Today's tutorial comes from last week's SYTYC entry for the "recycled" theme. I loved this theme and had a hard time narrowing down options. I think refashioning and upcycling is ridiculously fun.
In fact, a little over a year ago I started storing all the old worn-out clothing I had. I love to re-use and transform items in that pile. For this project I pulled out a bunch of old t-shirts and turned them into boy hats. I have a bit of an obsession with boys in hats.
I was able to utilize different parts of the shirts to make the hats more interesting.....button strips....
....and already existing graphics from the shirts.
Then I added a little messy-fun-boyish-look with some easy handstitching.
Depending on the t-shirts you use, this could totally be done in a girly way as well. The hats were easy and fun to make. So.....let's get to the how-to.
You can make these hats pretty warm, by using more than one layer on each pattern part or you can make them more autumn-like and thinner with just one layer of fabric on each part. As all of the fabrics are knits, we will use a zigzag stitch everytime we sew anywhere. Alright?
Here is a basic drawing that will help you understand the three parts that make up the hat.
First, start with a rectangle that will become the top of the hat. The width of the rectangle should be the circumference of your child's head. The smaller hat I made was about 17 inches and fits about a one year old. The larger hat was 20 inches and fits a 5-7 year old. Just wrap that measuring tape around his noggin before you start. (My boys happen to have massive heads. I birthed them, so that fact is very apparent and memorable to me.) The height of the rectangle depends on the size hat you're making. The small one I made 4 inches tall and the large one was 5 inches.
Now that you have your rectangle cut, make marks with a pencil along the top to divide it into fourths. From those marks cut down about 3 inches as shown.
Now mark the middle of those flaps with a pencil and cut curved lines as shown in the drawing above. You'll make the top look like the top of four footballs. You can see what I mean by looking at the picture below, but the lines should actually be a bit more curved. (This one was my first try that didn't turn out perfectly.) Now sew the flaps togther to create a dome. Be sure the seams all go on the inside.
Now on to part two. This next rectangle should be the same width as your first rectangle. Height-wise, you have 2-3 inches to play with here. If you want the hat to fit tightly, probably just 2 inches. If you don't mind it being a bit floppy on top, then you could do 3 inches. Use whatever fabric combos you like. Use as many or as little stripes as you want. You can sew the strips together so that the hem is on the outside of the hat or so that it's hidden. Whatever floats your boat. I did it both ways.
For part three you can click HERE to download and use this free printable PDF file. When the fabric is folded in half lengthwise it will look like part three in the drawing above and the PDF file. The flap is in the middle and the fold of your fabric should be on the right side where the pattern says "front."
After cutting this out, sew it to part 2 and then sew the ends together creating a closed into a loop. Then sew that to part 1. Now you've finished the basic structure of the hat.
Everything else is about the fun boy embellishing. The first thing I did was to cut long strips of knit fabric about an inch wide and I sewed them on as edging. I did not make this fancy bias tape. I merely folded the fabric over the edge and sewed it with a contrasting color of thread. If it's not looking perfect - don't sweat it. You can always trim the edging up once you've sewn it on to make it look nice and even. Just make sure you're sewing through the edging on top and underneath as you get going.
Lastly, I got out my embroidery floss and had some fun. This part is super easy and makes a world of difference. I did some messy stitches over one of the seams and then stitched a star on the smaller hat.
I cut two chevron shapes out and used a fusible adhesive (like heat 'n bond or wonder under) to attach them to the hat. Then I outlined them with my floss and stitched a little bit by the button strip as well, to keep it together.
That's it! Woo-hoo! Who doesn't love a fun boy project? Once you get the hang of it you'll be whipping them out in no time flat. Bring on the cold weather! You're ready!
121 comments:
I love this so much! I can't wait until my kids nap today to try it! I've been making Lil Blue Boo hoodies and dresses, so I'm thinking I can make hats to match them, using the leftover scraps. Thanks for the tutorial!
Tania
OK... seriously! This is one of the CUTEST things I've seen for boys! Would you consider selling these? I've got so many pots on the fire right now... I don't know that I would be patient enough for this one. What would you charge if I sent you the shirts?
