Are you ready for another free pattern today? It's costume season for most of us, so let's learn how to make a floppy bonnet! You could use it for Bo Peep, Strawberry Shortcake, gingerbread girl, and a variety of other characters.
Today's tutorial comes to us from Tosha, the designer of our dance wear patterns at CKC. That's her little cutie above. Let's get started!
You will need:
1/2 yard main fabric
1/2 yard lining fabric
1/4" wide elastic
Optional: lace, ribbon, or other embellishments
Fold your main fabric in half one direction and then in half the other direction. Lay the template on the fabric with the fold lines on the folds of your fabric. Cut around the curve of the template. Open up the fabric; you will now have a 17" circle of fabric.
Repeat with the lining fabric.
Now cut the 1/4" elastic to the length for your size:
Sizes 12 mos.- 2T: 19" elastic
Sizes 3T-4T: 19.5" elastic
Sizes 5-6: 20" elastic
Lay your main fabric on a flat surface with right side up. If you want to add lace around the edge, you will do it very first. Pin the lace around the circle 1/4" away from the raw edges. Sew in place.
Place the lining circle on top of the main circle with right sides together and pin in place. Sew around the pinned edge using a 3/8"seam allowance, leaving a 1" opening for turning as shown by the red arrow.
Clip the curves and then turn your hat right side out using the 1" opening. Use a creaser tool and iron to make the edge neat.
You will now measure 2 3/4" up from the seam and mark it with pins all the way around your hat.
Sew a circle following the pins 2 3/4" up from the seam, and make sure to leave a 1" opening again in the same area as the first opening, as shown by the red arrow.
Now sew a second circle 1/2" inside the one you just stitched. Again, leave the 1" opening and align it with the other openings.
You can now take your elastic piece and use a safety pin to thread it through the openings and into the elastic casing you've created with your stitching lines. After you have both ends of the elastic pulled through you will overlap them 1/2" and sew back and forth to secure them together.
Tug on the casing to evenly distribute the elastic inside. You can now close up the openings in the casing.
Lastly, you will top stitch the outer edge of your hat and while doing so you will close the final opening.
It's all done! How super cute it that?!
Thanks to Tosha for this fabulous tutorial!
You can modify the pattern any way you want to for a variety of looks, by adding embellishments to your hat or changing sizes. For example, Tiffany made this adorable Bo Peep hat by using a larger circle and keeping the elastic the same:
Now it's your turn! We can't wait to see what you make with this tutorial. Be sure to share your creations in our CKC patterns group so we can all ooh and aah over them.
Let's Create! ~ Kristen
