Shroom-tastic

okay - do you think I'm obsessed yet?  

Well, I was roaming around on Anthro and stumbled upon this beauty.  

So perfect for the party!!!  I was inspired.

But - shocker - I didn't have $168.00 to spend on a Mushroom Pouf. 
What I did have was :
One evening
An old sweater
An old blanket
Hot glue gun
A can of tomato Juice (72 oz)
Batting scraps
A tupperware bowl that lost it's lid
Sewing Machine
Embroidery Floss

Needle.

Those ingredients produced this little toadstool.  I only used stuff I already had.  That's right - it cost me $0.00 to make this.  It'll make a cute little table decoration - don't you think?

It only took me one evening, and I didn't even know what I was doing.  It would take you less.  Really cute for a kid's room, or a baby shower, or really any place where fairies or gnomes could be hiding.  If you can't find any blankets or sweaters to cut up at your house, check out the local thrift stores - you're sure to find one.  Don't be intimidated.  You can totally make this.
Here we go:
Step 1:  Gather your supplies (listed above).
Step 2:  Heat up your hot glue gun.
Step 3:  Cut out a rectangle and a circle - the rectangle should be the height of the can x the circumference of the can.  Mine was 7 1/2" x 15".  The circle should be about 1/2" larger than the bottom of the can.

Step 4:  Sew the two short sides of the rectangle together, right sides together.  (this will form a tube)

 
Step 5:  Pin the right side of the circle to the right side of the tube.  Sew it together. When you turn it right sides out, it will look like this.

Step 6:  Hot glue batting to the can.  Slide the cover that you have made onto the can - this is your stump.  Now it is time to cover the bowl.

Step 7:  Cover it with batting first.  Lay your bowl on top of the batting.  Pull the edges of the batting up and hot glue onto the lip of the container.  If you are looking at the bowl like a clock, glue the batting at 12, 3, 6, and 9 first.

Then go back and glue the rest of the batting around the edge.  This is good practice for gluing the red knit on.

Step 8:  Repeat this process with the red sweater you have cut up.  Really pull it tight.
Step 9:  Cut a circle, 4" larger than the largest part of the bowl, out of the white.  Drape it over the top of the bowl.

Fold under the edge of the circle and pin it to the edge of the bowl.  You want it to be loose in the middle, so that the stump will fit "inside" the mushroom cap.
Step 10:  Once it is pinned, very slowly, hot glue the folded edge of the white to the rim of the bowl.  Glue about an inch at a time.
Step 11:  Add the spots - you have two options - you can embroider the spots like they did at Anthro - or if you are incurably impatient like me...you could cut some out of felt and blanket stitch them on.  I'm thinking, it's still handstitched right?  When you're done with that, secure the cap to the stump.

Ta-da! Call the fairies and gnomes - it's time for a party!