Winter Hat with Faux Fur Trimming FREE Pattern & Tutorial

A winter hat with faux fur trim will be the perfect accessory for those cold winter days ahead.  The amount of fur you will need is very little, which makes this the perfect project if you have never worked with fur before.  This is a super cool and adorable winter hat.  I promise you that it will make a very nice present for Christmas or a great accessory addition to your wardrobe.

I am using ribbing fabric for the cap and the brim, but this is the perfect opportunity to upcycle an old sweater that you do not like and transform it into a winter hat.  No fur for the band? No problem, use fleece instead.

Key Features:

• Elegant fur trim framing the face
• Perfect hat for a day on the snow, sky lodge hangout or a windy day
• Casual yet elegant
• Very easy on the making and the budget
• Opportunity to upcycle an unloved sweater

Tools

• Sewing machine
• Walking foot (optional)
• Long sewing pins
• Sharp scissors or cutting knife
• Tailor's chalk or marker
• Tailor's ham or rolled towel.
• Jersey needle size 14.  (Click HERE to learn all about sewing machine needles.)

Fabric Requirements:

• One (1) piece of faux fur of 22 3/4″ by 4″ (or Double knit or Fleece)
• One (1) piece Ribbing 22 3/4″ by 4″
• One (1) piece Ribbing 23″ x 8″

Recommended Fabrics

Winter Hat Trim

Winter Hat Body

Pattern Download

Download the Free Pattern

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Pattern Download

Finished Garment Measurements

22″ diameter by 7″.

Step One: preparing the fabrics for your winter hat

We will be using imitation, fake, fun or faux fur and ribbing as it is known.  For the ribbing, you can use any knitted fabric you can find or simply repurpose an old sweater or cardigan. Before you start cutting the fur if you have never worked with fur, I recommend you read tips to working with fur.  This article will give you the necessary background to be successful in working with fake fur.

One of the most important details of working with fur is to know the direction of the nap (picture below).  Against the direction of the nap.

Step Two:  cutting the fur

Follow the pattern markings for the direction of the nap.  Turn the fur side down and mark the nap direction with a marker or a sharp tailor's chalk.  Do not worry, the mark will not be seen on the other side.  Insert the tip of the scissor under the knitted part of the imitation fur and cut.  Cut a couple of centimeters at a time.  This can be time-consuming but it will guarantee the preservation of the length of the hairs.Pin the sides using long pins and pushing the hair down as much as you can between the jersey.
Sew at 3/8″.

Step Three:  cutting the fabric

Cut a piece of ribbing or double knit fabric making sure the stretch of the fabric is horizontal.  If you are repurposing a sweater, place the pattern on the belly area and add 3/8″ to the pattern where the fold line marking is located.  Alternatively, you can use one of the side seams of the sweater and just cut the pattern using the fold line.

If you have bought ribbing, follow the pattern instructions for the stretch of fabric.  Zigzag the edges and sew a stay stitch at 1/4″ from the edge.  This is to prevent the ribbing from over stretching and losing the shape.

For even more information on sewing sweater knits, please check out the great article by one the real experts in the field:  Sewing Sweater Knits.

Step Four: sewing the fur to the winter hat brim

Pin the ribbing to the fur on the opposite side of the nap direction as illustrated above.  Sew at 3/8″ using a big stitch.  My machine is able to handle the thickness of the project, however, you might have to adjust the feed dog height.  If after making all these adjustments you still have difficulty sewing the hat you may have to use a walking foot. This is what the underside looks like.  You can not see the stitches on the other side due to the color of the thread.  I'd often use contrasting color for a better example, but I am planning to use the hat, so I do not want to make a sample that no one will use;)
We are going to topstitch the seam allowance.  The fur side will lie flat, while the ribbing side will fold up while you are wearing the hat.

Step Five: sewing the crown of the hat.

I am using a thick ribbing fabric which unravels very easily so I have to manipulate it as little as possible.  Start by pinning the peaks of the hat to shape it into a dome.  Pin and stitch at 3/8″ seam allowance. Zigzag the seam allowance or use your serger.  Continue pinning and sewing until you have sewn all the peaks. Close the side of the hat by pinning and sewing the side at 3/8″ and align with the stitch row on the other side.  To find it fold the hat in half and it will be the one that aligns with the side seam.  Sew at 3/8″ making sure all the seams are flat. 

Press the seams to one side using your tailor's ham.  Please use a bit of steam and a pressing cloth to make the seams lay flat.  If you are using wool as I am, work the fabric on the proper wool setting on your iron.

Step Six: attaching the brim to the hat.

This is the tricky bit of the tutorial, and it is all because of the nap pile of the fur.  Place the cap right side out with the edges folded upwards.  Place the brim with the fur on the outside of the cap.  Notice how the edges of the cap have stretched out a bit.  This was caused by me handling the fabric too much.  I was careless.  However, it is jersey and the stitching line is only 3/8″.  Before I sew I have to see if the size has changed.  The way to check is to measure the edge, then measure the pattern if it has changed, take in the difference at the side seam. The fur will be sandwiched between the 2 layers of ribbing. We will need to join the three layers of fabric (two layers of ribbing and one of jersey) while not sewing the long hair.

By pushing the long hairs down, you will be able to see the down hair shown here on the picture below.  Right under the down hair is the jersey.  We will catch the down and hair with the jersey, while avoiding the long hair.

Pin at an angle with long pins.  Sewing all these layers will be a challenge for your machine.   Here is where you might need a walking foot.  If you do not have a walking foot, start by using a large zigzag to catch all the layers of fabric.  

Then sew the three layers at 3/8″.  Zigzag with a large stitch, but do not trim the edge.  You will have caught a few hairs here and there.  Pull the hairs gently back out of the seam allowance to return  the hairs to the nap pile underneath using a long needle.  The last step is to topstitch the seam allowance at 1/4″ so it lies flat. Use a zigzag stitch. 

Give your winter hat one last steam with the iron and a cloth and you are ready to wrap this baby for a wonderful gift.  This is an easy and fast hat to make, in an hour you will have a wonderful accessory that is sure to last you or your loved ones for many winters to come.

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