[TheSmilingToast]

Okay guys, I'm sorry, I know it took me long enough to get this together...hectic month!!

For starters, thank you all for being so nice about the mushroom hosue! It really made my day(s)...onward!

((I know most people wouldn't, but please don't make these to sell. This is my design, and I have NO problem with you guys making these for yourself or friends or hedgies or ferrets, but just don't sell them; THANKS!))

For your mushroom hedgie-house, you will need...

~Two different colors of fleece (you wont need more than a yard of either) ((or fabric of choice...but felt stretches alotttt easier than cotton!))
~A plastic tub of some sort I used an empty (and washed) butter tub; you can use a plastic bucket or something larger, depending on the portliness of your hedge ^.^
~Hot glue gun
~Fiberfill (anything as stuffing will do...fleece scraps, and so forth)
~Piece of paper
~Marker/pencil
~Tape measure
~Sewing machine OR needle/thread...but I would defintely recommend a machine if you are short on patience...like me
~Scissors
~Pins

Here we go!

Take your tub, place it on your piece of paper, and trace the BOTTOM (which will eventually be the top) circle.

Cut this out...and don't misplace it until you are completely finished with this project...thou shalt be using it more than once.

Pin this circle to the fabric that will be the mushroom stalk and cut out, making sure to leave room for a seam allowance. (A little extra on the edges)

Now measure out how tall your tub is. Mine was actually 4'1/2 inches.

Now measure the base of your tub. Make sure to not do what I did and measure the ACTUAL BASE, not above the lip.

Taking those measurements, ADD and INCH to each, and cut out a rectangle of the mushroom-stalk-color fleece. (My measurements were 4 ½ in by 18 ½ in, so my rectangle was 5 ½ in by 19 ½ in -don't be afraid to add some extra length)

Take that rectangle and wrap it around your tub, RIGHT SIDE of the fabric facing the tub. Line up one long edge with the TOP (the former bottom of the tub, now the top of our mushroom), and pin the end edges of the rectangle together. Make sure you pull the fabric as taught as you can. The top of the mushroom tub is slightly smaller than the base, so your pin line should slant a bit. Remove the rectangle (with the pins still in!) and sew along your pin line.

Grab that circle you cut out earlier, and pin its edges to the top (skinner end) of your rectangle-now-tube. Remember, the RIGHT sides of your fabric should be facing IN. Sew along the pin line.

For the entrance…

First decide how big of a hole your hedgie needs. Then, take your piece of paper, and cut out a shape like this, the flat bottom being as wide as necessary, and the whole thing as tall as necessary (Don't make your hedgie's squeeze!) My hole was around five inches wide and five or so inches tall.

Trace this shape onto your tub, and cut out.

You should have this so far!

Almost there!

Now take your mushroom-stalk-sleeve thing, and slide it onto your tub, seams facing inward. Fold under the hem and pin, so the hem is even with the base of the tub. Pull the sleeve off carefully and sew the hem.

Take the piece of paper you traced the entrance with and place it on your fabric. Cut around this, making sure to leave about ¾ inch of fabric.

You should end up with a fabric rainbow like this The inside of the rainbow should perfectly match the piece of paper, and the outside of the rainbow should be about ¾ inch away. (I'm sorry, I know this sounds so very vague)

Now line up the bottom of the rainbow with the hem line (side note: make sure this is directly opposite from your back seam line), and pin around, RIGHT side of the rainbow against the RIGHT side of the sleeve. Now sew the INSIDE (PURPLE) edge of the rainbow to the sleeve, and cut out the fabric that is under the arc of the rainbow. (RED line) ((SAVE THE PIECE YOU CUT OUT ALONG THE RED LINE))

Place the sleeve on the tub, and line up the fabric hole with the entrance. You should have this. This rainbow flap is to be glued down INSIDE the entrance arch. Pull the rainbow into the entrance and just glue around the arch. ALSO. Now is the time to glue the bottom hem/edge of the sleeve to the base of the tub. Simply line up the edge of the tub with the edge of the fabric and glue. Be careful to wipe up any excess glue that leaks out…we don't want our hedgies chewing on it!

'Member that piece of paper you traced the top of the mushroom tub on? Take it and cut out a circle from the mushroom cap fabric.

