If you're looking for a sewing project that offers lots of great ways to express yourself creatively, there's nothing quite like making a fleece hat. There are hundreds of fleece hat sewing patterns on the Internet, and it's fun to embellish these designs to make them even more special.
Pattern for a Basic Fleece Hat
It's easy to make a fleece hat. This simple hat will take you less than an hour, and it's a good project for beginning and intermediate-level seamstresses. This hat pattern is sized for the average adult head, but you can increase or decrease the dimensions to fit varying sizes.
Fleece is a great material to work with, since raw edges don't unravel. Keep the following tips in mind as you select the fabric for your hat:
- Fleece comes in a variety of colors and patterns. Choose novelty prints for kids, and stripes or solid colors for adults.
- This fabric doesn't always have a right and a wrong side, but make sure you're consistent in the side you choose to show. Sometimes, one side is more likely to pill than the other.
- Hats require very small quantities of fabric, so they are usually very affordable. To save even more, watch for sales on fleece at your fabric store.
- Consider washing the fleece once before you begin working with it.
Things You'll Need
- ¼ yard fleece fabric in your choice of color
- Sewing machine and thread
- Tape measure, scissors, and pins
What to Do
- To get started, save the pattern in this article by hovering your mouse over the image, clicking on the word "source" at the top right, and then saving the image to your computer. Enlarge the image as needed and then print it out. Pin the pattern to your fleece fabric, and use it to cut out four identical pieces.
- Cut out a fleece rectangle that is 23¼ inches in length by 4½ inches in width.
- Placing the right sides together, sew two of the arched pattern pieces to each other. Leave ¼ inch seam allowance, and sew along the arch. Repeat with all four pieces to create the crown of the hat. Leave the final seam open.
- Fold the rectangular piece in half lengthwise, and pin it to the bottom of the crown, right sides together. Sew this seam, leaving ¼ inch allowance.
- Sew the raw edges on the ends of the rectangular piece together, and follow the seam up into the crown of the hat. Turn the hat right side out.
Fleece Hat Embellishment Ideas
Because this fleece hat is so simple, it lends itself to a variety of embellishments. Use the following ideas to give your hat some extra style:
- Add cat, teddy bear, or other animal ears to the side seams of the hat.
- Attach a fun pom-pom made of fleece strips or yarn.
- Make the hat out of contrasting colors or patterns of fleece.
- Add felt or fleece appliqués in the shape of eyes.
- Cut out a fleece flower, and attach it to the band of the hat.
More Fleece Hat Sewing Patterns
The following websites offer great free patterns for fleece hats:
- Sewing.org has a very easy pattern for a fleece hat with a pom-pom.
- Martha Stewart offers a selection of five patterns for cute fleece hats, most appropriate for the intermediate-level seamstress.
- Made by Rae has an intermediate-level sewing tutorial for making an adorable fleece hat with ear flaps.
- Sew McCool has an advanced pattern for a fleece beret.
- Bethany Sew & Sew has a very easy pattern for a fleece children's hat.
- Craftster has an advanced pattern for making a kitty hat for adults.
Buying Fleece Hat Patterns
You can also buy patterns for sewing your own fleece hats. Check out the choices at your local fabric store or craft supply shop. The best time to get a great selection is in the fall, since this is when craft stores begin to stock seasonal patterns. If you're looking for a good deal, watch the sale racks at the end of the season.
Every Experience Level
There is a fleece hat pattern for seamstresses of every experience level. Be sure to read the entire pattern before beginning, since this will provide clues about the difficulty of the hat. Since this is a small project, it can be a great way to expand your sewing skills without feeling overwhelmed.
