Tutorial Tuesday - Fun, felted, & funky hat!

It's been a while since i've done a tutorial! I bought a hat at a garage sale that I loved, so I created a pattern loosely based off of the design (don't worry, I didn't copy it... it is my own). I don't know how to make online patterns to scale (i'll have to give that a try one day when I have some extra time), so pictures & loose measurements will have to do! Below are the pieces you will need. With the headband, you have 3 ways to make it... 2 pieces sewn at either end then folded over (what I did in this tutorial), one long piece sewn & folded over, or the ribbing from a sweater. You will also need some seams (seams from the sweater/sweaters) for the tassels (sorry, forgot to add the seams in the first picture).


Take half of your seam pieces & place them in the center of one side piece and fold it in half, "wrong" side out. I suggest leaving the seams long... you can always cut them shorter when you are done.


Now fold your middle piece in half, wrong side out, and see where the top of the fold meets with the side. Sew up from where the fold meets (on mine that is the top of the green stripe, where I put the safety pin).


Now you can sew the open part of the side to the middle piece (where it is pinned in the picture below).


Repeat that with the other side, and it should look like the picture below. Now you are ready to put your headband on. I sewed the 2 pieces of headband together & flipped it inside out, so it is ready to sew on the hat.


Now fold your headband in half (unless you are using ribbing with a finished edge & don't need to), so the right side is out (no seams showing) and the edges are together. Place the headband on the inside of the hat (should still be inside out), and sew the 3 unfinished edges (2 if you have a finished edge) together. If you have a smaller head, or are making this for an older child, you can make a smaller band and just stretch it evenly as you sew it onto the hat. It will pucker a little when laying flat, if you do this, but will look fine once it's on the child's head.


Flip your hat right side out, and voila! Cute hat!


I liked making these so much, that i'll be selling them at my next show, Fiber in the Park, and i've already made a bunch.

As most of you know, I am not photogenic, but I wanted to show some things you can do with the hats (they are so much cuter in person!). As is...


... tie the 2 ends together to make a ski cap like hat with tassels (I know.. I should have taken a picture of the back!), or tie the tassels into little "buns" for a cute look...


Let me know if you make one & how it turned out! Please feel free to post pictures on my Facebook page (link in sidebar). I love seeing your finished recycled wool projects!