This is GENIOUS!
Wow, these hats are just darling! thanks for the tutorial. I always look forward to reading your blog - such great ideas.
Those are ridiculously cute! I love the stitching and patterns. I must have some for my boys!!!
These turned out so great. I have a pile of shirts that need to be repurposed. This seems like a great project to add to the list. I love the handstitching!
Very cool! I have a ton of the kids' old clothes I need to sort through and this would be a fun project - creating a special item out of several favorites.
WOW! This is one of my FAVE projects of yours - I LOOOVE this!!!
Wow these are so cool... I have four boys and I could see them in these.. you are amazing, thank you for sharing
perfect! I just went through the boys' clothes and pulled out stained things that needed to be renovated, looks like we are making hats this week! especially since its 38 degrees here this morning! You could totally do this for adult boys too!
What a great idea!!! I am going to have to make a few for my little munchkins! Thanks!
I love these hats! I saw this on SYTYAC and totally knew it was your "thing". You have such a cool style, especially for boy stuff. LOVE IT!
What a great project, I love the floss it add so much interest to the hat. I do not sew, but I think that I have to give this a try!
wow, these are great, love all the details you put into it. And they look so cool, like they really love wearing them, always a good thing!
These are super cute hats! I want one too :)
Just Better Together
so cute!! what a fun and different project than I've seen in a while. I'm totally gonna make my kids these! thanks!!
I love an upcycled hat! My girls get ugly-sweater-turned-awesome-earflap-hats every winter!
wow! those are awesome!
Totally going through the boys' dresser drawers...this is my project tonight. LOVE boy patterns! Thanks!
These are so cute Cheri! I love how unique you can make them!
I love this!!! I have such a hard time at Christmas with my 2 tween nephews...this will be PERFECT!!!!! I'm so excited!
These hats are amazing! and if I didn't get so frustrated with sewing, I would def. be making them... sooooo cute! What a great idea!
http://jeansandatshirtmom.blogspot.com/
Seriously can you just do anything?! Another great project! Kudos!
Get OUT! These are fab-u-lous. Love love love...
Cheri - I LOVED these when I saw them on SYTYC - so excited to finally get the tutorial! :)
following you now..thanks for the great tips!
I love these. I think I'm going to have to make an adult sized version on my next day off. Maybe add a brim. The detailing you do is fantastic. What kind of needle do you use with the floss? I recently used a needle with floss on an art canvas and it was a bear, so your input would be greatly valued.
OHHH my girl - I'm in love! Making these right now! Right now - no kidding! Thanks !!!!!
OHHH my girl - I'm in love! Making these right now! Right now - no kidding! Thanks !!!!!
I LOVE these! My little girl loves hats. I have some old t-shirts and I'm definately trying 1 or 2 for her. Thank you for this awesome tutorial!
these are ace, thanks for sharing your tutorial. :)
LOL - those are awesome - I am 60 years old and I am making one for ~me~ for when I ride on my scooter in winter
Love, love, love these. I am definitely putting it on my to-do list.
Like visions of sugar plumbs... these will be on the brain till I get a chance to sit and sew!
Thanks! :)
Oh my GOSH I love this! I have been using my son's old tee shirts to make dresses for my girls, but some of them are just too boyish to make a dress. This is the perfect project for those. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
this is SO cute! tfs - maybe one day I will have a little boy to make one for!
you've done it again!!! pure genius!!!
I voted for this one! I love it. I am so inspired by you!
OH my goodness...these are SO adorable.
I have a son, and sometimes I feel so left out of the crafty world of cute girl clothes. This tute made me feel SO much better. I LOVE these hats!
You SOOOO rock the boy projects!! Whenever I hear someone say that there aren't any good projects to sew for boys, I point them to your site.
I linked to your tutorial over at Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-scrap-fabulous-soft-knit-earflap-hats/2010/09/02/
--Anne
There are absolutely wonderful! I hope you consider listing them in your Etsy shop. =)
WOW, fabulous!!!
