Free Mushroom Cross Stitch Pattern (Cottagecore Mini)

There’s something about a little red-capped mushroom that makes me happy every time. So I designed a tiny one to give away. This free mushroom cross stitch pattern is a cottagecore mini, small enough to stitch in a few evenings, beginner-friendly and low in confetti, with an instant PDF download.

The short answer: the Little Mushroom Mini is a free 30 x 32 stitch pattern in 6 DMC colors, about 2.1 x 2.3 inches on 14 count aida. Join The Hearth Letter on my free patterns page to download it instantly, then finish it as a pin, a mini hoop, an ornament or a card.

New to cross stitch? My complete beginner guide walks you through your very first stitches, and this little mushroom is a lovely project to try them on.

Why I love stitching mushrooms

Mushrooms are the perfect small subject. They’re simple shapes, so they read clearly even at a few stitches tall. They come in cheerful colors. And they feel cozy in every season: woodland in autumn, fairy-tale in spring, a little bit magic all year.

They’re also one of the happiest themes in cottagecore stitching, along with little houses, frogs and wildflowers. My Cottage Mushrooms collection is full of them, from a toadstool cottage to a fairy ring by moonlight.

Meet the pattern (size, colors, files)

	Little Mushroom Mini
Stitch count	30 x 32 stitches
Colors	6 DMC colors
Difficulty	Beginner
Size on 14 count	about 2.1 x 2.3 in (5.4 x 5.8 cm)
Size on 16 count	about 1.9 x 2.0 in (4.8 x 5.1 cm)
Size on 18 count	about 1.7 x 1.8 in (4.2 x 4.5 cm)
Stitching time	a few relaxed evenings for most stitchers
Files	Color chart, black & white chart, large print chart, Pattern Keeper PDF

Like all my patterns, it’s drawn as clean color shapes and checked for stray single stitches before release, so you won’t be chasing confetti. If you’re curious why that matters, I explain it in what confetti is in cross stitch.

What you’ll need

• Fabric: a 6 x 6 inch piece of 14 count aida in white or cream. Antique white or a pale oatmeal looks lovely and woodsy too.
• Floss: the 6 DMC colors on the key. Small amounts, so check your stash first.
• Needle: a size 24 tapestry needle (blunt tip).
• Hoop: a 4 or 5 inch hoop to stitch in, so the ring sits well clear of the design.
• Small scissors, and good light.

Get the free PDF

Free PatternsBeginner

Little Mushroom Mini

Free

a little gift for you

Download the free mushroom pattern

Join The Hearth Letter and get the Little Mushroom Mini instantly, plus every other freebie in my library.

Leave this empty

Your email addressSend my free pattern

We send about two letters a month. Unsubscribe with one click.

Once you’ve signed up, the download link arrives in your inbox. The zip file contains the charts in a few versions. If you’ve not used a PDF pattern before, my Pattern Keeper and PDF pattern guide explains how to print it or open it on a tablet.

Stitching tips (red caps, white spots, details)

A few things I’ve learned from stitching lots of little toadstools:

1. Start in the center. Fold your fabric in half both ways to find the middle, and start from the center of the chart. My guide to starting without a knot shows the loop method, which is perfect with 2 strands.
2. Stitch the white spots first, then fill the red around them. The spots act as landmarks, so counting the red is easier. It also keeps fuzz from the red floss off the white.
3. Use shorter lengths of red. About 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 cm) is plenty. Long lengths of strong colors tend to fray and look fuzzy by the end.
4. Keep the back tidy behind light areas. Don’t carry red or dark brown behind the pale stem, because it shows through the white aida.
5. Add outlines and details last. Any backstitch or knots go on after all the cross stitches. My guide to backstitch and French knots shows exactly how.

Make it your own

The free pattern is yours to play with for personal use. A few easy changes:

• Swap the cap color. A warm brown or ochre gives a forest mushroom; a soft blue or lilac turns it into something from a fairy tale. Keep the spots white or cream.
• Change the fabric. On a pale blue aida it looks like a little mushroom under the sky. On dark fabric, use 3 strands so the colors stay bright.
• Stitch three in a row on a long strip for a tiny mushroom border or a bookmark.

Ways to finish it (pin, mini hoop, ornament, card)

A design this small is perfect for quick finishes:

• Mini hoop: a 3 inch hoop gives a snug, cute look on 14 count, or choose 4 inches for more breathing room. Here’s how to frame cross stitch in a hoop with a neat back.
• Brooch pin: trim close, back it with felt, and stitch or glue a pin back on.
• Ornament: sandwich it between felt, blanket stitch around the edge, add a ribbon loop. My guide to making cross stitch ornaments has several methods.
• Greeting card: use a card blank with a window cut-out, and tape the stitching behind it.

On 18 count, it’s even small enough for a necklace pendant blank or a tiny frame.

The full Cottage Mushrooms collection

If the mini gets you hooked, my Cottage Mushrooms collection has bigger, cozier designs: a toadstool cottage with glowing windows, a mushroom wreath, a snail among chanterelles, a moonlit fairy ring, and a specimen sampler.

Bundle

Cottage Mushrooms Bundle

Was $30 Now $19-37%

There’s also a mushroom forest bookmark design if you’d like a mushroom you can carry around in a book.

Happy stitching, and happy mushroom spotting.