You’ve asked, and I’m here to deliver! “How to line a hat with a brim” has been one of my most requested topics. In this blog post, I’ll show you how to easily line a crochet or knit hat with fleece in a few easy steps. So, let’s dive into the world of hat lining, adding warmth and style to your winter wardrobe.
There is nothing sadder than getting ready for a crisp, cool day, and you reach for your favourite crochet or knit hat and realize it just isn’t going to be quite warm enough. Or even sadder, spending hours making that special little one their favourite character hat only to have it sit in a bin because their little ears freeze as the snow starts to fall.
Our handmade hats are cozy, no doubt, but with the wind blowing and the air getting colder you need something way warmer! That’s where the magic of hat lining comes in.
Lining a hat is a game-changer and now you can take all those hats that have fallen to the bottom of the drawer and make them perfect for even cold Canadian winters!
If you aren’t sure what you want to line your at with check out this video where I talk about all different fabrics to line your hats and add a touch of flair to your hat.
But, when it comes to choosing the ideal lining material for winter, there’s one clear winner for me: FLEECE.
To line the inside of a hat, follow these steps:
- Choose a warm, soft material like fleece for the lining.
- Lay the fleece with the right side up and fold it over, ensuring it stretches horizontally.
- Place your hat flat and align the bottom edge with the fleece’s bottom edge.
- Trace your hat’s shape onto the fleece, leaving about half an inch from the edge.
- Cut along the marked lines to create the lining.
- Apply fabric glue or use a sewing machine to secure the lining to your hat, leaving an opening to turn it inside out.
- Flip the hat right side out and sew the opening shut.
- Weave in loose thread ends for a polished finish.
- To prevent the lining from slipping, sew a couple of stitches through both the lining and the top of the hat near the top and sides of the brim.
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Read on the find out step by step how to line a hat for beginners!
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS – Read more
Materials Needed
Before we dive into the steps, let’s gather all the materials we’ll need for this project:
- Brimmed hat: The foundation for your lined hat.
- Fleece fabric: The soft and warm material that will form the lining.
- Scissors: Essential for precise cutting and trimming.
- Sewing thread: Choose a thread colour that matches your hat for a seamless finish.
- Sewing needle: A regular sewing needle for precision and control.
- Marker or fabric pen: Needed for tracing the hat’s shape onto the fleece.
- Measuring device (ruler or measuring tape): Ensures accurate measurements and cuts.
- Liquid Stitch or Speed Sew (fabric glue): This adhesive secures the fleece lining in place.
- Optional: sewing machine: If you prefer sewing over gluing, a sewing machine can be used for a more traditional approach.
Preparing the Fleece Lining
To start, we need to prepare the fleece lining. Here’s how:
- Determining the right side of the fleece: Find the more visually appealing side, this will be the side that has the fuzziest texture, or the brightest pattern – designate it as the “right side.”
- Ensuring horizontal stretch: Lay the fleece so it stretches horizontally, not vertically. This provides the necessary stretch to go around your head.
- Folding the fleece: Fold the fleece, ensuring it’s larger than your hat – about 1 inch – to make the most of your fabric.
Creating the Inner Hat
Now, let’s craft the inner hat from the fleece lining:
- Laying your hat flat: Begin by unfolding the brim of your hat.
- Aligning the bottom edge: Match the bottom edge of your hat (NOT INCLUDING THE BRIM) with the bottom edge of the fleece.
- Matching the folded edge: Align the folded edge of the fleece with the side edge of your hat.
- Tracing around the hat: Use a marker or fabric pen to trace around the hat onto the fleece, marking lines about half an inch from the edge.
- Cutting the fleece: Carefully cut along the marked lines, creating a fleece lining that mirrors the shape of your hat.
- Applying adhesive: Use Liquid Stitch or Speed Sew to apply small dabs of adhesive around the cut edges of the fleece.
- Folding the fleece: Gently fold the fleece in half, aligning the cut edges, and press them together to create a hat-shaped lining. Leave it to dry for a few hours.
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Sewing the Lining to the Hat
The final step is sewing the lining to your hat:
- Make sure the fleece is inside out: This exposes the side with your markings.
- Rolling up the brim: Roll up the brim of your hat, folding it about half an inch higher than the actual brim edge to allow space for sewing.
- Fold hat in half and insert into lining
- Aligning the hat and the lining: Match the right sides of the hat and the fleece lining, ensuring that the bottom edges are aligned.
- Creating a stopping point: Determine where to stop sewing, leaving a small opening (but big enough to pull your hat through) to turn the hat right side out.
- Sewing the lining to the hat:
- Sew by hand. Use the bottom of the crochet stitch as a guide to make sure that the lining is sewn evenly around the hat.
- Flipping the hat: Carefully flip the hat right side out, tucking the lining inside.
- Sewing the opening shut: Close the opening, ensuring the stitches are as invisible as possible.
- Weaving in loose thread ends: To give your hat a polished look, weave in any loose thread ends from your sewing.
- Preventing lining from slipping: Sew a couple of stitches through both the lining and the top of the hat near the top and the sides of the brim to prevent the lining from slipping out.
Lining your crochet or knit hat with a brim is a great way to add comfort and warmth to your winter headwear while achieving a professional look.
Following these steps, you can create a beautifully lined hat that keeps you cozy during the coldest months. Whether making hats for yourself or as gifts, this lining technique elevates your creations to the next level of comfort and style.
Enjoy your warm, stylish hat!