The Martha Stewart Show

Toadstools, Pt. 2

The Martha Stewart Show

Martha and in-house crafter Kristin St. Clair make adorable toadstools. Part 2.

Toadstools

These adorable woodland toadstools are a comfortable and unique form of seating.

Tools and Materials
15-inch disc of 1/2-inch plywood
15-inch circle of 6-inch high-density foam
Glue gun and glue sticks
Electric knife
Polyfil low-loft polyester batting
Staple gun
30-inch circle of red felt
Fabric
Wool roving
Felting needles
13-inch foam disc
Grey, black, and white acrylic paint
Paint brush
Tree stump
Drill with countersink bit
Screws

Toadstool How-To
1. Begin by gluing the 15-inch circle of 6-inch high-density foam to the plywood. Use electric knife to shave off the top edge of the circle to create a domed top.

2. Cut a circle of "polyfil" low-loft polyester batting 6-inches larger all around than the plywood. Place foam circle dome-side down on batting. Pull batting around to the flat side and staple in place, placing each staple opposite the last one.

3. Place batting-covered mushroom head dome-side down on a 30-inch circle of red felt. Pull fabric very tautly around to disc and staple in place as you did with the batting. Start to trim excess felt.

4. Take a length of wool roving and, in your hand, twist it into a circle the size you want your dot to be. Place roving circle on mushroom cap. Stab it a few times with a felting needle to tack in place. Poke repeatedly with a felting needle to mesh the wool roving with the wool felt, shaping the wool roving into a circle as you work.

5. Paint the 13-inch disc with grey acrylic paint that has been tinted with a touch of black and a touch of white, but not thoroughly mixed to create a gradation of color. Place disc painted-side down on a tree stump that is about 4 inches smaller in diameter than the disc.

6. Flip mushroom cap upside down, and place stump with disk centered over it. Drill a hole (using a countersink bit) in the center of the overhang of the disc, and use a screw to secure. Repeat two more times to secure in place.

Resources
The foam used on today's show is from Economy Foam and Futon, 212-475-4800. Wool felt can be purchased onaetnafelt.com. Wool fibers and felting needles can be found on halcyonyarn.com/martha.html. The wood stump used on today's show is from Dry Nature, 212-695-8911. An electric knife may be purchased onbedbathandbeyond.com. Polyfil batting can found at any notions or quilting store.

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The Martha Stewart Show

Toadstools, Pt. 2

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