Whimsical Works

Project of the Week
Crochet mushroom pattern | Free woodland amigurumi pattern
By Caitie at thoresbycottage.com
“I love all things woodland, and so couldn’t resist designing a crochet mushroom pattern. These mushrooms
would make a lovely gift for your forest-loving friends, or hung on a Christmas or Easter tree. You
could even add a small rattle insert and it would fit in perfectly with a woodland themed nursery.”

Requirements
2.75mm / size C crochet hook
Yarn needle
Embroidery needle
Stitch marker
Stuffing
*DK (light worsted) yarn in the following colors:
Cream (Paintbox Yarn Light Champagne)
Beige (Paintbox Yarn Vanilla Cream)
Pink (Paintbox Yarn Blush Pink)
*Paintbox Yarn Cotton DK: 100% cotton, 50 g (1.7
oz) / 125 (137 yd)

Notes
This crochet mushroom pattern is worked mostly
in continuous rounds. Do not slip stitch to join the
round unless instructed to do so.
Finished size: 7cm (flat cap mushroom) and 10cm
(pointed cap mushroom)
This pattern uses US terminology (see abbreviations
here)

Stalk
Using Light Champagne
Rnd 1: 6 sc into a mr (6)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around (12)
Rnd 3: *sc, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around (18)
Rnd 4: *sc, sc, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around (24)
Rnd 5 – 9: sc in each st around (24)
Rnd 10: *sc, sc, sc2tog; rep from * around (18)
Rnd 11 – 13: sc in each st around (18)
Stuff firmly but do not over stuff
Rnd 14: *sc, sc2tog; rep from * around (12)
Rnd 15 – 17: sc around (12)
Add more stuffing if needed
Rnd 18: 2 sc in BLO of each st around (24)
Rnd 19: *sc, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around (36)
Rnd 20 – 22: sc in each st around (36)
Slst to finish, fasten off and weave in ends
Add details:
Using Vanilla Cream, embroider long stitches all around the stalk. Fasten off
and weave in ends.
Pointed mushroom cap
Using Blush Pink
Rnd 1: 6 sc into a mr (6)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around (12)
Rnd 3 – 5: sc in each st around (12)
Rnd 6: *sc, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around (18)
Rnd 7: sc in each st around (18)
Rnd 8: *sc, sc, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around (24)
Rnd 9: sc in each st around (24)
Rnd 10: *sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around (30)
Rnd 11: *sc in next 4 st, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around (36)
Rnd 12 – 14: sc in each st around (36)
Do not fasten off!

Flat mushroom cap
Using Vanilla Cream
Rnd 1: 6 sc into a mr (6)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around (12)
Rnd 3: *sc, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around (18)
Rnd 4: *sc, sc, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around (24)
Rnd 5: *sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around (30)
Rnd 6: *sc in next 4 st, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around (36)
Rnd 7 – 8: sc in each st around (36)
Do not fasten off. Place a stitch marker in the working loop so that you do not
drop any stitches.
Add details:
Embroider small dots (a bullion or French knot, see video below for tutorial)
over the cap. Try to keep them a little uneven looking as this looks more natural!
Fasten off and continue to the assembly.
Assembly
To add the cap to the stalk, work through both the cap loops and only the
front loop of the stalk. Use the working yarn from the cap to single crochet
around both the cap and the stalk at the same time (through the loops described
above). Work 26 sc, pause and lightly stuff the cap (only for the cone shaped
cap), continue to work the last 10 sc to close. Fasten off and weave in any
remaining ends.

If you liked this pattern, check out more by the artist!

