Crazy Hat With Earflaps! With Glow in the Dark Highlights!

This hat is inspired by my desire to have a hat that is both practical and fun! It is fur lined, and has pockets at the ears to keep money, lip balm, even those little hand warmer things for REALLY cold days! As an added bonus, it glows in the dark. Let me repeat that. IT GLOWS IN THE DARK :)

Step 1: Supplies

Here are the things that you will need in order to complete this project...

A sewing machine (one that can do a straight stitch and a zig zag stitch)

Scissors

Straight Pins and Hand Sewing Needles

Thread (conventional AND glow in the dark thread--this can be found at any local fabric store, and comes in an array of colors)

3 fabric choices
       Fabric A (1/4 yd) is an outer fabric that will make up the ear flaps
       Fabric B (1/2 yd) is a contrasting outer fabric that will create pockets etc...
       Fabric C (1/2 yd)  is a lining fabric (I chose a faux fur because it is soft, warm and doesn't make me feel  guilty about wearing thumper on my head)

2 matching buttons

Matching yarn

Paper for making a pattern (I just used computer paper)

Ruler

An iron (preferably one with steam)

Step 2: The Pattern and Cutting (creating the Pieces You Need)

I have included the pattern that I used to make this hat. Please scale this as needed-This pattern fits a 22" head. You'll notice that a pattern piece on each page is notated with the actual size of the piece. Just for reference...

The Hat Cap Piece (which looks like a curvey triangle) is 5 3/4" long and 3 5/8" wide at the base

The Hat Band (which is not pictured) is 1" wide X 23 1/4" long

The Hat Front Flap (a half circle) is 9" long and 3" tall

The Hat Ear Flap (The curved piece) is 7" long and 6" tall at its widest (the thinnest section is 2" wide)

The Pocket front is a 2 1/2" square

The Pocket depth is 1" X 7 1/2"

The Pocket flap is 2 1/2" long by 3/4" tall

The Flower Petal is 2 1/4" tall, and is 2 1/4" at it's widest (the base is 1" wide)

****VERY IMPORTANT!***** Before cutting, please note that NONE of these pattern pieces (with the exception of the flower petals) have seam allowance! I would reccomend a 1/2" seam allowance around the entirety of these pieces, to be added on during the cutting process.

Now that you have your pattern, you'll need to cut the following pieces out of the following fabrics...

Fabric A (I used a pink floral)
      3 Hat Cap Pieces
      1 Hat Ear Flap (Cut on the fold, so that you have a "U" shape and a flap for each ear)
      3 flower petals (without seam allowance)

Fabric B (I used a green zebra print)
     3 Hat Cap Pieces
     1 Hat Band
     1 Hat Front Flap
     2 Pocket Fronts
     2 Pocket Depths
     2 Pocket Flaps
     3 Flower Petals (without seam allowance)

Fabric C (the fur)
     6 Hat Cap Pieces
     1 Hat Band
     1 Hat Front Flap
     1 Hat Ear Flap (also cut on the fold)

Once everything is cut, then you get to rock out to some righteous glow in the dark pandemonium!!

Step 3: GLOOOOOOW IN THE DARRRRKKKK!

Now, with your sewing machine threaded with glow in the dark thread, begin to trace the print of your chosen fabric. It is up to you how detailed you get, but the more complex, the cooler looking.
    ** If you are using a solid fabric, it might be fun to make up your own pattern or series of random lines in this thread**

Step 4: Assembling the Dome

To create the domed section of the hat, the cap pieces need to be stitched together. Begin by sewing 1 curved edge of fabric A to 1 curved edge to fabric B with right sides together, thus creating a curved seam (image 1).

Then, sew a third triangle onto this configuration, making sure to alternate fabrics (image 2).

Repeat these steps, so that you have 2 pieces composed of 3 triangles each.

Once you have this, pin the rounded edges of your 2 larger pieces  with right sides together, and create a seam, thus making a domed shape (image 3)!