I'm SO gonna try this out.
I like the patchy look of it, it has such a laid-back, down-to-earth-style, I'm lovin' it.
... Often children's clothes look like little-adults-clothes, so neat an plain, and you can't imagine them to be weared by your messy, muddy kids :).
Thank you Cheri, you've always got such good ideas :).
Awe! These are really adorable. It makes me want to dig out some of our old clothes and start making one for my boy or more. LOL! Thanks for sharing. :)
These are SO cool. You are the queen of crafting for boys!
You've outdone yourself! Love them!
Taylor
Wow, how cute! I would love to make something like these for my kids!
really adorable and original! I'm linking to you on my international blog linking party, and would love it if you'd drop by and link to something else too! It's a quality get together with some great inspiration! all the best!
these are the cutest things I've seen in AGES! I can't wait for my sewing machine to be fixed to make some for my guys!!
I love this! I keep coming back to this post every day thinking that maybe if I read the post one more time I can magically figure out how to sew. So far it hasn't happened. I may end up just having to try, worst thing, I walk across the street and have my quilting momma help me salvage it. Thanks for the pattern, have any sewing ability to spare?
I've been admiring you from SYTYC and now it's time I follow! Looove these hats and I'm so excited to whip some up.
I love it!!! so cool i am alway looking for boy projects awesome.
These are simply adorable! I love recycling!
Love, love, love these! I shared them on my blog today! Hope you don't mind! If you do please let me know and I'll take it down! You can see it here:
http://oxfordfam.blogspot.com/2010/09/wanna-make-it-wednesday.html
Love, love, love this! Can't wait to try it. Thanks so much for sharing.
I love these! I want to make a million of them! Thanks for sharing!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these hats! Thank you for the tutorial..I'm going to TRY to make one for my grandson.
These are fabulous! I posted a link to your tutorial on my Facebook fan page for Thimble Kiss! You can find it here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Thimble-Kiss/147488383344?ref=ts
These are great! I'm sharing this with my readers today!
singingthreelittlebirds.blogspot.com
Love it. Thank you for this great post! Both of my kids (boy - 4, girl - 5) just outgrew ALL of their clothes. I will be repurposing some of their clothing into these hats for Christmas gifts. How CUTE!
The are great! I'm planning to make some for my nephews for Christmas. Thanks for the tutorial!
adorable!!!
Hello!
I meet your blog in Kireei and it is very interesting. I am from Spain and my English is not very good but, it is not a problem to follow you...
This tutorial is very very impresionant and I will try to do this hats for my child.
Thanks and best regards!!!
I am so tired, but how can I not try these! Blast. Don't need another project but my little man (2mo) NEEDS this hat. I am thinking it would make for an adorable photo shoot.
I just stumbled onto your site a short time ago and have decided to make every. single. thing. you have a tutorial for. Lol! I had to start with these hats, though! They're awesome - thank you so much for the tutorial!!!
I love these but clearly I'm an idiot. I can't figure out how to sew the dome of the hat. Help!!!
I LOVE these hats! I made one for my grandson and he is so cute in it...even though it doesn't look as good as yours. I posted about it today and wanted to leave the link. Thank you so much for the tutorial...love your blog.
http://kssnnikkel.blogspot.com/2010/10/drexs-upcycled-hat.html
Perfect, perfect!!! I just love these, I'm awful at finishing my knitting(as much as I try), this is what I need to whip out winter hats for certain little boys!
Thank you for this-I can't wait to make one. AND!! your little model is adorable!!! Thanks! Mary
Fricken Awesome!!! I want one for myself.
Finally--something adorable for little boys (and it's upcycled to boot)! Thank you for sharing this tutorial. I can't wait to make one for my son!
Finally! Some cool crafts I can make for my brood of boys! These are die hard. Thanks so much for sharing!
Seriously! This is just too cute. I think my Granddaughter would even love one of these. LOL She can be a little ruffian (is that a word? LOL) herself at times.
Love these! I can't wait to make some for my son!
I am planning on making one of these for my son!
