Bonnet Pattern
Homemade Strawberry Short Cake Hat
The bonnet pattern for Strawberry Shortcake Costume was quite easy and fun to do. I had to draft my own pattern, and this is how I did it.
What you will need
- Large pieces of construction paper
- Bowl (you will see what this is for later)
- Pencil
- Sharp Scissors
- Sewing Machine
- Thread
- Fabric
- Stiff lining (netting, non fusible interfacing)
- Strawberry applique (Optional)
The Fabric I Used:
The fabric I used is from Fabric.com. In my search for Strawberry
Shortcake fabric, I could not find it any where online or in a fabric
store, other than Fabric.com.
Amazon carries some, but not what I
really wanted. I do recommend using Fabric.com. They are a
reliable option for purchasing fabric.
The amount of fabric I purchased is above each fabric sample. Unfortunately the strawberry fabric is no longer available, however I have shown a possible alternative. You can of course choose your own color and print to make your bonnet pattern.
Step by Step:
Strawberry Shortcake Bonnet Pattern
Step One: Making the Bonnet Pattern
- I found a bowl large enough to create the top of the hat.
- How
large you make your hat is up to you, but, if you look at the vintage
version of a strawberry shortcake image you’ll see it is quite large.
- I would suggest measuring your head or whom ever will be wearing the bonnet around the fullest part of the skull and add about 6 inches.
On a large piece of construction paper, I traced a line around the bowl to form the top of the bonnet pattern.
- Measure 3" from the outer line of the circle this will stand as your hat brim.
- Now cut out along the lines that you have drawn.
- These pieces will be your templates for the hat top and the hat brim.
Step Two: Cutting Out
- Using the circle template, cut out the top of the hat.
- Using the same template, cut out your hat lining.
- The stiff lining that will make the top of the hat stand up.
- Cut out the brim using the paper template from step one. You will need to cut two layers. In this case I chose contrasting fabrics.
- Once I had my brim cut out, I decided to scallop the edges.
- This is easy. I used a glass to draw scallop lines and then cut around them.
- Measure around your head to determine circumference of your hat.
- This is the hat band.
- Cut another band out of the same stiff lining you used for the top of the hat.
Step Three: Stitching The Hat
- For the brim.
- Stitch the two brim layers together using a 1/4 " stitch width.
- After stitching, turn the layers right side out.
- For The Top of the Hat
- Stitch two rows of basting stitches for gathering the edge of the top of the hat.
- (Basting stitch is a long stitch length that is used to gather fabric.)
- Before adding the hat bands, draw up the basting stitches to create a gather for the top of the hat.
- Gather the same circumference as the hat bands.
- For the Hat Band
- Stitch the ends of the hat bands together.
- Note: One of the bands will also have the stiff lining attached to it.
- Press 3/8" on the one band with the lining, as shown in the photo.
- Set the bands aside.
Step Four: Putting the hat together
- Pin one band to the outside of the hat. Stitch in place.
- Now pin the other hat band to the other inside of the top of the hat as shown.
- Stitch in place the same as above.
- You can see from the photo, the hat is now sandwiched between the band.
- I discovered that the hat was a little too wide in circumference. If this happens to you. See my easy fix below.
- I measured the hat to determine how much I needed to remove.
- I have measured a piece of elastic to bring in the excess in the hat band.
- Stitch elastic into the seam as shown.
- Now you add the brim to the outside hat band. Pin in place.
- Stitch the brim to the outer band as shown.
- Press the seam toward the inside of the band.
- Hand stitch the outer band in place as shown
- This is what the inside of the bonnet should look like.
- This is what the finished bonnet looks like.
For more costume ideas leave Strawberry Shortcake bonnet pattern page and go to my homemade costumes.