Friday, October 5, 2012

Boba Fett Fleece Hat Pattern



This is the second hat I've put together for the Star Wars event I'm doing with my local craft group. And what better character to focus on than Boba Fett! Enjoy!


Step 1: Download the Images and print to 8.5"x11" (you may have to scale things)
Step 2: Cut out the paper pieces to serve as your pattern
Step 3: Aquire Fabric/Materials

You'll Need:
1/2 yds Green Fleece
1/2 yds Black Fleece
Scraps of Red Fleece
Coordinating threads (I used Black and Grey)
Sewing Needle or Machine

Step 4: Pin the paper pattern pieces and cut out the fabric. Check which direction your fabric is the most stretchy, and use the indicator arrows to help line up your pattern for maximum stretch-ability.
For the "Earflap Band" use Green Fleece. You'll either fold the fabric, and place the indicated edge up to the fold, or cut 2 mirror imaged pieces out, leaving about 1/4" extra seam allowance at the edge that says "Fold". This should be white. If you're going to line your hat (which I highly advise) repeat this cutting on the fabric that you'd like to line the earflap band. (I chose white fleece again)
For the "Crown" piece, cut 6 identical pieces from the green fleece. If you're lining your hat, cut another 6 pieces out of the lining fabric (I used Black fleece for the lining).

Now, take one of the green “Crown” Pieces that you had cut out. This will be your front panel. Take the “Front Panel Cut-Out” and line it up with the bottom edge and sides as indicated. Cut along the lines and trash the green cut out.  Take the “Front Panel Cut-Out” pattern piece again, and cut out a piece of red fleece.  Keep these pieces together with a pin, or sew them immediately.

Take 2 more green “crown” pieces to be your side panels. Line the “Side Panel Cut out” Pattern piece up with the green “crown” pieces, as high up as you can before the piece starts to taper to a point, This should line up with where you cut out the piece on the front panel, approximately. Cut out the “Side panel cut outs” and trash that piece of green fleece. Then use the same pattern piece, to cut two rectangles from red fleece. Pin the 3 pieces that make up each “side panel” together, or sew immediately.
Cut out the applique pieces from black fleece.

Step 5: Assemble the 4 pieces of your front panel, and the 3 pieces of each side panel. Make sure to have right-sides facing when seaming any 2 pieces together. Next, take the black Applique pieces, and top stitch them on top of the red fleece. The red and black fleece might hang over the edges a bit, and that is fine.

Step 6: Assemble the crown by taking the front-panel and one side-panel and placing them right-sides together. Stitch up the pinned side towards the point. Repeat this with the other side panel. After these 3 panels are assembled, grab another crown piece, put it right-sides together with one of those pieces, and stitch again. Always make sure you have right-sides together, putting your seams on the wrong-side. Repeat this process until all 6 pieces of the crown are connected and make up the top of the hat.
Next, Take your earflap band and fold it in half with right-sides facing (or if in 2 pieces, simply place right-sides together). Seam up the short end(s).
Now, place your completed crown piece into the completed ear-band, with right sides facing. Make sure to line-up the back seam of the earflap band with the center of the back panel of the hat. The ear-flap parts should be facing away from the seam you're about to sew. Stitch the ear-flap band all around, connecting it to the crown.

Voila! You just made a hat! If you're going to make a lining, repeat step 6  for the assembly of the crown panels and earflap band.

Step 7: Attach the lining. Turn the outside of the hat inside-out, and add the lining inside of it so that the right-sides are touching. Pin all around the earflappy side of the ear-flap band. Begin stitching about 1" to the right of the back seam, and stitch all the way around until you are about 1" from the back seam again. Use this gap to turn the hat right-sides out. Tuck and tug until it looks like a hat again, and then stitch your gap closed.

Step 8: Enjoy your super-awesome Boba Fett Fleece Hat!!!


Thursday, October 4, 2012

R2D2 Fleece Hat Pattern

Yes, Ladies and Gents, here it is! Since everyone want to wear a hat fashioned after their favorite droid, I've got the pattern for you!





