I'm going on vacation to a national park in a few days. We will be doing a lot of hiking and outdoor activities. My MIL was told by her doctor to start wearing hats since sun related damage runs in her family. I figured I'd whip up one for each of us for vacation.
This is mine. I found the wonderful vintage fabric at a yard sale! I even have enough left over to whip up a hat or 2 for friends.
The pattern is vintage inspired as well. I used some measurements from online, but the construction of the hat was all my way. No pattern. I top stitched around mine 5 times so the brim lays nice.
This is the hat for the MIL. A more subtle print. Nice light fabric so the head won't get hot. This one only needed to be top stitched around 3 times.
A pic of both hats in the grass. These were so much fun I plan to whip up a few more!
Edited to insert tutorial
I had a chance to whip up the tute today! If anyone has any issues or questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to further explain any steps. It is pretty straight forward I hope!
Here is the pattern pieces I made for the pattern. The crown of the hat (the circle) is a circle with a 7 and 3/4 inch diameter. The band of the hat (long strip) is 23 inches long by 5 inches wide. The hat brim is 25 inch arch and 15 and a 1/2 inches from edge to edge with the other half circle cut out.
Cut out pieces. 1 crown, 1 band, 2 brims, and 1 brim out of interfacing.
Cut the brim with the 2 small parts on the fold.
Now iron (if you are using iron on interfacing) or baste your interfacing to the wrong side of 1 of your hat brims.
Layer the 2 hat brims, one with interfacing, right sides together and sew around the outer edge.
I then use a pinking shears to trim my seam, but if you don't have one you can always trim with a regular scissors and clip the curves.
Turn the brim right sides out and press around the outer seam to make it lay flat.
Fold your brim in half and trim the inner circle so that everything is nice and even.
Now top stitch around the outer circle of your hat. It depends on your fabric and how you want it to look. I go around 4 times on this hat, but on the other hats I went around 3 and 5 times. This is up to you, but it makes the brim lay nice.
I use the width of my sewing foot for the spacing of the topstitching.
Now your brim is finished. Set it aside for later.
Fold the strip (hat band) in half right sides together and sew down the 2 sides making a loop.
Press the seam open.
Press the strip into quarters so you have 3 creases and your seam as guide lines for the next step.
Fold and press creases into the circle (crown of the hat) as well.
Match the creases of the strip and circle and pin at each crease right sides together.
Now bring the circle to meet the edge of the strip and pin the rest of the way around. You may have a bit of gather, but it is fine.
Now you will have something that looks like this.
Sew around that seam. Remove pins, and trim down seam with pinking shears or regular scissors and clip curves.
Now pin right sides together the cap of the hat and the brim. I like to hold it together and pin around making a slight pleat at the back of the hat. This way you know the back from the front and it fits around perfectly.
It will look like this when it is all pinned.
Sew around that seam being careful not to catch more of the hat than the hat band and brim.
Trim down the seam with a pinking shears or regular scissors. Try your hat on. If it is a bit big you can sew around this seam again further into make it tighter.
If you want the inside to look more finished you can iron on some iron on seam binding or hand stitch some in. I find the seam on the inside doesn't bother me so I don't do this step.
Now you have a finished hat to keep the sun out of your eyes and look fab!
