How to Paracord Stitch a Boonie Hat

Carry all the cord you need without added bulk.

Parachute cord is an essential part of any outdoor survival kit. If you are a scout, camper or adventurer, you're probably looking for ways to carry more paracord with you. An easy way to carry it is on something you likely already wear: a boonie hat. Either stitch the cord right into your hat--the instructions are below--or knot a chain and pin it on the hatband.

Things You'll Need

• Boonie hat
• 50 feet 550 parachute cord
• Safety pins (if needed)
• Needle-nose pliers

Instructions

1. Secure the cord to one of the loops on your hat by folding the cord in half, sliding that fold under a loop and pulling the ends of the cord through it.

2. Turn the hat sideways and position one 25-foot strand of cord on either side of the ring of loops on your hat. You'll be using a cobra stitch to knot the cord around the hat. The cobra stitch usually uses two center strings to knot around, but here, you will use the hat band--which is usually sewn down so that a series of loops protrude around the hat--as a center for the stitch.

3. Cobra Stitch: Tuck the left cord under the hat band and over the right cord. Leave a little slack so there is a loop on the left side. Cross the right cord over the hat band and down through the loop the left cord made. Pull the knot tight. This is half of a stitch.
   For the other half, do the opposite. Tuck the right cord under the hat band and over the left cord, so you make a loop to the right. Cross the left cord over the hat band and down the back of the the right cord loop. Pull the knot tight and slide it up as far as you can.

4. Continue the cobra stitch around the hat. To use more cord, stitch as tightly as possible. For less cord, spread the knots out.

5. Tie off your cord. Once you have stitched all the way around the hat, insert your pliers under a few of your beginning stitches. Using the pliers, grasp the cord ends and pull them back through those stitches. Trim the ends for a neat finish.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to use more cord after you knot around the hat, knot over the stitches you've already done until your free cord is about two inches long. Then tie it off.

References

• Boonie Hat with Paracord
• Slip-on Paracord Bracelet
• The Cobra Stitch