Monday, March 18, 2019

Reversible Toddler Bucket hat

Doing some sewing for my grandkids with this fabulous "Hungry Little Caterpillar" print. First things first fabric auditions:
The caterpillar and cupcakes are on white, lots of colours to choose from.
 Batiks
 Yellow and rainbow batik
 Rainbow batik one side and cupcakes the other.
 Or mix them up?
No did not mix them up.
 Size small for our two year old granddaughter.
The free pattern (update January 2021 pattern is no longer free) has templates from xsmall to large size.  There is a step by step tutorial as well.  I followed the instructions in the pattern, made the hat then checked out the tutorial.  The tutorial added a step of stay stitching the top edge of the hat sides before clipping the seam allowance to fit the top circle and stay stitching the top of the brim before clipping to fit bottom of the sides of hat.  This was is a good added step.  According to the instructions in the pattern and tutorial you make the brim then clip the seam allowance to fit the bottom sides of the hat.  Next stitch sides A of hat to brim with right sides together.  Then press 1/2" edge wrong sides together of side B pin side B to brim in place matching the side seams.  Hand stitch hat B to brim then top stitch to secure it.  I eliminated the hand stitching part, just topstitched hat top B to the brim.  
My daughter suggested chin straps.  Introducing "Ball Head" my toddler hat model. 
The straps are two inches wide and 8 inches long.  I sewed 1/4" seam allowance, clipped the corners and turned it.  Edge stitch the length and ends of the straps.
 It fastens under the chin with velcro hook and loop tape.
 
 Buttonholes to transfer the straps to the other side. 
Version 2.0  I sewed rainbow batik hat A and hungry caterpillar with cupcakes hat B separately as two hats. 
Attached the chin straps to hat A.
Then put one hat inside the other right sides together, stitch the bottom of the brim all the way around leaving a two-inch gap to turn the hat.  
Wrong side view of hat before turning.
Clipped the seam allowance close except the turning gap.  
After turning the hat right sides out, the brim seam was finger pressed, then pinned in place before pressing with a steam iron.  Next, I opened up the turning gap to clip the seam allowance of the turning gap before edge stitching all around the bottom of the brim, which closed the turning gap.  Next top stitch rows 1/4" apart to finish brim.  Then make buttonholes for the chin straps.  Lastly, sew the velcro hook and loop tape to the chin strap ends.   Bucket hat version 2.0 is completed. 
 
 Hat A Version 2.0 has more pink and less blue.
 
 Brim down? Brim Up? 
After I finished this hat I realized I forgot to edge stitch lengths and ends of the chin straps like I did in Version 1.0.  Ooops.  The straps look more finished with the edge stitching.  Hat making is fun.  For me it was much easier to sew hat A and hat B separately first as I did in Version 2.0 instead of following the instructions in the pattern and tutorial.