A Lotta Hat

First Lotta Hat, made maybe about a month ago from a cotton print and brown linen salvaged from a pair of overalls I sewed about 10-12 years ago that were always a little too baggy in some spots and too tight in others.  Alterations on this one were: cutting off one inch along the top edge of the brim and the bottom edge of the crown where the two meet, either on the pattern piece or on the actual piece before sewing together.  It's completely reversible if you sew the lining on with an invisible stitch.

I'm notorious (at least, with myself) for being hard on straw-type sunhats, sometime to the point where they become the perfect, lopsided, quirky shape, but other times to the point of destruction.  One time, when picking huckleberries in the woods, I set my hat down on an old stump and forgot it there.  Next day, when I went back for it, some small critter had eaten around the entire bottom edge.  This hat is perfect for me.  I can fold it up, put it in my bag, sit on it, soak it in a cold stream or lake on an unbearably hot day to keep my head cool, wear it while mowing the lawn on a sweaty hot day, wear it berry picking or at the beach, and in the end get it clean again by just throwing it in the wash leaving it crinkly and possibly even better than when newly made.

Lotta hat, take two:  I thought I'd try making this one according to the original pattern but, when comparing it with my first version, discovered that, the brim piece itself was almost as big as the first hat.  This version was cut the same as the first one, the only difference being a 3/8ths inch seam (rather than 1/2 inch) where the brim and crown meet, making it just a wee bit longer than the first one.

I still think the crown part is a little short in proportion to the brim but, if you need to see better in front of you or are feeling like making goofy faces for the camera, you can always flip the brim up.

A few other modifications that I think would help the pattern to make more sense with the pictures, and to make the assembly go more smoothly: 

Step 2, B: I'd add "Fold and mark off quarters." after the other wording.

Step 2, E: same thing, "Fold and mark off quarters." after the other wording.

Step 2, F: I'd add something like this: "Fold crown in half and mark edges at folds.  Open and fold so that first marks meet, and again mark edges at folds." before the other wording 

Step 2, H: I'd change this to read, "Repeat steps E and G to make the lining."

Let me know if you find any of these modifications incorrect.

Above is a picture of where I'd make the notches (not exactly accurate but you get the idea, I hope.)  You may need to click on the image to see my markings.  Remember to mark the brim and crown pieces AFTER sewing the ends together.  Basically, what you're doing here is dividing the edges into quarter sections that can then be matched up when pinning and sewing the pieces together.  All this could be avoided if these notchings would have been marked on the actual pattern pieces.

One more thing, which may seem obvious but I'll share it anyhow.  Start the first row of topstitching at the back seam.  After the first row of topstitching, when you come around to the back seam, stop, turn 45  90 degrees, stitch for a quarter inch, turn back another 45 90 degrees, topstitch 1/4 inch away from the first row of topstitching around to the back seam again, and repeat (duh!  Thank you Bekki for the correction. ;)  Late night blogging, you know.)  You'll avoid having a whole bunch of straggely thread ends to cut when you're done.  Again, click on the picture for a closer look:

All in all, this is yet another quirky hat which, if you've read this blog for even a little while, you'd know I'm not in any way immune to them.  My hair is fair and pretty thin on the top so I HAVE to wear a hat in the sun to keep from burning my scalp.  I can see myself making and wearing hats like this until I'm an old woman when I'll probably have more facial hair than hair on the top of my head!  More than you wanted to know?  Oh well.  Just being honest here.

I love this hat.  My one real issue is that it blows off in the wind.

I forgot to add that there was a first version of this that I completely botched and never finished.  I think for that one I took a whole 2 inches each off the brim and crown pieces and it barely sat on the top of my head it was so tiny!

Comments

[melody]

So just this afternoon, I FINALLY bought Simple Sewing (when I should have been spending my Barnes and Noble gift card on homeschooling supplies) and after my first glance through... (while locked in the bathroom for a few minutes of peace). I thought I'd start with the hat as my first project... so glad for the suggestions before I worked it out myself.

[Laura]

My favorite (straw) hat has a loose-ish band of elastic around the brim. Stays on perfectly. Might be worth a shot.

[Stephanie]

You are not the only one, my friend, with thinning hair. What's up with that anyway?? i have more and more sprouting out of my chin and upper lip each day. I blame the middle eastern blood from my moms side. It's not fair. I don't want to get MORE hairy just to be LESS hairy on my head!!! I think I should start making hats as well. I bought a cute straw sunhat for the summer and would love more. I think yours are supper cute!!

[Blair]

These look great Siri and I'm so thankful that I now have your alterations to refer to. I've wanted to make this hat forever and maybe I'll just do it, now that summer's over halfway over : )

[Angela]

Delurking here... Thank you for the explanation. I made one that I ripped and ripped and still doesn't fit quite right. I also like how you did the top stitching. I'm itching to make another one.

[theresa]

Another sufferer of the fair skin, thin hair tribe here! I am totally going to brave making that hat now (I've only been eyeing it forever) and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that mine comes out half as cute as yours did!

[gray la gran]

oooh, i like that hat very much. i have a little hat of similar design that i love but is slightly too big (which means on windy days it's hard to keep on my head). thank you for sharing your modifications too :)

[Lisa Clarke]

I came here via your flickr photo - thanks for describing your alterations. I made this hat exactly as the pattern called for and it was really crazy http://www.flickr.com/photos/polkadotcreations/822285301/in/set-72157600287005407/ It actually works, though, if you pull it way down on your head and flip up the brim http://www.flickr.com/photos/polkadotcreations/823165388/in/set-72157600287005407/ I would still like to wear one the way it was intended, so I'm going to give your modifications a try. Thanks!

[Elizabeth]

What a minute! Forget the cute hat for a moment, are you actually smiling a little bit? I don't think we've seen you smile before :)
I have a pinhead so I wouldn't try to make a hat, I have to try on several in the store. You're right about straw hats, they do tend to get misshappen awfully fast.

[Amber]

I have been contemplating this hat for sometime now. I thought I would make one this spring but never got around to it... Your post makes me think I need to revisit it!

[Pigwotflies]

That's a cute hat!
On the top-stitching. I think you mean 90 degrees, not 45.

[Francesca]

Hi
I found this group thru an assistant of Lotta's - I wrote to her for help with the sunhat.... I don't know if you could help me out a little? This is what I wrote, I hope it's clear :(....

Thing is, I am slightly baffled about the placement of the crown... There is no placing mark showing which end goes where. (For beginners' sakes I recommend that you adjust your pattern for future printings :) - i am not a beginner at all but am pattern dependent...)

I took it for granted from the photo that the wider curved edge of the crown is attached to the brim, and the narrower to the top. But when I measured it to check the fit for my head, I realised that the measurements didn't match. So, my question is, where is the wider curved edge to be attached? Is it meant to be attached to the top circular piece?

Basically, the wider part of the crown fits the top, and the narrower part of the crown fits the brim. Which means the top round bit would be wider than the part where the brim is attached. And in the photo, as in yours, this doesn't seem to be the case??

thanks so much - in advance :)
Francesca

[Joy]

Hello, coming late to the hat party, but I am in the middle of putting it all together, when I did a quick google search to see if there was an easier way. Thank you so much for the tips, I will be uploading my photos to the flickr group shortly. I happen to have a ginormous head, and I'm a little afraid that the final hat will be too small! At least with my second hat, I'll have the benefit of your wisdom. Thanks again!