Nice Hat!

I love this hat.  I made it last year.  I like to wear a hat in summer to keep the sun off my head and neck, partly to prevent sunburn but also cuz dang it, hats are cute!  And this hat is really nice.  I'm proud of the job I did.  It turned out very well.

Hats like this become popular every now and then.  In the 1970s we wore hats like this, usually hand made and often with a flower pin or some other decoration attached to the upturned brim.  My friend wore one when we went to Europe on a choir tour.  I had one a few years before that I made in high school.  Lots of my friends had hats like this they either bought or made themselves.

I had some problems making this hat.  I found the pattern at this popular web site.  There were some missing links in the instructions, mostly with how to put the pattern pieces together.  They print out on separate sheets of paper, part of the pattern on each one, and it's a bit challenging to get the pieces all lined up and taped together so you can cut out a cohesive pattern template.  If you decide to make this hat be sure to read all the comments (there are many) as they contain valuable information about how to put the pattern together and how to make the hat.  Also, be sure to test-fit the pattern to your head before cutting your fabric as the pattern seems to run pretty large.

You can also buy a commercial hat pattern (look in the craft or accessories section of the pattern catalog) or find other patterns on line.  Search for floppy hat, sun hat, free pattern, and just keep looking until you find the one you like best.  Some sites show you how to draft your own pattern, others provide a pattern for you, sometimes for free.  Here's a google search to get you started.

I recommend using a fairly heavy interfacing in the brim.  I used a very light interfacing and eventually took the hat apart, inserted a stiffer interfacing and sewed the hat back together - not a pleasant adventure - but in fact the hat came out better than before.  You may also wish to use a light interfacing in the crown.  I did not but I'm pretty sure the hat would benefit from it.

I also sewed rows of top stitching around the perimeter of the hat brim.  This gives a quilted look and also ensured the interfacing stays put - something to consider even if you are using iron on interfacing (which I did not).  The iron on adhesive can wear away after repeated washings and the interfacing might shift.  Or not.  It's really up to you and how long you plan to wear the hat and how often you may wash it.  I plan to wear mine forever.  That's how much I like it!

Quotable quotes; in the category Home Is Where I Hang My Brain

"He can't think without his hat."  Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot