Knitted Toadstool

By Spotlight

A perfect pattern for a knitter at Intermediate level.

Final Result

Materials

Measurements -
Diameter (approx) 40 cms/16 ins

YARN Bee little Grins #147
• 3 x 50g balls 1st Colour (C1-brown)
• 2 x 50g balls 2nd Colour (C2-green)
• 2 x 50g balls 3rd Colour (C3-orange)
• 2 x 50g balls 4th Colour (C4-red)
• 2 x 50g balls 5th Colour (C5-blue)
• 2 x 50g balls 6th Colour (C6-pink)
• A pair 3.00mm (US 2), (UK 11) Knitting Needles or size that gives correct tension/gauge.
• A Yarn Needle
• Polyester filling
• 2 x 20 cm/8 in diameter x 10 cm/4 in tall foam circles
• 150 cms/60 ins of wadding
• 40 cm/16 in square thick cardboard.

Step 1

TENSION/GAUGE

23 sts and 31 rows to 10 cm/4 ins over stocking st, using 3.00mm (US 2), (UK 11) Knitting Needles.
** Note - Correct tension/gauge is essential for a successful handknit.

CREATE - Base
Using 3.00mm (US 2), (UK 11) Needles and C1, cast on 15 sts.

1st row (WS) - Purl.
Work in stocking st (beg with a knit row), casting on 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows = 23 sts.
Next row - Cast on 2 sts, knit to last st, inc in last st = 26 sts.
Next row - Cast on 2 sts, purl to last st, inc in last st = 29 sts.
Next row - Inc in first st, knit to last st, inc in last st = 31 sts.
Next row - Inc in first st, purl to last st, inc in last st = 33 sts.
Rep last 2 rows once = 37 sts.
Next row - Inc in first st, knit to last st, inc in last st = 39 sts.
Next row - Purl.
Rep last 2 rows once = 41 sts.
Work 4 rows stocking st.
Next row - Inc in first st, knit to last st, inc in last st = 43 sts.
Work 3 rows stocking st, beg with a purl row.
Next row - Inc in first st, knit to last st, inc in last st = 45 sts.
Cont in stocking st (beg with a purl row) until circle measures 13.5 cms/5½ ins from beg, ending with a purl row.
Next row - K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog = 43 sts.
Work 3 rows stocking st, beg with a purl row.
Next row - K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog = 41 sts.
Work 3 rows stocking st, beg with a purl row.
Next row - K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog = 39 sts.
Next row - Purl.
Next row - K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog = 37 sts.
Next row - Purl.
Dec one st at each end of every row until 27 sts rem.
Next row - Cast/bind off 2 sts, purl to last 2 sts, P2tog = 24 sts.
Next row - Cast/bind off 2 sts, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog = 21 sts.
Next row - Cast/bind off 4 sts, purl to end = 17 sts.
Next row - Cast/bind off 4 sts, knit to end = 13 sts.
Cast/bind off purlways.

Step 2

Stem
Using 3.00mm (US 2), (UK 11) Needles and C2, cast on 50 sts.
**Note - Do not carry yarns up side of work when not in use, instead cut yarns and weave in ends at each colour change.

Work in stocking st stripes of 4 rows each of C2, C3, C4 and C5 (16 rows in total) throughout until stem side measures 70 cms/28 ins from beg, ending with a complete stripe and on a purl row.
Using colour from previous row.
Cast/bind off loosely.

Step 3

Toadstool Underside
Using 3.00mm (US 2), (UK 11) Needles and C1, cast on 25 sts.

** Using C1, 1st and 2nd rows - K20, turn, knit to end.
3rd row - Knit to end.
4th row - Knit to end.
Using C6, rep rows 1 to 4 incl once. **
Rep from ** to ** until short edge measures 70 cms/28 ins from cast on, ending with a 4th row.
Cast/bind off loosely.

Step 4

Toadstool Upper Section
(make 1 in C3 and 2 in each of C4, C5 and C6 = 7 in total)

Using 3.00mm (US 2), (UK 11) Needles, cast on 30 sts.

Work in stocking st until section measures 6.5 cms/2½ ins from beg, ending with a purl row.
Dec one st at each end of next row, then in every foll 6th row until 26 sts rem, then in every 4th row until 18 sts rem, then every foll alt row until 10 sts rem, then in every row until 2 sts rem.
Cast/bind off.

Step 5

Large Spots
(make 2 in each colour = 12 in total)

Using 3.00mm (US 2), (UK 11) Needles, cast on 5 sts.

1st row (RS) - Inc in first st, knit to last st, inc in last st = 7 sts.
2nd row - Purl.
Rep 1st and 2nd rows once, then 1st row once = 11 sts.
Work in stocking st (beg with a purl row) until spot measures 3 cms/1 in from beg, ending with a purl row.

Next row - K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog = 9 sts.
Next row - Purl.
Next row - K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog = 7 sts.
Next row - Purl.
Next row - K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog = 5 sts.
Cast/bind off.

Step 6

Small Spots
(make 2 in each colour = 12 in total)

Using 3.00mm (US 2), (UK 11) Needles, cast on 3 sts.

1st row (RS) - Inc in first st, knit to last st, inc in last st = 5 sts.
2nd row - Purl.
3rd row - As 1st row = 7 sts.
Work 5 rows stocking st, beg with a purl row.
9th row - K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog = 5 sts.
10th row - Purl.
11th row - K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog = 3 sts.
Cast/bind off.

Step 7

FINISHING

DO NOT PRESS.
Using yarn needle, darn in ends.
**Note - Sew all seams with RS together and back stitch, unless otherwise stated.

Sew cast on and cast/bound off edges of stem together.
Sew base to one side edge of stem.

Place the two 20 cm/8 in diameter foam discs on top of each other.
Fold wadding in half lengthways, trim to measure height of foam discs and wrap around discs, trimming where edges meet.
Sew edges of wadding together around edge of foam discs.
Oversew wadding to top and bottom edge of discs to help prevent the wadding from gathering as you insert he discs into the stem.

Insert foam discs into stem, taking care to line seam of base to edge of discs and that wadding remains flat against discs.

Sew side edges of upper sections together, alternating so no two colours are next to each other and leaving cast on edges unstitched.
Sew cast on edge of underside to cast/bound off edge.
Sew long side edge of underside to cast on edges of upper section, matching seam of underside to a seam on upper section.

Turn to RS and fill firmly.
Cut cardboard into a circle approx 35 cms/14 ins in diameter.
Insert card into upper section of toadstool so that underside folds inwards to the bottom of the card.

Sew edges of underside together with large lacing stitches, pulling the underside so it sits with approx 2.5 cms/1 in on the top of the toadstool and the rest on the bottom (stem side) of the toadstool.

Sew short edge of underside to stem of toadstool using ladder stitch.

Oversew spots on top of toadstool as desired, noting to position a large spot over seam where all upper sections meet.

Abbreviation

st/s - stitch/es
K - Knit
P - Purl
stocking st - 1 row K, 1 row P
beg - begin/ning
inc - increase
rep - repeat
cont - continue
K2tog - knit 2 sts together
P2tog - purl 2 sts together
dec - decrease
incl - inclusive
foll - follow/ing
rem - remain/ing
alt - alternate