I have included this in my Gifts To Sew For Christmas round up
http://jojoebi.blogspot.com/2010/10/lots-of-gifts-to-sew.html
thanks
jo
I love this, however i have a question. when you go to sew the top cap to the bottom. can you instead, sew strips together first, then sew the top of the cap part together? i hate sewing circles so im afraid of the cap being twisted as i sew.
im making one right now (actually almost done) so i will see myself i guess lol
AWESOME idea and such beautiful execution on your part. your hats (and the boys) are beautiful! so glad to see cute boy stuff, its so rare!
LOL i just finished, and lets say that I will have to make another one for my son. the one i made, fits ME lol its probably the fabric which was stretchy but i also added an extra strip on accident. i will post a picture eventually. so funny. my husband just looked at me and said i was nuts. (btw im wearing it)
I made a girl version of these awesome hats..
http://kimboscrafts.blogspot.com/2010/11/for-kids-with-cold-heads.html
thanks so much for the awesome idea!
I so wanta make these hats for my boys, great idea!
I'm a new follower, found my way here via Sweet Bee Hollow blog.
I'd like to invite you to come check out my blog as well at http://littlebirdseeds.blogspot.com/, and become a follower if you'd like, or just sign up for the Sentsy Candle giveaway at http://littlebirdseeds.blogspot.com/2010/10/scentsy-candles-giveaway.html.
Anyhow, thanks again for the fun hat idea.
I think in the world of upcycling tees, you've come up with something totally unique and incredibly cute! Thank you so much for sharing!
To say I'm obsessed is a complete understatement! I too am outnumbered! My oldest boy turns 2 on the 22nd and my baby is almost 6 months. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your style and your blog! Thanks for being so great!
XO, Mallory @ Classy Clutter
I had to stop by and let you know I made these for my two kids a while back - it's finally cold enough that they will wear them! I love them, thanks so much for sharing.
I featured this today on my blog - todaystoptwenty.blogspot.com
I would love if you stopped by and grabbed a button!
Amanda
You should sell these because I would definitely buy one. :) So adorable. Makes me wish I could sew.
These hats are so cute and comfy. I like them...!!
I have bookmarked this site and I'll try at home.
Thanks for sharing here :)
www.bumbleandbobble.co.uk
thank you so much for sharing!! i made these for my two little nephews. they love them. i posted this on my blog today.
http://alekshandmade.blogspot.com/2011/01/upcycling.html
I LOVE IT!!!
Thanks for sharing!
Greets from germany!
http://hannapurzel.blogspot.com/2011/02/patch-beanie.html
OH MY DEAR
I LOVE IT ALSO *ggg*
what a wonderful world you have
much love from the deepest forests of northern bavaria...hugs from heart
silke :-)
I love it thist idea!!!! SUPER! I'm alrady cutting out pieces and soon starting sewing the together! Thank you for a great idea!!! This blog is now one of my favourite!!
Best Regards,
Mytsi Wabrik (Hat Factory)
I love your pattern! I just made a hat using it for my baby girl.
http://www.handmadeheartfelt.com/2011/03/a-hat-for-spring/
Thank you for the great blog! I just love reading about everything you do! I just made your upcycled hat for my boys, you can see them here:
http://kh-handcrafts.blogspot.com/2011/03/upcycled-boy-hat.html
Greetings from snowy and frosty Iceland.
Wow they look so cool!!! Too bad the weather here is not so cold... I will try to remember this tutorial for next winter.
Thanks for sharing!
I started making a few of these and LOVE them. Mine aren't as detailed as yours, but I love them. Check them out on my blog...http://designsbyshandi.blogspot.com/. :)
I linked this tutorial to my blog today. Thanks so much
for sharing! Can't wait to make one for my snowboarder!
totally just made a girl-version...with girl colors, ribbons & t-shirts..turned out awesome...looking to make some for gifts!! thanks for the idea--your "patterns" rock.
