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Step 7Construct the brim
Now it's time for the brim, which is a bit tricky. Sew the two brim pieces, right sides together, along the outer edge - you have a drawn line here to help show you exactly where to stitch. Slightly smaller is better than slightly bigger, here, so sew to the inside of the line if you find yourself choosing.
Turn the hat brim cover right-side out. You will now insert the plastic brim stiffening. You'll stretch the brim fabric a bit while doing this, and you'll want to pin the inside edges together as you go. This is to keep the plastic from coming out or shifting around while you get the rest of it in.
Start at one end, and slide the plastic in along the fabric, keeping it to one side of the seam allowances from the outer edge. Get the pointy bit of the plastic at approximately 1/4 inch inside the inner edge of the brim fabric. Again there is a line here to help out, but it's on the inside of the structure and harder to see. Put a pin through both the fabric pieces, as close to the edge of the plastic as you can (but not through the plastic). Now move an inch over, push the plastic in a bit more, and add another pin. Repeat until you reach the opposite side.
The pins need to run from left to right, assuming you're holding the brim with the raw edges up. For right-handers this is normal, but you lefties should make the effort to put the pins in 'backwards'. This is because sewing machines are all right-handed, and if the pins run the opposite direction you will not be able to get them out easily as you sew, as the presser foot will be in the way.
Once the brim is all pinned, stitch along your pin line to hold it together while you attach it to the rest of the hat. If your pins are in the right direction, you'll be able to easily take them out as you sew along the edge of the plastic, and the later you take the pins out the less shifting of the brim you will have.
Turn the hat brim cover right-side out. You will now insert the plastic brim stiffening. You'll stretch the brim fabric a bit while doing this, and you'll want to pin the inside edges together as you go. This is to keep the plastic from coming out or shifting around while you get the rest of it in.
Start at one end, and slide the plastic in along the fabric, keeping it to one side of the seam allowances from the outer edge. Get the pointy bit of the plastic at approximately 1/4 inch inside the inner edge of the brim fabric. Again there is a line here to help out, but it's on the inside of the structure and harder to see. Put a pin through both the fabric pieces, as close to the edge of the plastic as you can (but not through the plastic). Now move an inch over, push the plastic in a bit more, and add another pin. Repeat until you reach the opposite side.
The pins need to run from left to right, assuming you're holding the brim with the raw edges up. For right-handers this is normal, but you lefties should make the effort to put the pins in 'backwards'. This is because sewing machines are all right-handed, and if the pins run the opposite direction you will not be able to get them out easily as you sew, as the presser foot will be in the way.
Once the brim is all pinned, stitch along your pin line to hold it together while you attach it to the rest of the hat. If your pins are in the right direction, you'll be able to easily take them out as you sew along the edge of the plastic, and the later you take the pins out the less shifting of the brim you will have.
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