How to Make a Chef Hat Toque Pattern for Large or Small Pets

Last year my son mentioned he would love to have a chef hat or toque. I did not have a pattern and when the pet contest posted, I thought it was a good opportunity to experiment with a self made pattern for pets. I figured there was little waste and time if it did not turn out. This instructable is the results of my endeavor. Now that I know my pattern worked I will make one for my son. Follow through and lets make a chef hat for a pet.

Step 1: Supplies

This is what you will need:

Fabric scraps of your choice preferably cottonmedium weight works great

Interfacing for light weight fabric ( light weight fusible)

Elastic

Make a pattern I will show you how

Thread

Scissors

Sewing pins and sewing needle

Hand stitch or sew with a sewing machine

Pencil

Drinking straw

Fabric paint optional

Lids

Step 2: Pattern

Pattern:

I looked at chef hats for pets to see what style I liked. I found the hat I liked and tried to make one like it. Keep in mind the wider the hat band the taller the hat will be. Also the larger the hat circle the fuller the top of the hat will be. You will notice from the pictures I made 2 small hats. The polka dot hat had a smaller band and the top of the hat was not as full. I did not like that style as much as I did the plain white hat. You will notice the large chef hat is made slightly different than the smaller ones. Scooby does not have much of a crown for the hat so we modified the pattern by sloping the hat band that connects to the top of the hat so the fullness of the top of the hat could be shaped to come forward. This corrected the problem.

I used lids to determine the size of hat to make but you can use a tape measure if you like. I placed the lid on top of the small pets head between the ears to determine how large to make the gathered section of the hat. For the large dog I placed the lid on his head and estimated where I wanted the band to be. For large or small pets I tripled the circle and cut one circle out of a piece of sheet or old fabric to see how it fit after I gathered it. I enlarged or reduced the pattern from there.

Cut two pattern pieces from the circle.

Don't cut the band until we make the gathered hat piece.

Press if needed.

Step 3: Press and Sew Round Pattern Piece

Sew:

Now would be the time to iron the interfacing onto the round fabric piece on the wrong side of one piece. If you are using light weight fabric.

Place the two circle fabric pieces with wrong sides together.

Using the largest stitch setting; stitch around the circle placing the presser foot at the edge of the circle.

Stitch again placing the presser foot next to the seam you just stitched.

Pick up the top 2 threads as shown and carefully pull the threads to gather the hat top.

Gather the hat until it is about 1/4 inch larger than the desired size of hat using the lid to measure.

Step 4: Cut Press Pin Hat Pieces

Method for the hat band pattern:

Measure around the gathered hat top.

Add 1inch for the length of the rectangle. Mark this on some paper.

Determine how wide you want the band and add 1/4 inch for the seam allowance. I made mine 3 1/2 inches for a small animal ( but decided I liked it slightly wider because it made the hat taller) and 5 1/2 inches for a large animal. The small animal was the cat and a tea cup puppy ?

Fold the band with wrong sides together lengthwise and press.

Pin the band to the round hat piece allowing 1/2 inch tail as shown.

Continue around; pinning the band to the hat piece. You should end up with about 1/2 inch tail.

Stitch the band together.

Step 5: Sew the Band to the Hat Top

Sew:

I accidently stitched the band to the hat top before I stitched the band together as you can see from the previous picture.

Stitch the band to the hat top as shown.

Fold the band in half and turn under a small hem and then re-pin the band to the hat top (over the previous stitching as shown. It is OK if one of the previous stitching still shows because the other one will secure the stitch when sewn next. You just pull out the second stitch line that shows. This will make a nice finished hat.

Step 6: Decorate or Not

You can decorate by using lapels, paint names or words, or make a fish or hot dog. I will share how I made a hot dog. I thought it would be cute to paint or embroidery human finger prints on a pet hat.

What you will need for a hot dog:

Brown fabric scrap

Yellow fabric scrap

Stuffing

Needle and thread

Scissors

Measuring tape

Step 7: Strap to Secure the Chef Hat

For the strap I used elastic so it would be easy to put on the animal with little fuss. The next time I make one I will use a wider elastic because I think it would fit the head a little nicer.

Step 8: Hot Dog Pattern

Cut:

Lay the chef hat over the brown fabric.

The length of the hot dog should extend slightly over the length of the chef hat adding 1/2 inch for seams.

Cut the yellow cheese after the hot dog is made.

.

Step 9: Sewing the Hot Dog

Sew:

Fold the brown fabric 1/4 inch down on each end as shown.

With right sides together fold lengthwise in half and stitch as shown.

Turn right side out.

Stitch one end by gathering as shown.

Fill with fiber fill using a straw to pack it inside.

Gather remaining end as shown.

It should look like last picture.

Step 10: Cheese

Cut cheese:

Cut the cheese a little larger than you think you need.

Place the hot dog over the cheese and fold it as shown to see if that is the size you want.

Trim it down as needed.

Fold it over the hot dog and stitch it to the hat top.

Step 11: Flaunt Your Chef Hat and Cook Up Some Snacks

Step 12: Final Thoughts

It does not take very long to make one of these. Hand stitching them does not take that long if you do not own a sewing machine. You can machine wash them on gentle cycle and line dry.

This is an entry for the pet contest, if you would like to vote for it please come back when the vote button is in the top right corner. Thanks so much for your support. Have a happy spring!

I wish to thank our sponsors' for their contributions.

sunshiine