Baby sun hat pattern

Grace and I have this in common: we are both experiencing our first Boston springtime. This project was inspired by a delightfully sunny Saturday, combined with the fact that around here it’s raining babies! I always need a sweet handmade gift to include in a baby shower present. I’ve made three of these hats so far, and, finding both the process and the product to make me happy, thought I would share the pattern with you.

BABY SUN HAT

6-12 months (whatever that means, the circ. is around 18″)

materials:

• c. 1/2 yd. of two cotton fabrics
• matching or coordinating thread

other info:

• 1/4” seam allowance on hat sides, 3/8” seam allowance on hat bottom and brims
• All seams are right sides together unless otherwise noted.

REVISED Aug. 2010: Get the complete PDF of the pattern here: Baby Sun Hat

Cut pieces

6- hat pieces of main fabric

6- hat pieces of lining fabric

1- 30” x 3 3/4” strip from main fabric for brim

1- 30” x 5” strip from lining fabric for brim

Sew hat top (same process for main fabric and for lining):

1. With main fabric, sew two of the hat pieces together, starting seam 1/4″ in. Add a third hat piece and stitch. You now have two halves of three sections each. Press seam allowances and topstitch.

2. Sew the two halves of the hat together. Press seam allowances and topstitch.

3. Repeat for lining.

Prepare ruffled brims (same process for main fabric and for lining):

1. Fold long strips in half with long edges together and with wrong sides together. Press.

2. Open the strips, fold in half with short edges together and with right sides together. Stitch. You know have a circle.

3. Fold newly-formed circle in half with wrong sides together on your pressed line.

4. Using a large basting stitch, stitch raw edges together at 3/8”. This line of stitching will serve as your gathering stitches and basting stitches. Make another round of basting stitches between first one and seam allowances to aid in the gathering.

5. Mark the halfway point opposite the seam, to help you in attaching to the hat top.

6. Pull bobbin threads to gather brims, distributing gather evenly.

7. Repeat for lining fabric, if you weren’t already doing them at the same time!

Attach brims to hat top:

1. Pin brim to hat top edges and distribute gather evenly. Stitch.

2. Repeat for lining.

3. Put lining hat inside main hat, with wrong sides together. Pin along the seam line, pinning frequently and ensuring that the seam lines for both the main hat and the lining hat are aligned (seam allowances go up toward hat).

4. Stitch in the ditch from the outside, removing pins and going slowly. You may also want to keep checking to make sure the lining is out of the way.

5. Line up the tops of the main hat and lining hat and take a few hand stitches to keep them together.

6. Find a willing baby to model completed hat. Admire.

If you stitch very carefully your hat is reversible!