Step 5: Adding the Hat Band and Ear Flaps

The next step is attaching the hat band. This is done by making the hat band a circle by seaming together it's ends along it's 1" wide section  (right sides together).

Then, using this seam as the center back of your hat, pin it to your dome so that it can be seamed and folded down (image 2).

After pressing, attach the ear flap piece by lining up it's center with your center back seam, pinning, and stitching (Image 3).

These steps should result in the basic hat shape, or your shell (image 1)!


***Repeat steps 4 and 5 with your lining fabric, but alternating patterns is obviously not necessary. It is also important to leave a 4" section of one of the lining dome pieces open for later use.***

Step 6: Creating the Front Flap

Take your 2 front flap pieces and stitch them with right sides together, leaving the straight section untouched.

Step 7: Creating the Cartridge Pockets

The first step in creating the pockets is to sew the pocket depth onto the pocket front. This is done by stitching the depth around the front on 3 sides at your chosen seam allowance, right sides together. There will be a diagonal clip required at both of the corners in order to get crisp corners (Image 1).

After this, hem the tops of the pockets (now including the top of the pocket depth) by folding the fabric over 1/4" and then 1/4" again, assuming you are using 1/2" seam allowance (image 2).

Once thus is is done, press the side of the pocket depth NOT already sewn inward toward the pocked inside at 1/2" (or your seam allowance), and press the pocket top and depth in a folded fashion, so that the depth is underneath the pocket front.

Next, topstitch (essentially sew right along your folded depth edge) the pocket depth to the ear flap, lining up the top of the pocket with the bottom of the hat band. The exact placement of the pocket is entirely up to you, but I chose to place mine about 1 1/2" away from the raw edge of the ear flap.

The next step is to create the pocket top flap. Fold this piece lengthwise, and stitch around the open edges, leaving an opening to turn the flap right side out. After pressing this flat and folding the raw edges of the hole area into the flap innards, lay the pocket flap slightly above and over the pocket itself (with the edge with the hole in it furthest away from the pocket). Then, topstitch the top of the pocket flap (image 3)

Finish with a good pressing!

NOTE: If the whole pocket depth aspect is confusing, you could also just press the pocket front piece so that there are finished edges, and topstitch this piece onto the hat. This is a more sleek look, and requires less time.

***Don't lose hope, you're almost done!***

Step 8: Pretty Details!

Stitch a button at the top of your dome. If you are feeling really creative, I have included a bumble pattern at the beginning (in the pattern section) that might be fun to play with!

Then, create your flower by encompassing each petal with a short, wide zig zag stitch in the glow in the dark thread. Then, fold each petal into a V shape at the bottom in order to create some depth, and stitch them all together in the center, creating a circle of petals. Finally add a button to the center of the flower and stitch it to your hat wherever you choose!

Step 9: Attaching Lining to Shell

Pin your front flap piece to your shell, making sure that is is attached to the hat band via the raw edge on the flap piece, between the ear flap section, and with the fur facing out. Stitch this piece on, but realize that there will be a raw edge, since you are just laying the front flap piece on top of the shell, instead of actually creating a finished edge.

Then, turn both the lining and shell inside out, and with right sides together, pin the bottom edge of the hat together (image 1). This means that your ear flap edges and hat band section (the one with the front flap) will have lining pinned to them.
Before stitching this, insert a piece of yarn into the hat at the bottom of each ear flap (sandwiched between the shell and lining), in order to form ties for your hat. Most of the length of these yarn ties should not be visible from the outside of the hat as it currently stands (which is inside out!).

After this addition, stitch the bottom edge of the hat, making sure to go over the yarn areas a few times in order for them to remain solid.

Step 10: Finishing the Hat!

As a final step, turn the hat right side out via the convenient hole that you left in the dome portion of the lining. Once right side out, press all seams (especially the bottom one that you just created), and hand stitch the hole in the lining up using whatever stitch you choose (I would recommend a whip or slip stitch).

Finally, turn off the lights, and trip out to your glow in the dark crazy hat!

**Note- the glow in the dark thread glows particularly well when it is exposed to bright light!**