 2008 at 9:40 am
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?
August 8th, 2008 at 11:13 am
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!
August 8th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Absolutely adorable and a brilliant way to recycle! Thank you for sharing such a fabulous project. xoxo
August 8th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
OH MY GOSH! HOW CUTE ARE THESE ?!?!? I LOVE them! Soooooooo completely adorable! LOVE LOVE!
August 8th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Oh, I love these so much! You are so clever! Yay for ric-rac!
Allison x
August 8th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
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
August 11th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
omg, hannah, so cute!! love, love, love.
May 10th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Thank you,, next week i will throw out my Waterjugg,,,smile
June 30th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
i love these!!!
they wouldn’t be the same without the pixies tho & i don’t think i have any of those laying around ;)
December 26th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Your idea is magnificent
July 24th, 2010 at 10:25 am
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.
March 3rd, 2011 at 2:02 am
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!
February 9th, 2012 at 11:24 am
c’est adorable
et le visage des lutins a craquer
June 22nd, 2012 at 5:54 am
I LOVE you!!!! Just for coming up with this idea! I can tell we are kindred souls! xo maureen
June 22nd, 2012 at 6:16 am
There is no such thing as too many mushrooms! I love your doorstops.
February 18th, 2015 at 11:51 pm
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
February 19th, 2015 at 12:45 am
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!
March 10th, 2015 at 1:00 pm
Absolutely adorable!
March 2nd, 2016 at 1:35 pm
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
July 5th, 2016 at 4:03 pm
hi helen! i found these ones on etsy.com search for vintage elf or pixie