How to Make a Fleece Hat & Scarf

Whether you choose to recycle your garments or use brand-new fleece fabric, you can turn this fuzzy textile into easy, fun crafting projects, which can also include making your own pom-poms and fringe. Fleece, which is available in Microfleece, light and medium weights as well as fleece with Lycra or Spandex blends, can also be used to make easy, no-sew hats and scarves. You can make a variety of fleece combinations to keep you warm and cuddly this fall and winter.

Things You'll Need

• Old sweatshirt
• Fabric scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Pattern paper
• Paper scissors
• Fleece (1 to 2 yards)
• Straight pins
• Serger machine
• Sewing machine

Instructions

No-Sew Fleece Hat

1. Cut the sleeves off of an old sweatshirt with your fabric scissors. If you want to add a brim, cut along the armhole seam.

2. Cut and remove the sleeve cuffs. Make your fringe by cutting ½-inch-wide strips, approximately five to six inches in length, starting from the sleeve cuff raw edge.

3. Tie the fringe in simple knots. The hat will begin to form. You can opt to slit the fringe further once the top fringe ties have completely closed the crown.

4. Place your hat on your head and roll the excess fabric into a brim. Adjust your hat on your head.

Patchwork Fleece Scarf

1. Draw an eight-inch-wide by eight-inch-long pattern on pattern paper. Cut it out with your paper scissors.

2. Choose two complementary fleece colors for your patchwork scarf.

3. Pin your paper pattern to your fabric. To make a 72-inch scarf, cut 10 eight-inch squares in one color and cut eight eight-inch squares in the next color. You will be making two separate panels for a double-sided scarf.

4. Position your squares in a color-alternating pattern. Serge nine alternating squares together to finish one panel and serge the remaining squares together for the second panel. You can opt to use a contrast decorative stitch or mix two thread colors in your serge machine to coordinate back to the alternating fabric squares.

5. Cut two eight-inch-wide by six-inch-long panels. Cut half-inch-wide by five-inch-long strips. Stop cutting approximately one inch from the edge.

Constructing Your Scarf

1. Pin the right sides of the two fleece scarf panels together. Insert and pin the fringe at each end.

2. Serge along each of the side seams. Make sure the decorative stitches used to attach the squares are facing you. The stitches are part of the patchwork design.

3. Change your stitch selector on your sewing machine to a long zigzag stitch. Run the stitch carefully at each end of the scarf, attaching the fringe to finish your patchwork fleece scarf.

References

• "Classic Millinery Techniques: A Complete Guide to Making & Designing Today's Hats"; Ann Albrizio, Osnat Lustig, Ted Morrison; 2001
• "One-Piece Wearables: 25 Chic Garments and Accessories to Sew from Single Pattern Pieces"; Sheila Brennan; 2008

Resources

• Making Friends: No Sew Fleece Hat
• Mormon Chic: Fabulous Fleece