Okay…I didn't do the math for this one very well, I mainly guessed. For the mushroom cap, you need a big circle. After it was put together, my mushroom cap top was about…15 inches across? Really whatever you want it to be size wise. So to the 15 inches I added about another 8 inches all around, so my circle was roughly…23 inches in diameter. It is really just how big or small you want it to be!

If you want mushroom spots, trace different sizes onto the alternate color fabric. Or any color…be creative! Cut these out and arrange them in the middle of you cap fabric like so…

…and either hotglue them done (so much faster) or sew them.

Now take your small green circle and pin the HUMONGO green circle to it along the edge, spots facing in. You are going to have to do some SERIOUS gathering/pleating/bunching to get it to fit! It doesn't have to be perfect! Now sew all the way around the small circle's edge, making sure you catch all the scrunched up fabric.

Now CAREFULLY cut a slit in the SMALL green circle's middle. Reach through it and turn your cap right side out. Stuff the cap through this slit with your stuffing of choice. Then put a colossal amount of hot glue on the bottom of your cap, covering the slit and the small green circle, and glue-attach the cap to the top of the stalk. lining up the green circle with the stalk-circle-top.

AND VIOLA!

Your hedgie's very own mushroom! To make the door, remember that piece you saved that you cut out from along the red line? Cut out a small circle for a 'door knob' (or window, or flower, or name tag, ect) and glue it on, and then attach the door with some glue at the top of the entrance. OR you can use Velcro, for removability.

By now you should have a lot of fleece scraps lying around...and I'm sure you know a certain hedgehog that would be tickled pink to have them, instead of throwing them away

Yay! If you have ANY questions, please ask, I know I ramble and tend to be vague! ALSO. If you make one…please post it so we can see!!

THANKS YOU GUYSES!
^.^

 

[Shelbys Mom]

That is soo cute!!

I might eventually make one.
The only thing I would do differently is somehow make it so you can take it off the tub so you an throw it in the wash.

You done a good tutorial!

 

[Alastrina]

If you've used a plastic tub, why can't it be washed in cold water and then just tumble dried on the "air" setting (no heat) or be left out to air dry?

I'm planning on putting some plastic in another hedgie craft project and this made me start thinking about it, b/c we all know our little quilly ones love to make messes...^_^

~Katie

 

[LarryT]

This tutorial is so neat and well explained even i may try this and i have no sewing skills what so ever :lol:

 

[ILOVElily]

Thank you SOOO much I've been waiting for this tutorial forever
I would never sell anything that doesn't belong to me, or isn't made by me, thats just mean, but if You were to sell these online, I'm sure u would get tons of customers
I can't wait to make Pinchita one!!!
Once again THANK YOU SO MUCH! :mrgreen: I'll post pics if I can some how make it pretty decent, lol

 

[Bengall77]

So cute! That was an excellent tutorial. I can't wait to see the ones that others make.

 

[TheSmilingToast]

Heh thanks you guys!! A note on being able to wash them; the loverly Algernon had wonderful timing and peed all over the back of his this morning. -sigh- So I had to whip out the exacto knife and peel the casing off. I WOULD SUGGEST, instead of hot gluing everything down, use velcro! Like put a strip of velcro on the base all the way around, and then the other strip on the inside of the hem...easier removal for those of us who have hedgies who are confused as to where the bathroom is. ^.^

 

[Nancy]

Your mushroom is so cute and you are great to post directions. Sadly, I can just about guarantee someone is going to copy your plans and start selling them. People are constantly copying my igloo cover and bath blankets. :x

 

[ILOVElily]

I made it!!! I am surprized it looks somewhat cozy lol. Its no where near perfect but atleast I know I can make one thesmilingtoast, I don't know how you make yours look so good and mushroomy, mine looks more like the muffin mans house or a chefs bedazzled hat :lol:
Thank-you for the tutorial, you explained everything soo well!
I decorated mine a bit differently and as you can see it has ladybugs and flowers, would those be safe? Pinchita can't reach them very easily, and she doesn't ever chew on anything that I've seen anyway, but I want to make sure its safe. I can take them of, its easy.

Pinchita tryed it out and loved it she wouldn't come out :lol:
here are some pics...

