Outdoor hats - English Style

Spring could come at any moment, but it is still quite cold. If you are used to walking outside in the morning, for example, then it is better not to put away your winter coat yet. Do you still have beautiful tartan or woolen fabrics? Then you have enough time to make a beautiful and functional hat, you will enjoy wearing!

An outdoor hat
The example of a hat compared to a cap is the fact a hat is nice and warm but less itchy. A hat can be put on and off more easily and looks nicely dressed. Hats are not that difficult to make if you have already done this. If you have no experience at all in making hats and caps, we recommend this blog with easy sewing patterns and lots of tips.

How to make hats and caps!

Sewing pattern Vogue V7480
Sewing pattern Vogue V7460 has a model that is easy and very comfortable, also in everyday life. Yet it is really a hat, not a cap. We made Model B. by using the wool and felt:  English style outdoor hat. The crown of the hat (the top) is round by sewing together four pattern pieces. So you can already make this hat with small fabric leftovers. You can make the brim (edge) as big as you want. We have chosen the size on the pattern. But if you want to make the hat smaller, like the green hat in the picture below, that's fine. You can 'play' with the brim. Make it big and round, or more like a baseball cap (oval and smaller).

You can also decorate the hat yourself; an eye-catcher, for example, with a large bow, or just very modest with a leather strap or nothing at all.

How to sew the hat?
If you follow the instructions on the sewing pattern, you will be fine. You can also make it easier for yourself by making the hat in duplicate. First one of the outer fabric, then only the top of lining and the brim also made of felt. Start sewing  the parts together with the wrong side on the wrong side. You don't have to turn anything inside out or make things difficult. This is also virtually impossible because felt is much too thick. The only thing is that you will then have to finish the outer edge with a nice bias tape or an edge that you have made yourself from fabric.

For this, choose a fabric that sews around easily. A very little bit of stretch is therefore recommended, just like in jersey bias tape. For the brim of the hat (the brim) you need at least a meter of felt because you have to cut it all the way around. We recommend making the brim on the outside and on the inside of felt. Otherwise the hat will still be too loose and it will hang.

Do not make the hat too small and check the size each time by trying on the hat. Once the hat is finished, you will no longer be able to adjust it. The advantage of sewing with wool and felt is that there is some stretch and especially felt is a very fine fabric to use for a hat. You can even stretch felt a little bit, but it's better to do this very carefully so that you don't pull the fabric apart.

Summarized:
Do you feel like making a hat for a walk outside because you are getting tired of your cap? Make a nice hat out of felt and wool that is great for this transitional season. You can easily make the hat by using the sewing pattern Vogue V7460.

You do not need that much fabric, so you can also use fabric leftovers for the top of the hat. For the brim of the hat you need at least a meter of felt because you have to cut it all the way around.

Finish the hat with a nice border on the outside or a decoration on the hat. A leather belt looks cool, a large bow or flower is often very feminine.

Want to know more about hats? A review of Patricia Underwood's hats book (Patricia Underwood The Way You Wear Your Hat) will follow soon.