Let's welcome Kim T.@Camisoles & Cammies to It's About Time Mamaw's. She is going to share one of her tutorials with us today. Enjoy and be sure to leave her a comment.
I am a 25 year old Momma to three amazing kiddos (7, 4 and 1) and the wife to a super handsome Marine! We are stationed in Oahu, Hawaii right now, but are both originally from Michigan. I have many newfound hobbies since we've moved here - hiking, snorkeling, sewing and crafting and of course this blog. I've always wanted to be a mommy, it's the only thing I've ever been sure of and my kids are my life!
Girly Gnome Hat (Halloween Costume Part 1)
Halloween is getting near! If you are planning to make your own costumes or decorations you realize it is a lot closer than you would think. Little Ava is going to be a girly garden gnome this year and I decided to put my skills to work, save myself some money and have fun making her costume myself.
Originally I had planned on making her hat out of felt, which ideally would have been easier since it doesn't fray so you don't have to worry about finishing off raw edges and it is stiff so it would stand on it's own. They didn't have the colors I wanted so I opted to go with another fabric which requires work to finish the edges and some serious starching to make it stiff, but is totally worth the extra work!
Materials:
Felt or similar fabric of your choice
Basic sewing supplies/ machine
Measure Tape - the bendy seamstress kind
Freezer paper (or other paper large enough to draw your pattern on)
Spray Starch
Instructions:
The very first thing you are going to do is get your measurements. Decide how tall you want your hat to be and measure the circumference of your little one's head.
My daughter's head is 18" around. To make your pattern, you are going to cut that number in half (9" for me) and add your seam allowance plus about a 1/4" so the hat doesn't fit too snug.
Once you have figured your measurements, you are going to draw your pattern. I like to use the paper side of freezer paper to draw mine but you can use whatever you like. First you are going to make a straight line across the bottom that is your circumference+seam allowance+1/4" to reduce snugness. Mine came out to about 9.5". Next, measure up about 1.5" and make a line on each side going up. This is so you can make a hem while still keeping the measurement you need. From that point measure up how tall you want your hat to be (9" for me) and place a dot at that point. Next draw your basic hat shape, with the top of it ending even with your dot. If none of this is making sense please refer to the photo (click on it to make it larger.)
Working around the circle opening, stitch the brim onto the hat. Fold it open and it should look like this:
Now, if you used a fabric that is not stiff and your hat is floppy, you will want to starch it. I used spray starch and gave it a good coat, then took the blowdryer to it til it dried on. I did a few coats to get it really stiff. The starch did make my hat turn purple while I was drying it but once it was dry it turned it's original hot pink again! Just a warning.
If you'd like you could make felt flowers or other embellishments to glue/sew on! I made a big felt flower.
And here is your finished product:
Originally I had planned on making her hat out of felt, which ideally would have been easier since it doesn't fray so you don't have to worry about finishing off raw edges and it is stiff so it would stand on it's own. They didn't have the colors I wanted so I opted to go with another fabric which requires work to finish the edges and some serious starching to make it stiff, but is totally worth the extra work!
Materials:
Felt or similar fabric of your choice
Basic sewing supplies/ machine
Measure Tape - the bendy seamstress kind
Freezer paper (or other paper large enough to draw your pattern on)
Spray Starch
Instructions:
The very first thing you are going to do is get your measurements. Decide how tall you want your hat to be and measure the circumference of your little one's head.
My daughter's head is 18" around. To make your pattern, you are going to cut that number in half (9" for me) and add your seam allowance plus about a 1/4" so the hat doesn't fit too snug.
Once you have figured your measurements, you are going to draw your pattern. I like to use the paper side of freezer paper to draw mine but you can use whatever you like. First you are going to make a straight line across the bottom that is your circumference+seam allowance+1/4" to reduce snugness. Mine came out to about 9.5". Next, measure up about 1.5" and make a line on each side going up. This is so you can make a hem while still keeping the measurement you need. From that point measure up how tall you want your hat to be (9" for me) and place a dot at that point. Next draw your basic hat shape, with the top of it ending even with your dot. If none of this is making sense please refer to the photo (click on it to make it larger.)
Once you have your pattern made you are going to cut two pieces of fabric from it.
Pin them right sides together, leaving the bottom unpinned.
Sew the two pieces together. Do not sew the bottom closed. That is the opening of your hat.
Snip into the fabric along the curves and around the rounded top of the hat being careful not to get your stitches. This will help it all lay right when turned right side out.
If you did not use felt and need to finish off your bottom edge you need to do the next step. If you did use felt, you can leave it as is.
You need to make the brim(?) of the hat next. I made mine 3 inches tall by 19 inches wide. To figure this you need to use the following formula (circumference + 1/4" on each side so 1/2" + 1/4" seam allowance on each side so 1/2").
Cut this strip of fabric and make it into a tube by stitching the two 3" sides together using the 1/4" seam allowance. Turn it right side out.
With your hate still inside out and your 'brim' right side out. You are going to slide the hat into the circle of the brim, lining up the edges. Pin it in place all the way around the circle opening of the hat.
Working around the circle opening, stitch the brim onto the hat. Fold it open and it should look like this:
Fold the brim up 3 folds so the raw edge is hidden inside of the folds. Make sure it is folded evenly all the way around and then make a small stitch to tack it in place on each side of the hat (not the front/back).
Now, if you used a fabric that is not stiff and your hat is floppy, you will want to starch it. I used spray starch and gave it a good coat, then took the blowdryer to it til it dried on. I did a few coats to get it really stiff. The starch did make my hat turn purple while I was drying it but once it was dry it turned it's original hot pink again! Just a warning.
If you'd like you could make felt flowers or other embellishments to glue/sew on! I made a big felt flower.
And here is your finished product:
My model does not like anything on her head! Good thing I have over a month to convince her she wants to wear it because it is oh so adorable. We may have a hat-less gnome for Halloween :/
Kim, I would like to thank you for sharing this darling little Halloween Costume Girly Gnome Hat with us today. Hope to have you back for more of your tutorials. This was really fun!
Patricia aka Mamaw
This is so perfect! I am making a gnomeo costume for my friend's son this Halloween and this is exactly what I was looking for, minus the flower :) Thank you so much for sharing this!
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