Aren’t the colder seasons wonderful? Sure, the nights getting in, the rain and the cold might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but even the biggest Summer lover can’t deny that being cozy at home during Autumn and Winter is such a lovely feeling. Plus there’s Halloween and Christmas to look forward to! Monopoly and Mulled Wine! Pumpkins! Can you tell that I love A/W?!
Usually my go-to pattern designs for Autumn are those aforementioned pumpkins (check out my Spookette and Fairytale ones if you’d like to whip up some cool ones yourself), but this year I decided to go in a different direction and focus on an equally autumnal thingy – the humble toadstool! Some of you might know that I am based in the countryside of one of the coldest, wettest regions of Northern Spain so we are absolutely inundated with fungi of all kinds. From teeny ones popping up through the lawn to big ‘ole monster Puffballs sitting cutely in the fields behind our house, it’s a really wonderful thing to see toadstools and mushrooms taking center stage. Plus, my chickens love eating them so they provide a nice snack for our feathered friends, too.
So, of course I’m thrilled to share the pattern for these gorgeously cozy, cute toadstools with you! This pattern will provide you with the basics of how to knit up your own toadstool and give you some cool ideas on how to jazz up your project with yarn ideas and embellishment tips. These toadstools look great hanging from a Christmas tree, a door handle or all snuggled up together as a centerpiece in a bowl. No matter how many you make or how you style them, they’ll look fantastic and really add a special touch to your A/W decor. Let’s go!
Table of Contents
| AT A GLANCE: TOADSTOOL INTERMEDIATE | |
|---|---|
| MATERIALS & TOOLS |
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| SKILLS | Magic loop, k, p, invisible join, kfb, k2tog, cast on/bind off, weaving in ends |
| PROJECT NOTES This is a wonderful project for an intermediate knitter or a very confident beginner! Natural yarns are highly recommended to avoid pilling and give your toadstool a professional finish. | |
Tips: Knitting on a small scale can be tricky – especially when using the magic loop – so don’t fret if you find it hard going at first. Practice makes perfect! Keep your first round relatively loose and you’ll find it a lot easier to work with.
If you’d like to make your toadstool bigger you can simply use bigger yarn and bigger needles. I recommend going down half a needle size than your yarn requires to keep your stitches tighter and stop the stuffing showing through.
These toadstools are perfect for using up scrap yarn and playing with texture. Try embroidering small stars on the cap (see my samples with gold thread for some ideas) to add a really glam, kitsch look. How about working with lamé yarn (see my pink, glittery toadstool) and making some disco-style ones? Maybe you could even experiment with fluffy yarn or variegated yarn? Either way your toadstools will look really unique and adorable.
Cozy Toadstools · Knitting Pattern
Mushroom Stalk and Base
Round 25: Purl all stitches around
Cast On: Using MC (main color), cast on 17 sts. Join invisibly by decreasing one stitch (16 sts total).
Rounds 1–16: Work in the magic loop and knit 16 rounds plain.
Round 17: Kfb (knit front and back) into every stitch around (32 sts).
Round 18: Knit all stitches around.
Round 19: *Kfb, k1; repeat from * around (48 sts).
Round 20: Knit all stitches around.
Round 21: *Kfb, k2; repeat from * around (64 sts).
Rounds 22–23: Knit all stitches around.
Round 24: *K1, p1; repeat from * around.
The Cap
- Change to CC: Switch to your contrasting color yarn.
- Rounds 26–29: Knit all stitches around.
- Round 30: K3, (k2tog, k6) 7 times, k2tog, k3 (56 sts).
- Rounds 31–32: Knit all stitches around.
- Round 33: K3, (k2tog, k5) 7 times, k2tog, k2 (48 sts).
- Round 34: Knit all stitches around.
- Round 35: K2, (k2tog, k4) 7 times, k2tog, k2 (40 sts).
- Round 36: Knit all stitches around.
Embellishment Note
At this point, you can sew on any embellishments such as buttons or sequins. Alternatively, if you are comfortable with it, you can embroider onto the cap after the piece is fully stuffed.
Shaping the Crown
- Round 37: (K2, k2tog, k3) 7 times, k2tog, k1 (32 sts).
- Round 38: Knit all stitches around.
- Round 39: K2, (k2tog, k3) 7 times, k2tog, k1 (24 sts).
- Round 40: Knit all stitches around.
- Round 41: K2tog around (12 sts).
- Round 42: Bind off all stitches.
Finishing
Stuff your piece firmly, using a knitting needle or crochet hook to distribute the stuffing evenly. Thread the yarn tails through the cast-on and bind-off edges, pulling them tight to cinch the openings closed. Secure the ends by threading them around a few more times and knotting if necessary, then hide the ends inside the work.
Now you’re finished you can add a hanging cord to the top of your toadstool which will allow you to hang it or just leave them as they are. Don’t they look lovely?
I really hope you enjoyed this pattern! I would love to see your work so remember to tag me on Instagram so I can share your creations.
Happy and cozy crafting,
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