Fancy Cocktail Hat

How to Make Your Own Hat Form

If you are not finding the hat form shape you want or you just want to make a totally unique hat that no one else will have, here is a quick and easy way to make your own hat form.

To learn how to do the various hand stitches used in this project, check out these videos:
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/122942_benefits-of-hand-sewing.htm

Materials and Tools:

• 1/4 yard medium weight buckram
• Wire coat hanger or length of wire of a similar gauge
• Coordinating thread
• Hand-sewing needle
• Pins
• Scissors
• Wire cutters
• Duct tape or clear packing tape
• Paper and pencil

Make a Hat Form:

1. Decide on the shape of your hat form.
   You can play around by cutting out different shapes from paper and placing them on your head to see if you like the size and shape of the hat form. You will use this paper shape as your pattern.
2. Make the wire hat form base.
   Measure along the outside edge of your hat form pattern and add 2" to that measurement. Cut a length of wire to this measurement. Bend the wire to follow your pattern shape and overlap the ends by about 2". Wrap the tape tightly around the ends of the wire, being sure to cover both of the sharp wire ends with the tape. Depending on how big your hat form is and where you will be wearing it on your head you may need to slightly bend your hat form to follow the curve of your head.
   
3. Cut out buckram to cover your form.
   Using your paper pattern, cut out 2 pieces of buckram that are 3/4" larger on all sides than your pattern.
4. Cover the wire base with buckram.
   Sandwich your wire hat form base between the 2 pieces of buckram. Pin entirely around the wire form so that it is centered in the buckram layers. Sew a backstitch around the OUTSIDE edges of the wire base. Remove the pins.
5. Finish the edges of the buckram hat form.
   Trim ONLY ONE LAYER of buckram seam allowance down to 1/8". YOU WILL WANT TO TRIM THE SIDE THAT WILL BE AGAINST YOUR HEAD. Fold the top layer of the buckram seam allowance over to cover the 1/8" seam allowance; you will be wrapping the seam allowance around the wire. Backstitch the seam allowance down; you should be backstitching around the INSIDE of the wire base. To make the corners neat you will need to clip into the OUTSIDE seam allowance layer and overlap where necessary so the seam allowance lays flat.
   

That's it! You are ready to go and cover your hat form with whatever snazzy fun stuff you want!

Links

• Lacis
  Hat-making supplies
• Hand Sewing Stitches videos