How to Make a Reversible Wide Brimmed Sun Hat

I love hats.  There is nothing like a good sun hat from a fun summer fabric.  I decided I needed to design a reversible wide brimmed sun hat for the upcoming summer season.  So I came up with this pattern.  I have made a number of hats in my day and several for Sew Very Crafty.  This is my first try at a wide brimmed sun hat so I hope you all like it. I created the pattern and tutorial myself but modeled it off one that I found from Miss Libby Rose on YouTube.  There were aspects of the pattern and tutorial that I wanted to change so I came up with my own version of this vintage inspired reversible wide brimmed sun hat.  

I chose a nice floral fabric for one side of my reversible sun hat and a solid Kona cotton for the other. I purchased both of these fabrics at JOANN Fabric & Craft Stores but there are some great fabrics at Hobby Lobby, Fabric.com and onlinefabricstore.net if you want an even larger selection. This post contains affiliate links that if you click on them and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

What you will Need:  How to Make  Reversible Sun Hat

• Pattern you can get by clicking on this link
• 3/4 yd of two coordinating fabrics
• 3/4 yd Pellon 809 interfacing
• Standard Sewing Supplies

 Step 1: Cut your Fabrics

Fold each fabric and the interfacing on the double fold.  In other words the fabric comes folded when you purchase it just fold it again. Place the pattern piece so that one side is on one fold and the other side is on the other fold.  Cut along the interior quarter circle and the exterior quarter circle in the same way that you would make a circle skirt.  This will create the brim of the hat.  DO NOT discard the circle that you cut out as this will be the crown of the hat.  Cut a 4 1/2″ x WOF (width of fabric) piece for the band from both fabrics.   If you find that the brim is wider than you want you can shorten it by shortening the outer quarter circle.  Just make sure that you take exactly the same amount all the way around the curve or your brim will be crooked.  

 Step 2: Fuse the interfacing

Fuse the interfacing to one of the brim pieces on the wrong side following the manufacturers instructions. After the hat was complete I realized I probably should have placed interfacing on both brim pieces so I would suggest this if you want a stiffer brim.  

 Step 3: Stitch the Band to the Crown

Find the center of the band by folding it in half.  Fold the crown in half and mark a center front and a center back.  Place the center of the band on the center back of the crown.  Pin the band in place from both sides until you meet the center front.  Stitch the band in place using a 3/8″ seam allowance. There will be excess band.  Just leave it to dangle for the moment.  Repeat for the other fabric.

 Step 4: Create the brim

Find the center back of the brim and pin the bottom center back of the band to the brim right sides together from both sides until they meet at the center front.  You will still have the excess band hanging and a hole in the hat.  Turn the hat wrong side up and place the excess band right sides together.  Snip the ends off at an angle. Stitch the band pieces together using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Repeat for the other fabric. Turn the hats right sides out.  

Step 5: Add the two hats together

You now have two hats.  It is time to join them together.  Place the two hats right sides together matching the center backs and the brim raw edges.  Stitch the hats together at the front of the brim using a 1/2″ seam allowance.  Make sure the band tails are inside the hat.  Leave an opening for turning.  Prior to turning the hat clip the curves all the way around the hat without clipping through the stitching.  

Step 6: Finish the hat

Turn the hat right sides out through the opening you left in the brim.  Press the brim.  Top stitch the brim to close the opening.  Once you have finished top stitching you have finished the hat.  Roll up the front and tie the ties.  

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