Step 1: Download the Image and print it 8.5"x11" (you may have to scale things)
Step 2: Cut out the paper pieces to serve as your pattern
Step 3: Aquire Fabric/Materials

You'll Need:
1/4- 1/2 yds White Fleece
1/4yds Blue Fleece
Scraps of Red Fleece
Scraps of Black Fleece
Coordinating threads (I used Black and White)
Sewing Needle or Machine

Step 4: Pin the paper pattern pieces and cut out the fabric. Check which direction your fabric is the most stretchy, and use the indicator arrows to help line up your pattern for maximum stretch-ability.
For the "Earflap Band" use White Fleece. You'll either fold the fabric, and place the indicated edge up to the fold, or cut 2 mirror imaged pieces out, leaving about 1/4" extra seam allowance at the edge that says "Fold". This should be white. If you're going to line your hat (which I highly advise) repeat this cutting on the fabric that you'd like to line the earflap band. (I chose white fleece again)
For the "Crown" piece, cut 6 identical pieces from the white fleece. If you're lining your hat, cut another 6 pieces out of the lining fabric (I used Blue fleece for the lining).
Cut 3 circles out, 2 in black fleece and 1 in red fleece.
Cut your squares/rectangles out of blue fleece. I used the pattern piece to cut 2 square-ish pieces and 2 smaller rectangles (though I only ended up using one). I also cut 2 rectangles that were approx 2"x4".

Step 5: Assemble! Take 2 of your crown pieces, and place them right-sides together, and stitch up one side up towards the point. Grab another crown piece, put it right-sides together with one of those pieces, and stitch again. Always Make sure you have right-sides together, putting your seams on the wrong-side. Repeat this process until all 6 pieces of the crown are connected and make up the top of the hat.
Next, Take your earflap band and fold it in half with right-sides facing (or if in 2 pieces, simply place right-sides together). Seam up the short end(s).
Now, place your completed crown piece into the completed ear-band, with right sides facing. Make sure to line-up the seams at the back of the hat. The ear-flap parts should be facing away from the seam you're about to sew. Stitch the ear-flab band all around, connecting it to the crown.

Voila! You just made a hat! If you're going to make a lining, repeat step 5 all over again with the lining pieces.

Step 6: Decorate! Take the outside of the hat (as opposed to the lining) and pin on all of the Applique pieces that you want to use. You can either top-stitch these on with a machine (I did this using black thread) or hand-stitch them on.

Step 7: Attach the lining. Turn the outside of the hat inside-out, and add the lining inside of it so that the right-sides are touching. Pin all around the earflappy side of the ear-flap band. Begin stitching about 1" to the right of the back seam, and stitch all the way around until you are about 1" from the back seam again. Use this gap to turn the hat right-sides out. Tuck and tug until it looks like a hat again, and then stitch your gap closed.

Step 8: Enjoy your super-awesome R2D2 Fleece Hat!!!

Want it in a different size? Here's how to custom size it!!!

Measure around your head, just above the ears. Use this number as your circumference or "C", mine was 22". Measure from the top of where the hat will be on your head, down to your hairline. This will be your depth or "D", mine was 6". Now measure how tall your ear is, thats going to be "E", and mine was about 3".

See where my pattern has 11" for the width of the earband (when folded in half)? That measurement for you should be 1/2 of C. For the height of the earband, use E, and for the ear flap portion, use E plus 1-1.5".

If you take C and divide it into 6 equal segments, adding a smidge for seam allowance, you'll get the width of each crown piece (Mine was 3.5"). Use D to determine how tall your crown pieces should be, and make sure the top point is always 60 degrees. I found 60 degrees by taking a circle, folding it in half, then folding it into thirds. Each of the 6 slices is a 60 degree angle, and you can trace this to make the top of the point.

The applique pieces aren't very specific for size, so see if they still fit. If not, its very easy to trim them down or simply add more!