Sew a Louise Belcher / Bob's Burgers Hat

Louise Belcher!!!

I took a lot of formatting cues and the pattern design idea from...

Sew a Where the Wild Things Are hat + pattern! by jessyratfink

This hat isn't for me but I will freely admit that I have been wearing this for a couple of hours now and I am starting to feel uncomfortable without it!

If you see this embedded message.Build and then link to me for a 1 year pro membership. I have 5 to give.

Thanks Jessy for the inspiration!

I would love to see your completed hats. I am offering to give 3 month pro memberships to the first 3 who post pictures in the comments section!!! 3 might not be enough so I have more!!! keep on making and posting!!!

Step 1: Lets Begin!

tools include

• Sewing machine
• Scissors for paper
• Scissors of fabric
• pins
• needle for hand stitching
• pen
• cutting mat and rotary cutter
• Knitting needle
• needle nose pliers
• Armature of an appropriate sized head

Materials needed:

• Pink Polar Fleece
• Pink thread
• 20GA stainless wire
• Plastic Canvas

Download and print the attached pattern.

Note the attached pattern was modeled on an adult male armature as shown. you may have to adjust the cowl to get it to fit your model. adjustment explanation is in step 5.

Step 2: Pattern and Cut

The pattern itself is marked up as to where to cut and not to cut.

I sadly lack the penmanship of Jessy so if you have any questions please ask me for clarification.

Assemble the pattern as shown

This is then pinned to the fleece. you will require 2 from each side of the fleece. You will notice a texture difference and want to use the fluffier side of the fabric for the outside. I cut each these from a single layer.

I used a Rotary cutter and mat, this thing is awesome!

You will require 4 of each piece.

Step 3: Begin Sewing

Use the presser foot of the sewing machine as a guide along the edge of the material.

I set the machine to a shorter straight stitch for all seams.

The start and stop of all sewing is locked by going forward about a half an inch then reversing before going forward again.

Place two cowl pieces together with the fluffy side facing together then pin along the top curved edge.

Sew the cowl together along the top curved part from the peak to the base only.

Do not sew the lower or front edges.

Repeat for the second set of cowl pieces.

Place the ear pieces together in groups of 2 with the fluffy side facing one another then pin together around the edges.

There are two sharp angle cutouts at the base of the ears. Sew along from one cutout upwards then turn the ear as shown and sew the rest of the way back down to the other cutout. leave the space between the cutouts open.

Step 4: Prepare the Ears

You will need to turn the ears right side out, this is done from the hole in the base of the ear by working it with a knitting needle.

On a piece of plastic canvas, trace and cut the general ear shape.

You will need to make an ear support from a piece of 20GA stainless wire.

Cut a piece of wire about twice as long as the ear.

Thread the wire along the edge of the plastic canvas in a long weave as shown.

Feed the last 1/4 inch of wire through the canvas and bend and flatten it with a pair of needle nose pliers to completely blunt and fasten it to the canvas.

Repeat for the other edge of the ear leaving about a 4 inch loop of wire out of the ear opening in the base.

Gently coil the ear insert along the length and feed it into the ear opening.

The loop is then bent back at 90 degrees as shown.

This will provide the necessary support to keep the ear upright

Step 5: Prepare the Cowl

Note the pattern was modeled on an adult male armature as shown. you may have to adjust the cowl to get it to fit your model.

To adjust the fit, place a single layer of the cowl on your model and pin the front along the seam and the back along the seam. Pinning the front will bring the peak down and pinning the back will tighten the cowl.

Any adjustments will have to be done to both cowl assemblies.

With proper fit...

Place the 2 cowl halves together with the top seams centered and on opposite sides as shown. Pin along the edges being sure to mark and leave a 6 inch opening at the back.

Using the edge of the presser foot as a guide, sew along the entire edge of the cowl.

Leave the back open, remove the pins and trim along the edges of the seams in the chin strap leaving about an eighth of an inch.

Using a knitting needle turn the chin strap right side out then complete the turning of the cowl.

Step 6: Position the Ears

All sewing in this step is done from between the two layers of the cowl, through the opening that was previously left in the back.

You will need to cut a small incision in the outer cowl only. this is done in two places at the top as shown on the pattern. This cut is no wider than the base of the ear at its narrowest point.

Check for proper placement and adjust position as needed before you make the cut.

Note some of the pictures show a cut loop, DO NOT DO THIS!!!

Feed each ear into the cut in the cowl with the widest part of the ear flap facing away from the cowl center seam.

hand stitch the flaps against the outer cowl making the previously cut opening as tight as possible.

Repeat for the other ear then bend the wires back of the hat at 90 degrees to the ears.

The wire loops should overlap a little in the center.

Stitch both of the wire loops into the center of the top cowl seam, make this about an inch and a half long.

The loops should be left as big as possible for stability and adjustment of the ears.

Step 7: Finish the Hat!

With the cowl fully right side out, fold the rear opening inward and seal it with a top stitch.

Top stitch around the entire edges of the cowl, leaving a about an inch of no top stitch at the tips of the chin strap as shown.

The ears are adjusted by holding the wire loops flat at the top of the head and bending the ears as desired.

By the way I am still wearing it as I write this, it will be going to its new home soon. So I will probably have to make one for me in brown!