Let’s Make a Pearl-Accented Mushroom
This hand-sewn felt mushroom has an internal chipboard structure for shape and lovely pearl accents.
You’ll learn to
- Cut and gather a felt circle into a dome
- Create structure with an internal chipboard base
- Roll and glue a felt stem
Before you begin
Welcome to the Pearl-Accented Mushroom tutorial. This page walks you through the full construction process, start to finish. Pattern pieces are included in your kit or downloadable pattern — if you don’t have them yet, head back to the shop.
If you’ve bought our kit, it includes everything you need to make one felt mushroom. If you’ve purchased the pattern, there’s a list of materials on page 2. Either way, grab a pair of scissors, find a clean spot to work, and set your vibe (movie? music? coffee?) A note on gluing: the glue will show on the felt after it dries, so don’t rush the drying time and your mushroom will thank you.
Making the mushroom
Step 1: Assemble the Stem
Roll the felt rectangle loosely along the short side until it forms a tube, adjusting until the opening roughly matches the small felt circle. Run a thin line of glue along the overlapping edge and press to hold. Glue the small felt circle to the bottom of the tube to finish the end neatly, then set the whole thing aside to dry.
Step 2: Shape the Mushroom Cap
Hold the wedge template against the cap with the curved edges aligned and cut along it to remove a triangular wedge from the cap piece. Slightly overlap the cut edges and glue together to see the circle start to form the dome.
Step 3: Stitch and Stuff the Cap
Thread your needle and sew a running stitch around the open bottom edge of the cap, leaving a long tail rather than knotting the end. You can work from the inside or outside of the cap. I find working from the outside easiest, just be sure to keep your running stitches an even distance from the edge so they can be hidden in step 5.
Once your running stitch is complete, gently pull both ends of the thread to begin gathering the opening, then add stuffing. You’re looking for the cap to be firmly packed but not bursting. If you’ve purchased our kit, you have more stuffing than you need, so don’t stress about using it all. Instead, focus on using the stuffing to achieve a nice, even dome. Pull the thread again until the opening narrows enough the stuffing won’t spill out before moving to the next step.
Step 4: Shape the Inside
Gently insert the brown chipboard circle into the cap– this is what gives your mushroom its flat, tidy underside. The stuffing should sit above the chipboard, with the gathered edge pulling in underneath. Use the gill piece (the scalloped circle) as a guide: the opening should be tight enough that the gathering stitches can be fully covered by it. Adjust until you’re happy, then tie off the thread securely.
Step 5: Finish and Assemble
Glue the scalloped circle to the bottom of the cap to create the gills, being careful to cover the running stitches. Then apply glue to the open end of the stem and press it firmly to the center of the gills, and hold. This is your mushroom taking its final shape.
Step 6: Decorate
Add the pearls using a small dot of glue for each one. We put two sizes of pearls in our kit (6mm & 8mm). Use all of one size for a uniform look, or mix and match depending on your mood. We like to dot the glue evenly around the cap before gently pressing a pearl into each dot, to make sure the spacing is neat. 7is pearls feels right to me, but follow your heart!
Step 7: Let Dry and Enjoy
Give your mushroom time to dry fully before handling. Find it a good home, and if you feel like sharing, a photo on Instagram at @darilyndesigns is always welcome.