Learn how to make this easy and stylish DIY sun hat for kids and adults using a free sewing pattern.
It’s fun to be out and about in the sun, but if you’re also taking photosensitive drugs, like I do for my Rheumatoid Arthritis, you need to be especially careful. So hats are an essential part of my summer wardrobe. As much as I adore oversized straw hats, cloth hats are ever so practical when you’re in and out of stores and restaurants. You can fold and fit it in any size bag, and simply pop it back on your head before you step out in the sun! So, do I pack my little DIY sun hat in my cross body bag whenever I go on vacation? You betcha!
If you make this sun hat, be sure to share pics of your finished project by tagging me @sew_zune on Instagram or post on the Zune’s Sewing Therapy Facebook. I’d love to see your creation!
Now, let’s sew a sun hat together!
This sun hat has a finished circumference of 22.5”. To enlarge or decrease the hat size, try scaling the pattern in the Printer Dialog Box.
SUPPLY LIST:
Self Fabric – 1/2 yard
Lining Fabric – 1/2 yard
Interfacing – 14.5″ x 14.5″ *Read below for more information
Matching thread
Contrast thread (optional for topstitching)
Print Pattern – This FREE pattern is available to all my newsletter subscribers. Check your inbox or junk folder for the confirmation email. Be sure to have your pop up blocker disabled on your browser. Print from laptop or computer.
*Interfacing – There many fusible and sew-in interfacings to choose from. The degree of firmness of the hat’s brim will depend on the type of interfacing and the fabric that you use. If you want a floppy hat, you may want to use a lightweight or even a midweight interfacing. I used the Pellon Sew In Ultra Firm Stabilizer for a firm brim. As you can see from the above pictures, it still got a little “floppy” after many wears and folding and storing into my bag.
Tips – Always pre-wash your fabric to pre-shrink.
Here are all the pieces cut out. My self fabric is denim – I decided to make the lining brim also out of denim.
1. Fold the side band in half and stitch with a 1/4” seam allowance. Press the seam allowance open. Do the same for the lining side band.
2. Divide and mark the top edge of the side band into quarters. Also divide the crown into quarters. With RIGHT sides together, match the quarter markings of the side band to the crown. Stitch together with a 1/4” seam allowance. Repeat these steps to attach the lining side band to the lining crown.
**If you’re using a fusible interfacing, attach it to the wrong side of the self brim now.**
3. With RIGHT sides together, pin the brim to the bottom of the band. Stitch together with a 1/4” seam allowance. Repeat these steps to attach the lining band to the lining brim.
You should now have a self hat and a lining hat.
4. With RIGHT sides together, pin the self hat to the lining hat. If you’re using a sew-in interfacing like I am, place the interfacing brim on top of the self hat now. You may want to trim the interfacing brim so that it is a bit smaller than the self hat’s brim. Stitch all 3 layers of the brim together with a 1/4” seam allowance leaving about 2”-3” open. Then, clip into the seam allowance close to the line of stitching, all around the brim. Turn the hat right side out through the 2”-3” opening you had left open.
5. Turn the raw edges of the opening in towards the brim. Press the brim and edge stitched with a matching thread 1/8” along the edge. To topstitch, use the edge stitching (not the hat’s brim) as a guide and topstitch 1/4” away from it. If you want to topstitch a few rows like how I did, use the topstitching as guide. This will create even spacings between each row. The multiple rows of topstitching are not only decorative, but they also keep the facing in place and create a nice flat edge for the brim.
That’s it! If you have any questions, comments, or steps you did differently, please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!
Chillax & Happy Sewing!
21 Comments
Thanks for the sewing DIY lessons and I like to know more thanks
Hi Lebogang,
Thanks so much for your kind words! I will be making a video tutorial for it. Happy sewing!
Is it possible to serge the seams instead of straight stitch?
I would stick with the straight stitch because there are curved seams that require clipping into the seam allowance to release the tension. Also, all the raw edges are completely enclosed inside the hat so need to worry about fraying.
Thank you for the tutorial. How do I size this pattern for a child?
Thanks for stopping by!
To resize for a child, I would decrease the desired amount along the crown and all along the band except the band’s fold line. For the brim, decrease the same amount as the band on each of the 2 fold line. Hope that makes sense. Let me know if you need a visual, and I’ll post a quick picture on the Zune’s Sewing Therapy Facebook page.
just the kind of pattern I have been looking for. I have 3 grandboys and 1 grandgirl.
I’m so glad to hear that! They make fun, practical gifts for spring/summer birthdays too!
I would like a visual. I would LOVE to make this for my grandson (1yr old)
Hi Dawn! I am actually wearing the hat in the image. The one I made for my son may appear smaller due to the camera angle. For a one year, you can certainly trim around the edges of all the hat pattern pieces to make it smaller. Hope that helps!
Thank you for the pattern, wondering is the original size of the pattern is adult size? I want to make me one and my grandkids!
You’re very welcome!
It’s a little embarrassing, but my son and I wear the same size hat. I have a small head. However, you can certainly size up or down by adding or trimming down the edge of all the hat pattern pieces.
I really like your bucket hat and would like to try to make one. Could you please send me the pattern for it. Thanks
Hi Bernadette,
I’m so glad to hear that! The free patterns are set up so that subscribers can easily download whichever pattern that they like at their convenience. Please let me know if you need any help.
Your bucket hat is so nice. I have a question, where I live it can get VERY hot in the summer (110, 115, 120 degrees some days), so I would need some airflow to keep as cool as possible. Would it work to make the band and crown out of mesh fabric???
Thanks for your help and advice in advance!
Wow, that is pretty hot! I think the mesh is a great idea!! Are you making the band and the crown entirely out of mesh? I take a lot of photosensitive medication due to my RA, so I burn very easily. Personally, I would add the mesh as design insets. If you do make the sun hat, please share a picture on the Zune’s Sewing Therapy Facebook page. I’d love to see your beautiful creation! 🙂
There seems to be confusion about which which brim the interfacing goes on….you say attach the interfacing to the self brim but later say to put the interfacing brim on top of the self brim….
Hi Tamara,
Good catch! I’ve added some clarification to Step 4 which includes a sew-in interfacing. The note with asterisks under Step 2’s photo is for if you’re using an iron on interfacing.
I signed up for the emails, tried to download the pattern, it keeps,looping, unable to download?….
Hi Janelle,
Thanks for being a subscriber!
Yes, that happens due to your browser setting – you will need to turn off the pop blocker on your internet browser setting so that the pattern can open in a new tab.
Happy sewing!