Moss the Mushroom

Materials

• DK (light worsted) cotton yarn: a 50 g ball of clay red and a 50 g ball of cream is more than enough
• 2.5 mm crochet hook
• Two 6 mm safety eyes, or black yarn to embroider the eyes
• Polyester fibre fill
• Stitch marker, yarn needle, scissors

Gauge

Gauge is not critical. Work firmly enough that the stuffing does not show: roughly 24 sc × 26 rounds = 10 cm (4 in). If your fabric looks gappy, drop a hook size.

Abbreviations

• ch chain
• sl st slip stitch
• sc single crochet (US)
• inc increase: 2 sc (or 2 hdc) in the same stitch
• dec decrease: single crochet 2 together, worked as an invisible decrease (front loops only of the next 2 sts)
• MR magic ring
• st(s) stitch(es)
• Rnd round (worked in a spiral unless the pattern says to join)
• * * repeat the instructions between asterisks as directed
• ( ) the stitch count at the end of a round

Cap

Begin with clay red. The cap is worked from the top down as a flattened sphere.

1. Rnd 16 sc in magic ring(6)
2. Rnd 2inc in every st around(12)
3. Rnd 3(*1 sc, inc*) × 6(18)
4. Rnd 4(*2 sc, inc*) × 6(24)
5. Rnd 5(*3 sc, inc*) × 6(30)
6. Rnd 6(*4 sc, inc*) × 6(36)
7. Rnd 7(*5 sc, inc*) × 6(42)
8. Rnd 8(*6 sc, inc*) × 6(48)
9. Rnds 9–11sc in every st around(48)
10. Rnd 12(*6 sc, dec*) × 6(42)
11. Rnd 13(*5 sc, dec*) × 6(36)
12. Rnd 14(*4 sc, dec*) × 6(30)
13. Rnd 15(*3 sc, dec*) × 6(24)
14. Rnd 16(*2 sc, dec*) × 6(18)
15. Rnd 17(*1 sc, dec*) × 6(12)
16. Rnd 18dec × 6(6)

Stuff the cap firmly before the final rounds. Fasten off and weave the end through the last 6 stitches to close.

Stem

Change to cream. The back-loop round creates a crisp edge so the stem stands up on its own.

1. Rnd 16 sc in magic ring(6)
2. Rnd 2inc in every st around(12)
3. Rnd 3(*1 sc, inc*) × 6(18)
4. Rnd 4(*2 sc, inc*) × 6(24)
5. Rnd 5sc in back loops only in every st around(24)
6. Rnds 6–11sc in every st around(24)
7. Rnd 12(*2 sc, dec*) × 6(18)
8. Rnds 13–14sc in every st around(18)

Stuff firmly. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Spots (make 5)

Use cream.

1. Rnd 16 sc in magic ring. Sl st in the first st, fasten off and leave a tail for sewing(6)

Finishing

Sew the stem to the underside of the cap, centred, with small whip stitches. Sew the spots to the cap in a scattered arrangement. Insert the safety eyes between rounds 8 and 9 of the stem, about 6 stitches apart, or embroider them with a few stitches of black yarn. Embroider a small smile beneath.