22 Aug 2020

How to: Patchwork Quilt Bucket Hat Tutorial

I came across a pattern for a bucket hat à la a collaboration that RAEBURN did with Depop earlier this summer. RAEBURN is a UK design studio known for their creative innovation with sustainable streetwear. Having an old box of vintage quilt fabric, I was inspired to make a sustainable patchwork quilt bucket hat based on RAEBURN’s pattern. Check out the tutorial below to see how I did it and make your own!

Before you begin…

Skill Level: Confident Beginner (basic sewing knowledge and skills)

Download the free pattern here: ht tps://www.raeburndesign.co.uk/explore/journal/post/id/depop-x-raeburn

Assemble and cut out the pattern pieces. Pieces needed: BRIM, HAT TOP, and CROWN A.

Important Note: This tutorial only uses the BRIM, HAT TOP, and CROWN A pattern pieces.
If you would like to make the bucket hat in the way that RAEBURN designed it (with a pocket on the crown) please follow the How To instructions and video on their site.

Get your patchwork done. Use scrap fabric to make a piece of patchwork fabric large enough to meet the fabric requirements listed below.
For a tutorial on how to create patchwork fabric from scraps, check out: https://youtu.be/0-fHldW8Erc

Required Materials

Sewing Machine
Thread
Scissors
Pins

Fabric Requirements:
34″ x 24″ piece of patchwork fabric (for the exterior hat top, two crown pieces, and four brim pieces)
18″ x 24″ piece of lining fabric (for interior hat top and two crown pieces)

Part One: Cutting

Step 1:

Use the HAT TOP pattern piece and cut one hat top out of the patchwork fabric and one hat top out of the lining fabric.

Helpful Tip: Pin the pattern piece to the fabric and cut around the pattern piece.

Pin the pattern piece to the fabric to hold it in place while cutting around it.

Cut two hat tops, one from the patchwork fabric and one from the lining fabric.

Step 2:

Use the CROWN A pattern piece and cut two crown pieces from the patchwork fabric and two crown pieces from the lining fabric.

Cut four crowns, two from lining fabric and two from patchwork fabric.

Step 3:

Use the BRIM pattern piece and cut four brim pieces from the patchwork fabric.

Part Two: Sewing the Top

Step 4:

Take the two patchwork crown pieces and place them right sides together. Sew along the short sides – I used a 1/4″ seam allowance but you could use a 1/2″ allowance as well.

Place right sides together and sew along the short sides (marked in yellow).

Step 5:

Open the patchwork crown and pin the patchwork hat top to the top of the crown, right sides together.

Pin the hat top to the top of the crown, right sides together.

Step 6:

Sew the hat top to the crown – I used a 1/4″ seam allowance but you could use a 1/2″ allowance as well. Turn right side out to admire your work so far, then set aside.

Sew the hat top to the crown and turn right side out.

Step 7:

Repeat steps 4-6 using the lining hat top and crown pieces. Set aside for later.

Repeat steps 4-6 using the lining pieces.

Part Three: Sewing the Brim

Step 8:

Take two of the brim pieces and place them right sides together. Sew along the short sides. I used a 1/4″ seam allowance but you could use a 1/2″ allowance as well.

Repeat for the other two brim pieces.

Step 9:

Open the two brim pieces into a circle shape and stack together with right sides together. Pin together along the bottom.

Note: The photo below show the brim folded in half. Make sure to stack the pieces together and pin in the circle shape (imagine the finished shape of the hat brim).

Stack the brim pieces right sides together and pin along the bottom.

Step 10:

Sew along the bottom of the brim – I used a 1/4″ seam allowance but you could use a 1/2″ allowance as well. Turn the brim right side out and finger press the seam flat.

Helpful Tip: Go slow! Curves can be tricky.

Sew along the bottom of the brim and then turn right side out.

Step 11:

With the brim right side out, sew circles around the brim at 1/4″ intervals. This will make the brim stiff and adds the signature bucket hat look.

Note: I used a contrasting light thread which made the lines pop! Be careful, though… a contrasting thread color will show if any of your circles were spaced unevenly. (Some of mine are a little wonky, I won’t lie.)

Sew circles around the brim at 1/4″ intervals to add stiffness.

Part Four: Finishing the Hat

Step 12:

Take the patchwork hat top and pin the brim to the sides of the top with right sides together. Sew the brim and top together using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Pin the brim to the patchwork hat top and sew a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Step 13:

Take the lining hat top and turn it inside out (the seams should be on the outside). Place the hat inside of the lining hat top, making sure that the right side of the patchwork hat is touching the right sides of the lining hat top and the brim is tucked flat between the patchwork and lining hat tops.

Pin together but leave a 2 inch wide opening. Sew together using a 1/2″ seam allowance – but do not sew all the way around! Be sure to leave a 2 inch wide opening.

Helpful Tip: Go slow! You are sewing through four layers of fabric on a curve, which can be tricky.

Place the hat inside the lining hat top, pin, and sew a 1/2″ seam allowance leaving a 2 inch opening.

Step 14:

Carefully turn the hat right side out using the 2 inch opening. Smooth the hat into shape and press with an iron, if needed.

Fold the fabric at the opening in about 1/2″, and pin in place. Use a straight stitch to sew the opening closed along the seam of the brim and the crown.

Helpful Tip: I used a matching thread to hide the stitching. If you prefer to hand sew this closed, try a ladder stitch technique to hide the stitches completely.