By the 18th century, men's hats had evolved from a simple head covering to a sophisticated fashion statement – the more elaborate the hat, the higher the social status. The basic wide-brimmed felt hat was the starting point for most men's hats. Simple laborers usually wore them as they were. To add a bit of style, and to show off their fashionable wigs, men began to cock (fold) their hats in various ways. The most popular way to cock a hat during this time period was the three-cornered hat, known today as the tricorn hat. It was usually shaped in an equilateral triangle, but fashionable men, such as George Washington, adjusted the the angles of the tricorn to achieve a more distinguished look.
This pattern by Thimbles and Acorns includes instructions for creating a hat block to mold a basic felt hat from a flat piece of felt fabric that can be shaped in three popular 18th century styles – the basic wide-brimmed hat, three-cornered hat, and the distinguished George Washington style hat. No sewing is required for a simple untrimmed hat, but you can easily apply a variety of trims and folds to create a hat that will turn heads. For the finishing touch, add a cockade to the brim and a lining inside the crown. This pattern includes pieces for three different sizes that can be used for smaller dolls or to create a dainty ladies hat for larger dolls.
This PDF sewing pattern is designed to fit multi sized dolls with a head circumference ranging from 12.25- 8.25-inch (31 - 21 cm) for dolls such as American Girl®, A Girl for All Time, WellieWishers™, Little Darlings, and Other Similarly Sized Dolls.
Complete the look with the George Washington, Commander in Chief and Regimental Cloak patterns.
Suggested Fabrics: Hat in wool felt, wool blend felt, or acrylic felt. Not suitable for knits. Hat Lining and Bias Trim in lightweight silk, linen, cotton, or synthetic. Not suitable for knits.
Supplies Needed:
Fabric:
Large
__All Hats ~ 12-inch (30 cm) square of fabric
__View A and B Bias Trim and Hat Lining ~ 1/2-yard (0.5 m) 45-inch wide fabric
__View C Bias Trim and Hat Lining ~ 3/4 yard (0.75 m) 45-inch wide fabric
Medium
__All Views ~ 11-inch (28 cm) square of fabric
__View A, B, and C Bias Trim and Hat Lining ~ 1/2-yard (0.5 m) 45-inch wide fabric
Small
__All Views ~ 9-inch (23 cm) square of fabric
__View A, B, and C Bias Trim and Hat Lining ~ 1/2-yard (0.5 m) 45-inch wide fabric
Notions:
All Sizes
All Views
__Styrofoam ball (closed cell) 4-inch for Large Hat, 3.5-inch for Medium Hat, 3-inch for Small Hat
__Four T-pins
__One 1/4-inch wide rubber band large enough to fit around the styrofoam ball
__Cornstarch (or fabric stiffener of choice)
__Old towel for pressing the hat (towel should have minimal texture and may get stained)
__Vinegar for cleaning the iron
__Thread
__13-inches (33 cm) 1/2-inch (12 mm) wide ribbon for Large Hat, 12-inches (5 cm) 1/2-inch (12 mm) wide
ribbon for Medium Hat, 11-inches (28 cm) 1/2-inch (12 mm) wide ribbon for Small Hat
Views B and C
__Cockade band ~ Large Hat, 6-inches (15.25 cm) 1/8-inch (3 mm) wide ribbon
~Medium Hat, 5-1/2-inches (14 cm) 1/8-inch (3 mm) wide ribbon
~Small Hat, 4-inches (10 cm) 1/8-inch (3 mm) wide ribbon
__One 3/8-inch (9 mm) decorative button
__Cockade ~ Large and Medium Hats 6-inches (15.25 cm) 2-inch wide satin ribbon
~ Small Hat 5-inches (12.5 cm) 1-1/2-inch wide satin ribbon
__1 yard (1 m) 1-inch (2.5 cm) wide decorative trim (optional)
__1 yard (1 m) 5/8-inch (1.5 cm) wide decorative lace (optional)
__Leather or Tapestry Needle
__Perle cotton, narrow ribbon, or embroidery floss for tacking the hat brims
Skill Level: Intermediate
What You Get: One 39 page sewing pattern that you digitally download as a PDF file so you can start your project immediately! The PDF sewing pattern provides digitally drawn step-by-step illustrated instructions and full size pattern pieces. A PDF reader is required to view and print the files (example: Adobe Reader or Preview for MAC). The download link is received immediately after the transaction is complete. Print copies are NOT available.
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