How to Make Your Very Own Fabulous Witch Hat

A guest blog post by Sarah

Going out with girlfriends to Witches Night Out at Granny’s Korner in Tomball, Texas for a little pre-Halloween fun calls for a special witches hat! Inspired by the “best hat” contest, exceeding craftiness and my lack of funds, I decided to go online and find a tutorial for making a witch’s hat. I didn’t think it would be very hard. (Spoiler alert: it wasn’t).

[Related: Making My Loblolly Witch Hat (including downloadable witch hat pattern)]

I found this lovely YouTube video  by Nightskylullaby.  I love the video, but there were a few fundamental steps left out. It took me some trial and error before I got the right size brim/opening. I ended up using the old trick my mother taught me with the tape measure and a pencil (or protractor, in this case). 

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I cannot stress this enough: MAKE A PAPER PATTERN.  After cutting the brim out of black and purple felt, I hand sewed them together with a blanket stitch, like the video said. If you’re in a hurry, this could easily be done with a sewing machine using the zig zag stitch. You could use a piece of bias binding tape for a nice finish too. I cut the hole for the head out here as well.

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After the brims were together, I inserted the wire. This was a great idea from Sheila—if it wasn’t for the wire the hat would be a floppy mess! I cut the wire to match the circumference of the outer edge of the brim then looped the wire ends around each other to close a circle. Once that was in place, I used a running stitch and embroidery floss to create the “casing.” Basically, I stitched about a half inch from the edge of the brim to hold the wire as close to the edge as possible.

Returning to the video, I measured out the remaining felt for the rest of the hat. I didn’t have enough purple to make it the proper length, so I pieced it together using some black. Turned out well, I think.

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I cut out the top pieces, used a zig zag stitch to sew the black to the purple, then sewed trim over it  to cover the line and make it look like I meant to do that. I closed up the back and attached the cone to the brim, using the zig zag stitch. 

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Following the directions on the video, I also gathered/bunched the top so it looked crooked. I adjusted the wire rim to something I was happy with and played around with some different styles. 

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The hole is a little too big, so I need to add an interior hatband to adjust fit.  For that I’ll just cut some felt that fits my head exactly and sew it in to the hat.

Finally, all that’s left is the fun part: embellishing! I created a feather medallion like the ones that used to be featured on cowboy hats in the 70s and 80s, appliquéd some gorgeous black lace up the back to cover the seam and couched a big black satin ribbon around the base using silver jump rings. Once things were positioned in a way I liked, I sewed it all down. The finishing touch was a black stone faceted bead sewed to the tip!

[Shopping list at the bottom of this post]

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Et Voila!

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Quick Steps

1. Cut pattern- DO IT

2. Cut felt (video for using tape measure & soap to make a circle)

3. Hand stitch brim layers together

4. Insert wire (cut wire length to match brim circumference; join wire ends to form circle)

5. Running stitch “casing” for wire brim

6. Cut hat; attach trim (I had to piece it b/c not enough felt)

7. Sew hat to brim (I used zig zag stitch to finish edge as I sewed); sew folds/bends in tip of hat per video instructions

8. Apply lace, ribbons, beads, net, feathers as desired for effect (see shopping list below); cardboard or foam can be cut into a triangle, then wrapped in a cylinder (like a pope hat) and inserted to make the hat stand up more firmly

Link to tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz2nulh2pFo

[Related: Making My Loblolly Witch Hat (including downloadable witch hat pattern)]

Sarah Evans, Guest Blogger

Sarah has been sewing for decades and even taught Sheila how to sew in 2015 (she’s pretty much Sheila’s sewing fairy godmother). She loves making doll clothes, vintage clothing, and her costume holy grail is an Elizabethan gown.

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Materials Shopping List

This project used wool remnants and leftover notions/materials from prior projects. You may already have these things in your supplies cabinet. But if not, here are some of the materials Sarah and I combined:

Wool, 1(ish) yard (TELIO Wool Blend Melton Fabric by The Yard, Dark Charcoal)

Braided Trim (Black Gimp Braid Trim, 5/8″ X 10yd)

16 Gauge Wire (Beadsmith 16 Gauge Tarnish Resistant Copper Wire, 7.3m/8 yd, Gold)

Feathers (Sowder Rooster Hackle Feather Fringe Trim 5-7″ in Width Pack of 5 Yards(Black))

Ribbon (Marriage N Carriage – Double Face Satin Ribbon Roll, 3 inch Wide, 25 Yards (Black))

Veil Netting (Birdcage Veil Netting Fabric Bridal Wedding Fascinator Millinery French B003 (5 Black))

Lace Applique (1 Pair Embroidery Applique Wedding Lace Floral Motif Sewing Trims Decoration (Black))

Jump Rings (Supla Open Jump Rings 4mm 5mm 6mm 7mm 8mm 10mm 21 Gauge and 19 Gauge,Lobster Claw Clasp 12 x 7mm for jewlery Making findings (Dull Silver))

Embroidery Thread (Peirich Embroidery Floss 62 Skeins Friendship Bracelets Floss with Black White Cross Stitch Floss Embroidery Thread, Embroidery Needles,12 Pieces Floss Bobbins)

Sew On Rhonestone (Sew On Rectangle Rhinestone Sew on Octagon Crystal Rhinestones in Silver Setting 36 Pcs by Choupee (Mixed Color, 13 X 18 MM)) 

Teardrop Bead (BIHRTC 12 Pcs 38mm Black Glass Crystal Chandelier Prisms Pendants Parts Hanging Drops Suncatcher with Octagon Bead (6 Pcs Teardrop + 6 Pcs Maple Leaf Crystal Pendants))

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Edited by Sheila 9/2021: Since publishing this post, I drafted a pattern for myself to make a witch hat for each season. I’ve digitized that pattern and it is available for free download on any of the following season posts:

Summer: Making My Cork Witch Hat

Spring: Making My Texas Wildflower Witch Hat

Winter: Making My Holly Witch Hat

Fall: Making My Loblolly Witch Hat

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