All Cozy: My Martha Stewart Hat

So last fall when I was pregnant with our now almost 1 year old K, I wanted to make matching winter hats for the kids. So I searched the Internet for some fleece hat patterns. I found a few and tried out a couple before deciding that Martha Stewart's design was the best. I found the write up on line to be a little confusing and it actually had some mistakes in it but the idea was enough to get me going.

Now we are a year latter and both the girls have grown and don't fit in their hats anymore but I really wanted some more matching hats. So we picked out a fabric (actually S, our 4 year old, had most of the input on the fabric) and I just got started on them today. I finished the hat for S. She also got to pick out what design she wanted. Martha has a few designs, a traditional with a pompom on top, a boxy hat with 2 pompoms on either side, and a "jester" hat with 3 pompoms (amongst others). But they all start with the same basic design.

You will want to check out Martha's Post for lost of the details, like how big to make your hats for different ages and such, but I'll be giving you some pictures and notes on the ones that I am making.

S picked out the Jester hat. She thinks it looks like a crow so that is why she chose that.

As you will see out fabric has a very defined pattern to it so I had to modify some of the steps to make my hat look nice.

Step 1: Measuring and Cutting.
Martha says to cut 4 pieces but since I was using all one fabric I ignored that and cut the fabric in the width (child size was 20") plus the 1/4" seam allowance (on both sides) by the length (Child size 10" but I used 11" since my child is a little older).

You can also follow Martha's guides for measuring your child or yourself for a hat too.

Step 2: Sewing
With right sides facing, fold the fabric in half width wise, pin, and stitch with a 1/4" seam allowance.

Trim the seam allowance closely (since fleece doesn't fray you can get close and still have the seam hold forever).

Here is where Martha seems to make a mistake in her tutorial, She says that you now go straight to making the points in the hat but then never gives a place to turn up the cuff on the hat. So now we are going to turn up the cuff of the hat. Fold the bottom of the hat up (still with the right sides facing) 3" then pin.

Fold under 1/4" (so there is a nice clean edge) and pin frequently around the hat.

Sew very close to the edge of the cuff line around the hat.

Step 3: Measuring and Cutting
Take a crown measurement (from one ear to the other over the head like you are wearing earmuffs).

Find the center line of your hat (I had to add this step since I didn't have a center seam)

With a soft tape measure hold one end at the bottom left corner and arc the other end over (to your crown measurement) to the bottom right corner.

Measure up from the highest point on the arch 3" and that will be your bottom line for the points.

Measure up from the bottom line (you just drew) 1 1/2" (for a child's hat) or 2"( for an adults hat). That is your high point.

Now connect the high points to the low points in a V shape (I found the center point on each half and used a straight edge to connect the points).

Sew along the line you drew. Trip the extra very close to the seam)

Turn your hat right side out.

Step 5: Pompoms.

Martha's Pompom description is great for this.

I made my pompoms 2" wide on this hat. My strips were about 10"x2"

Cut 3 Strips