Just finished my first one..I love this look! Thanks for inspiring.
http://lavidaleipprandt.blogspot.com/2011/08/t-shirts-to-fun-fall-hat.html
These are so great. I have to go through my boys' clothes this month and separate them into E-Bay, Thrift, and upcycle piles. I know that this will be a great project for the upcycle pile. THANKS!!!
Love, love this! last year we made monster hats from upcycled material. this year will be these! thanks for the inspiration. (saw it on pinterest)
the link goes to a bird applique.... can you fix it? I really want to make this for my little guy! (With a 21" head at age 2!) That's my Preemie!
MamaKelli - Are you talking about the link to the flap pattern? I just tested it and it took me to the right spot. Are you talking about something different? I'm not sure. Sorry.
Cheri
Harika şapkalar, öok beğendim. Ben de blogumda link vererek yayınladım ve sizden ilham alıp kendi şapkamı yaptım.
http://gulenmutfak.blogspot.com/2011/10/sapka.html
These are so totally cute! Your boys are adorable. Just found you through the DailyBuzz Featured Author Friday. Glad I did :-)
Oh man! I love using t-shirts to make all sorts of things - especially kid hats and girl dresses. But I just love this pattern/idea! I'll be trying this out first thing tomorrow for sure. Thanks so much for sharing.
I just found this on the Craft Hope website. Thank you for adding it in your comment. I am totally making these for the new project. They are so cute!
Super adorable! Thank you, thank you - there are tons of pink and frilly things for girls BUT WAY TOO FEW cute things for little boys!!
I loved your tutorial and I decided to post it on my website. You can see it here:
http://www.lescreateliers.com/Les_Createliers/Idees_Ideas/Entries/2012/2/16_Chapeaux_en_t-shirtT-shirt_hats.html
Hope you like it!
Cheers,
Marie-Eve
I'M SO INSPIRED!!!! I'm a Mom of four boys and I can't wait to do this for them!! Thank you!!!!!
I did a reversible version of this cap, with a man's shirt, wool sweater and a t-shirt. Thanks for the helpful tutorial! Check my version:
http://maomaocrafts.blogspot.com/2012/02/boys-cap.html
Linked to your post here:
http://sewprettysewfree.blogspot.com/2012/05/from-tshirt-scraps-to-funky-boy-hats.html
Hi!
I love these hats very much. Thank you for sharing the tutorial!
My little son is going to wear only self-made-hats from now on. I linked your tutorial at my blog:
http://butternapf.blogspot.de/2012/05/ohrenwehmutze.html
It`s german, but picures don`t need words, do they?!
Bye bye
Sandra
Super! I'm going to make one for my 2YO!
Thanks from Italy
Anna!
Happy Day!!!! (to the both of us :)) 33 will be great!!!!
Also, i love the "at the watercooler" great idea :)
Couldn't be cuter! I love boy's sewing projects that look COOL!
Jenny
http://seaminglysmitten.com/
www.seaminglysmitten.blogspot.com
I absolutely love these hats! I can't wait to make one or two (lol) for my 3 yr old grandson!! Seems very easy and he can even pick out which shirts he wants to use!
just featured this on my blog-- with other winter hat tutorials! thanks for sharing it. http://www.patchworkposse.com/blog/2012/12/11-winter-hat-tutorials/
Thanks so much for this tutorial. It is laid out so well (overall concept first, then detailed directions), it makes it a real pleasure to follow. I just finished a hat for my son, and I have a feeling that one for my daughter isn't far behind! If you want to take a look, it's at http://tinypinecone.tumblr.com/ along with a link to your tutorial. Thanks again!
Wow, that is so cute! Thank you so much!
Thank you thank you for pattern/tutorial for the bigger boys. Need to make my son a peanut costume for his school play. I will share pics soon!
NewlyMynted
wow, that´s just what I was looking for!
Yes, they're pefrect! can't wait to give it a try!
How did you sew these together, did you have to use a special foot on the machine to keep the knits from stretching too much?
I just used a regular foot, but you can adjust the tension on your machine and I also recommend going slowly.
Cheri
Love these! I tried one this week with my new serger and lined it with fleece. Such a fun project! Thanks for posting.
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