 

[ILOVElily]

Oh almost forgot, while Pinchita was down on the carpet trying out her new hide, Polly was watching her from up high on her cage making the funniest little noises, lol she would make little chirps and then kissy noises we taught her to do when she sees a dog, it was hilarious, I guess she was curious.

 

[LizardGirl]

Haha, you did a great job on yours ILOVElily! It turned out great.

 

[TheSmilingToast]

I made it!!! I am surprized it looks somewhat cozy lol. Its no where near perfect but atleast I know I can make one thesmilingtoast, I don't know how you make yours look so good and mushroomy, mine looks more like the muffin mans house or a chefs bedazzled hat :lol:
Thank-you for the tutorial, you explained everything soo well!
I decorated mine a bit differently and as you can see it has ladybugs and flowers, would those be safe? Pinchita can't reach them very easily, and she doesn't ever chew on anything that I've seen anyway, but I want to make sure its safe. I can take them of, its easy.

Pinchita tryed it out and loved it she wouldn't come out :lol:
here are some pics...

Awww, ILOVElily yours is adorable!!! And you made it so quickly! Pinchita is a lucky girl As to the ladybugs and flowers, I think it would just depend on your hedgie...does she normally like to chew on anything she can get her mouth on? If so, I'd make sure that the deco is VERY secure and out of her reach. Regardless you did a wonderful job

 

[ILOVElily]

Thanks! yup as soon as you posted the tutorial I started, I had pretty much everything, so I did it during the night, It took me like 3 hours though.
Pinchita doesn't chew and she rarely annoints with anything so I think it will be fine.
My brothers are begging me to make their guinea pigs one, would you be okay with that? It would mainly be just a mushroom without all the details, because their guinea pigs like to chew and wreck things. I explained to them that its your design and they can never sell it, or anything like that. If you don't want me to thats okay too because you know, people are gonna see it and ask about it and want one and all and they might get ideas and so on...
I'm glad you liked it
I'm probably gonna make another one for Pinchita, this one was just kind of like a test and so its not perfect, in the future I will probably donate it to some hedgie organazation

 

[TheSmilingToast]

Thanks! yup as soon as you posted the tutorial I started, I had pretty much everything, so I did it during the night, It took me like 3 hours though.
Pinchita doesn't chew and she rarely annoints with anything so I think it will be fine.
My brothers are begging me to make their guinea pigs one, would you be okay with that? It would mainly be just a mushroom without all the details, because their guinea pigs like to chew and wreck things. I explained to them that its your design and they can never sell it, or anything like that. If you don't want me to thats okay too because you know, people are gonna see it and ask about it and want one and all and they might get ideas and so on...
I'm glad you liked it
I'm probably gonna make another one for Pinchita, this one was just kind of like a test and so its not perfect, in the future I will probably donate it to some hedgie organazation

Hahah of course make your brother's guinea pigs one! I'd be very interested in how they like it! Even if I had an official copyright on it, like Nancy said earlier, people can be rude and take other people's ideas regardless =/ You might want to use a bigger tub, depending on how big the guinea pigs are. That said, I haven't seen a guinea pig in a while, so, I don't even really know what I'm talking about, lol!

 

[ILOVElily]

yep, guinea pigs are definitely longer so the tub will have to be bigger, not to mention stronger and heavier since their guinea pigs are really fast and don't take their time when it comes to going into their hide.

 

[Hedgieonboard]

You guys both did such an awesome job on your mushroom houses, I love them I would love to make one for mine and thought about putting his food and water in it since he likes to be sneaky when he eats. Ty so much Smilingtoast for sharing your wonderful pattern with us

 

[nationofamanda]

ilovelily's reminds me of a cupcake. very girlie. both of those are beautiful. hammie's hide was a modified plastic cubby, but it was nothing like these. way to go smilingtoast!

 

[itslindsay]

hahah, how about you just make me one and send it here in a box? I'll give you the amount of money it takes to make one. lol.

i want to try it but i know i would screw it all uppp.
i guess it's worth a shot. :/

 

[allisonsnickers]

I'm making one of these as soon as I get the appropriately sized bucket . I'm going to make it look kind of like Toad from the Mario series. I just couldn't get blue or peach fleece for the base because my dad didn't want to get a quarter of that as well. But I'll post pictures as soon as I can

 

[artislife]

YAY, i love this. i changed it a little to fit an igloo and it looks awesome.