How to Make Baby Hats With Flowers

Add some flair to a baby's wardrobe with decorative floral hats.

Baby hats come in all different fabrics, colors and styles for warmth, sun protection and just because they look adorable. You can make baby hats at home with little or no previous sewing experience in just a few steps and decorate the homemade hats with brightly colored flowers for beautiful picture-taking opportunities.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Scissors
• Tracing pencil
• Circle compass
• Tape measure
• Needle
• Thread
• Sewing machine (optional)
• Silk flowers
• Ribbon
• Iron

Instructions

Floral Sun Hat

1. Obtain the measurements of the child's head. To do this, first measure the circumference and then divide the measurement by 3.14 to obtain the diameter measurement. For instance, a one-year-old with a head circumference of 18 inches has a diameter measurement of nearly 6 inches. Add an additional 1.5 inches to the diameter measurement to accommodate the seam and for a comfortable fit, which equals 7.5 inches. For the radius, divide the diameter measurement by 2. In this case, the measurement equals 3.75 inches.

2. Trace a rectangle onto the fabric that measures 4 inches by the head circumference plus 1.5 inches. Cut out this rectangle.

3. Trace a large circle on the fabric, using the circle compass. The measurement should be equivalent to the radius plus 5 inches. Cut out the circle. Find the center point of the circle with a ruler and then set the circle compass to a radius of 3.75 inches and trace a circle from the center point. Cut out this circle. The larger circle will make the brim of the sun hat, and the inner circle forms the top.

4. Use a zigzag stitch on a sewing machine or a whip stitch when sewing by hand to connect the top of the hat to the rectangle. Attach the brim to the rectangle and then turn the hat right side out to hide the seams.

5. Sew on a large silk flower just above the brim of the sun hat. Then sew on one medium-size flower on either side of the large flower in a different color.

Stretchy Fabric Hat

1. Measure the child's head to obtain the circumference and add 1 inch to the measurement. Measure from the child's brow line to the crown of her head and add 3 inches to this measurement.

2. Lay out a piece of cotton-blend fabric that has a little bit of stretch to it and trace a rectangle that is equal to the augmented circumference measurement by the augmented height measurement obtained in Step 1. Cut out the rectangle.

3. Fold the rectangle in half, which will divide the circumference measurement in half. Make a mark at the top and bottom to show the center point. Cut the fabric in two along this line.

4. Place one of the rectangles on top of the other. Use a single stitch or a zigzag stitch to sew the side back together that was just cut. Sew together the side opposite the recently cut side and then sew together a third side. Fold over 1 inch of the remaining ends and use an iron to create a crease. Use a single stitch to hold the fold in place.

5. Turn the hat right side in to hide the seaming. Use a piece of ribbon to tie the hat's top corners on either side. Sew flowers onto the bunched-up material.

References

• Make Baby Stuff.com: Simple Baby Sun Hat Pattern for Sewing
• Pink Boutique: Baby Sun Hats
• Radical Cross Stitch: Easiest Baby Hat Ever -- Tutorial