How to Make a Bucket Hat

Please note: The scalloped edge is optional. If a regular bucket hat is desired, simply cut the pattern on the straight line. Furthermore, you can change the size of the scallops on your pattern easily. Simply hand draw wider half circles around the outer brim of the hat for your desired scallop edge and size.

Fold your fabric in half, wrong sides together. Place your 'brim' paper pattern pieces on top of your folded fabric. Use either pattern weights or pins to secure the paper to the fabric. Cut out your 'brim' pattern pieces from the fabric. This will give you two mirror image pattern pieces. Unfold your fabric, and repeat for the 'side' pattern piece, and 'crown.'

Repeat for exterior, lining, and interfacing.

Following the instructions that came with your interfacing, iron the interfacing onto the wrong side of your lining pattern pieces.

Fold your 'side' pattern pieces right sides together, matching up the raw side edge. Pin and sew. Press open seam. Repeat for both lining and exterior.

Starting at the 'side' seam, pin the raw edge of the 'crown' to the top raw edge of the 'side', right sides together.

The top of the 'side' is the smaller inner curve circular opening.

Continue pinning the 'crown' to the top edge of the 'side' right sides together, by pinning and curving the fabric around as you go.

You should have something that looks like this when you are finished pinning the 'crown' to the top 'side'. Repeat for both the lining and exterior.

Sew around the top edge, using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Please note: Sewing a curve can be tricky. It requires a bit of finagling on the sewing machine, and moving the fabric as you go. Be careful not to get any folds or tucks of fabric in your stitches as you sew.

You should have the top portion of your lining and exterior bucket hat sewn now. Carefully clip the curved sewn seam, making sure not to clip the stitches, and set aside for a moment as we sew the 'brim' in the next few steps.

Place your two 'brim' pattern pieces right sides together, pin the side seams. Sew, and press seam open. Repeat for both exterior and lining.

Place your lining and exterior 'brim' pattern pieces right sides together and pin around the outer edge. Using a generous 3/4" seam allowance, sew around the curves of the scalloped edge, pivoting along the curves.

If you are making the scalloped hat version, it is very important that you clip all curved seams of the outer scalloped edge as well as the pivoted points. Make sure to clip as close to the sewn line as possible, with multiple notches around the curves.

Turn the 'brim' right side out and press, using a blunt pointed object to push out any edges or curves.

Slip the 'brim' over the exterior hat, right sides together, matching up the raw edges. make sure your 'side' seam and one 'brim' seam are lined up. Pin the raw edges together all the way around.

Note: It helps to pin on four opposite sides (back, front, middle, middle), and gently stretch and curve your fabric as you pin in between those four main pins.

Sew the 'brim' to the hat, curving the hat as you sew around. Press seam up, towards the inside of the hat.

For the lining hat, fold the bottom raw edge 1/2" towards the wrong side of the fabric and press.

Slip the lining hat inside your main hat, so that the right side of the fabric is showing.

Pin the lining in place, enclosing the seam, and sew around using a hand needle and thread. An easy whipstitch is perfect, making sure to only catch the lining fabric as you sew so that the stitches do not show on the exterior of the hat.

For a crisp looking hat, this last step is vital. Make sure to press all seams, as well as the brim. If needed, a tailor's ham (or curved stuffed object) can help get the best finish over the curved side of the hat.

For additional cuteness, wrap a ribbon around your hat and tie in a bow.