History of the Sewing Machine: A Story Stitched In
Scandal
By Stephanie at contrado.com
The history of the sewing machine is one littered with accusations, failed
attempts and some serious scandal. From narrowly escaping death to patent
law suits, it’s an interesting story that demonstrates the seam-ingly humble
sewing machine ruffled more than a few feathers in its lifetime.
A 20,000 year old art form
The history of the sewing machine wouldn’t exist without the artistry of
hand sewing. People started sewing by hand some 20,000 years ago, where
the first needles were made from bones or animal horns and the thread made
from animal sinew. Our inventive instinct explains the natural progression
to want to improve sewing techniques and make it less laborious. Cue the
Industrial Revolution in the 18th Century Europe, where the need to decrease
manual sewing in factories became paramount.
1755: The First Patent
Charles Weisenthal, a German man, was issued a British patent for a “needle
that is designed for a machine.” There’s no description in Weisenthal’s patent
of any mechanical machine, but it shows there was a need for such an invention.
1790: The First Detailed Design
The history of the sewing machine essentially starts here. A cabinet maker
from England named Thomas Saint designed the first sewing machine of its
kind. The patent described a machine powered with a hand crank to be used
for leather and canvas. Nobody knows if Saint built a prototype, but in 1874,
English engineer, William Newton Wilson found the patent drawings. They
were so detailed, he built a replica, proving that it did work.
Early 18th Century: Many Attempts, Many Fails
It’s worth mentioning that all attempts of designing a sewing machine before
the first successful one, all moved the needle side to side and were powered
with a winding handle.
1830: The First Successful Sewing Machine
Joy! 40 years since Thomas Saint first drew and described a machine for
sewing, we finally have a functioning sewing machine. Barthelemy Thimonnier,
a French tailor, invented a machine that used a hooked needle and one
thread, creating a chain stitch.
1830: A Riot & Near Death Experience
After the successful patent, Thimonnier opened the world’s first machine
based clothing manufacturing company. His job was to create uniforms for
the French Army. But when other French tailors got wind of his invention,
they weren’t too pleased. They feared his machine would result in their unemployment
so they burnt down his factory while he was still inside. Never
take your sewing machine for granted ever again; this guy almost died for it.
1834: Morals Over Money
This is an example of sticking true to your beliefs. Walter Hunt created
America’s first functioning sewing machine, but he had second thoughts.
Hunt thought such a machine would cause unemployment for many, so he
didn’t bother to patent the design. Now you see where things are going to get
messy.
1844: A Lost Patent
The sewing machines we’ve seen so far are all made up of disjointed elements,
with nothing really working together. In 1844, English inventor John
Fisher designed a sewing machine that would eliminate this disparity between
the moving parts. However, a botched filing job at the Patent Office
resulted in his patent getting lost, so he never received any recognition.
1845: Elias Howe & the Lockstitch
Elias Howe from America invents a sewing machine that resembles Fisher’s,
with some tweaks and adjustments. His patent was to invent “a process that
uses thread from 2 different sources.” His machine has a needle with an eye
at the point, which goes through the fabric creating a loop on the reverse, a
shuttle on a track that slips the second thread through the loop, creating what
is called the lockstitch.
He struggled to market his design, so he took the plunge and sailed to England.
After a lengthy stay, he returned to America only to find others had
copied his lockstitch mechanism. One of those was an Isaac Merritt Singer.
1851: Introducing Isaac Singer
Isaac Merritt Singer is one of the most well-known sewing machine manufacturers,
building an empire that is still going today. His iconic Singer sewing
machines are beautifully ornate and somewhat legendary. He developed
the first version of our modern day sewing machine, with a foot pedal and
the up-and-down needle. He was also inspired by elements from the Howe,
Hunt and Thimonnier inventions, causing Howe to file a lawsuit.
1854: A Real Stitch Up
Elias Howe took Singer to court for Patent Infringement, where he defended
his case and won. Isaac Singer tried to refer back to Walter Hunt’s design,
expressing that Howe infringed upon his idea. Unfortunately for Singer, this
didn’t have any impact at all. The lack of patent on Hunt’s design meant it
was intellectual property for anybody to use.
What’s interesting is that if John Fisher’s patent hadn’t have been filed wrong
in the Patent Office, he too would have been involved in the law suit as both
Howe and Singer’s designs were almost identical to the one Fisher created.
Consequently, Singer was forced to pay a lump sum of patent royalties to
Howe, as well as giving him a share in the I.M. Singer & Co profits.
Despite all the allegations, drama and legal disputes, Howe and Singer both
died multimillionaires, and each of these pioneering inventors gave the world
the sewing machine. Without the early failed attempts and sheer persistence
to create something that
would relieve the women
and factory workers of
long, perilous hours, who
knows what our clothing
manufacturing industry
would look like today.
The history of the sewing
machine is a complicated
one, and as a result, many
enthusiasts still debate
who can claim the title
of the real inventor. Our
stance? We’re just glad
we still don’t have to use
animal sinew and bones.
Isaac Merritt Singer’s first
sewing machine,
patented 1851.