Polka-dot toadstool

You can’t get more classic than this red toadstool with white polka dots — the fly agaric straight out of every fairy tale! It’s a lovely simple project, great for beginners or for keeping little hands busy on a rainy afternoon. Start the cap in rounds from the top, drop the white spots in as you go, and the straight stem fills in within minutes. One square pegboard is plenty. My tip: place the thin brown line under the cap first — it marks the join with the stem clearly and keeps your mushroom from tilting sideways when you iron it. Hung on a string or propped on a shelf, it’s a sweet little hint that autumn has arrived.