Hat-making Tips: Wearing Fashion on Your Head

hat-making tips

Hats have been around for a long time and they are very useful to us –as well as a great fashion accessory. They can be used both in hot or cold weather since there are hats made for the summer season and there are also hats for spring as well as winter.

These days, many sewists are making their own hats either sewing by hand or with a sewing machine which is exciting since you can make your very own hat at home!  With your own choice of fabric and design, you can start wearing fashion on your head!

I've wanted to try hat-making for a long time so I put together some handy hat-making tips and tricks to get started and as usual, I'd like to share these with you.  It seems relatively easy and if many readers are interested in making hats, we'll add some hat-making patterns and projects.

Hat-making Tips

To make a hat, you must make these three basic parts: crown, sideband, and brim. Below are some helpful tips on making each part of your hat and other useful tips in developing your hat-making a success.

Tip One

When making the crown, measure your head and add half an inch.

hat-making tips

By adding this extra measurement, you are sure that the hat will fit you even after adding the seams of the brim.

Tip Two

Next thing you have to do is add the sideband.

hat-making tips

It depends on the height you want the sideband to be. If you want to wear your hat deeper, you will make a longer sideband. Of course, measuring it correctly is key.

Tip Three

After making those two parts, you are set to make the last part: the hat brim.

hat-making tips

There are many designs and styles for hat brims. Some like their brim wide, some like it thin, some also like their brim to have pretty waves in them. However you want your hat brim to be, always remember to add a seam allowance to the brim's internal part when cutting out from your pattern.

Tip Four

Make sure to sew the hat's lining, the wrong sides together. This is often forgotten, especially those who do it for the first time. By sewing the wrong side of the lining together, you will see the clean side of the finished product.

Tip Five

Always remember to do a top stitch around the side band's bottom and the brim to hold the parts together.

This will make your hat look neater and sturdier, thus it can be used for a longer period of time.

Tip Six

Don't be afraid to add some bling or other tasteful sewing embellishments to your hat. You can put sequins, faux flowers, or patches to make them more attractive and personalized.

I hope these tips will help you in making your very own hat. Pick your favorite colors so you will be wearing them with your chin up!

Would you like to see some future projects and patterns about sewing and making hats?  Please let me know in the comments below.  I really do use these comments to prioritize future projects.

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Jan
Jan

I have made a few hats that were fairly successful, some for a friend who would be losing her hair. And I do like to have a hat ready to protect from the sun and heat. I would be interested in hat patterns, supply sources, and techniques for successful sewing.

Patricia Redmon
Patricia Redmon

I would love more information about beginner hat-making 

Lexie
Lexie

I’d love a pattern. All the hats in the stores are too big for my head which is a bummer because I love wearing hats in the summertime!

Pat
Pat

would be so interested in this I have always loved hats
mainly felt ones!!

Carolyn M Richardson
Carolyn M Richardson

Would love to have hat patterns. I wear them all the time

M. Price
M. Price

Yes! I would love to get into hat making, as I have a smaller than normal head size and it’s frustrating to find a readymade hat that fits. Thank You!

Lyn Bain
Lyn Bain

Yes, formed hats is one forum I’ve wanted to master for a while

Janet
Janet

Would love hat patterns. I have carriage horses and hats are required at the shows. Especially need a pattern with a wide brim that is turned up on one side of a slanted crown.

TJ Daly
TJ Daly

These hints just tease us hat making novices! In addition to step-by-step instructions for their creation, some discussion of the best type of hat for each different face shape would be gratefully appreciated. Keep up the fabulous work. And thank you .

L wilt
L wilt

Would love a few hat patterns!

Margaret Mathura
Margaret Mathura

I have made lots of household things in the past but never attempted personal items like hats. I am interested to try a pattern.

Joan Shriver
Joan Shriver

I would love to see more instruction on making hats! I made 2 bucket hats this year and would like to expand my knowledge.

Alice Bowers
Alice Bowers

Many, many years ago I attended a sewing conference in Philadelphia. I signed up for a side trip to the garment district in New York city, there were several millinary shops and they were amazing. I collected patterns, but never made one. Would love to see what it entails and the progress of others.

Deborah
Deborah

I’ve been looking for a good pattern for a bucket hat to get started

Fernie
Fernie

I need to make a wide brimmed hat like the red one & where to purchase materials for hats. I have trouble finding hats to fit so need to try making my own but do not want them to look homemade. I worry about my skills.

Meg
Meg

Love to know more about hat making!

Adrienne Bennett
Adrienne Bennett

Most of the hats you show are made with a lot of structure underneath. Others are actually blocked hats that milliners make using wooden hatblocks. There is cotton covered millinery wire in most brims that help them keep their shape.

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member

This is true stay tuned to my small collection of patterns coming for the northern hemisphere summer.

Wanda
Wanda

I’m new to hat making and was reading about sewing curves to prevent puckers…no matter how many times I make a hat I’m still getting them????…in hats do you mark the dots the same or do you clip curves as you go? Pattern says clip but I’m not even sure I’m clipping correctly…any help would be much appreciated ????

Barbara
Barbara
Reply to  Wanda

I know one thing that’s important. Sew all seams in the same direction if possible.

judith Ottley
judith Ottley

Thank you for the tips on hat making. However, your instructions aren’t very clear. You say measure your head, is that the circumference or side to side across the top of the head?

If it is the circumference, how does one determine the piece that goes on the top of the hat, or is that determined by the shape that is required?

Also how does one determine the depth of the hat?

Karen
Karen

I’d love to see some basic hat patterns, particularly some customizable brims. Also fabric and interfacing suggestions.

Dawn
Dawn

Yes I would love some pattered for hats, I need to protect my skin from the sun, something durable that I can pack in a suitcase

Cathy King
Cathy King

I would love to make a hat out of felt.

paulette ferko
paulette ferko

Ooooh Please!! I’m a Red Hatter and would simply LOVE to be able to create my own Hats!

Isabel M. Kientz
Isabel M. Kientz

Yes please…A hat for me is necessary. I keep buying them because I have malasma on my face and it is put on a hat and sunscreen to avoid making my spots darker. It will be nice if I can make my own hat that really fits me. Thank you.

Kate Dingle
Kate Dingle

Yes pleas. I have made numerous fascinators, but a brimmed hat would be lovely.

Gillian AjayiGillian
Gillian AjayiGillian

Yes please I’m very interested in hat making

Anna
Anna

I would love to try making hats as I can never get one to fit my small head. Please can you give us some step by step tutorials?

trackback

[…] No matter what material you are using, this easy tutorial will help you sew any size of rounded shape. Some examples include; curves on rounded bags, bag or backpack bottoms, pockets, collars and hats. […]

Lynda McKenzie
Lynda McKenzie

Absolutely, yes. I make handbags and would love to expand my horizons!

Sheri
Sheri

Would love to learn how to make hats. Especially like the red one.

carol
carol

Yes, please!

Katy
Katy

Yes, Please!!

Linda
Linda

Can you please tell me what is the wire called around the brim of the red hat. I’ve been asked to make a bee hive hat. So I’m using a spare for a template, never done this before and it got a wire around the brim

Shelly Wilson
Shelly Wilson

Hat making? Yes please! Would love to make some matching accessories!