It would be a good idea to work in a well-ventilated area. The hat stiffener can smell and make you feel lightheaded. Don’t use a Styrofoam hat base. It is not the same thing. You need something more rigid. The shape of the hat block will determine the final shape of your hat, so choose the shape and size wisely!
You can also use a wool felt or fur felt sheet. You can find it online or in the needle felting section of a craft store. [3] X Research source Do not use the acrylic felt sheet from the kids’ crafting section of a craft store. It is not the same thing.
Start with a pin in each of the cardinal directions: North, East, South, and West. Fill the gaps in with more pins until the entire edge is pinned. If you are using a felt sheet, place it stiffener-side-down against the hat block. Pull and stretch it over the hat block, then secure it with pins along the bottom edge. [5] X Research source
If your iron doesn’t have a wool setting, choose a low or medium-low setting. Always keep the tea towel between the iron and the felt. Don’t let it wrinkle under the iron; pull it taut. How long you press the hat will vary. You should press it long enough for it to hold its shape. This should only be 5 to 10 seconds.
It does not matter what the string looks like; you’ll take it off later. Not all hats have a brim. For example, a pillbox hat is just the crown. In this case, you can skip this step. You can also stick a bunch of pins next to each other to create a line, but be aware that this will leave an indent.
If you want to make a cloche hat, take the hat off of the block, then iron the brim on an ironing board. Always keep a tea towel between the felt and the iron.
The color of the thread does not matter because you will be covering the wire up. This will help give the brim more structure. If you don’t want this, skip this step and move onto the next.
You can sew this by hand or on a sewing machine. Use a straight stitch and a thread color that matches the ribbon. Use a ribbon that matches the design of your hat. Satin or grosgrain work well here. If you added wire to the brim, then you need to complete this step in order to hide the wire. If you did not add wire to your brim, you can still do this step for a nicer finish.
The ribbon needs to go right where the sides of the hat start to flare out to create the brim. This will help the hat maintain its shape and prevent the felt from stretching out. It is not the same as the outside hat band. The stitching will be visible at the end. You will have to wrap a hat band around the outside of the hat later.
For a simple look, wrap a ribbon around the base of the crown, then sew the ends together. Cover the seam with a bow or flower. For a more rustic look, use ornaments made from felt, such as matching felt flowers or felt bows. For a vintage look, add a skinny feather into the hat band.
When buying a hat form, make sure that it is labeled for felting. If it is too rigid, you won’t be able to insert the felting needle into it. Do not use a wooden hat block; it is not the same thing. Don’t use plastic wrap; it’s not durable enough. Stick with a plastic bag instead. It will make removing the hat easier in the end.
Wool roving is simply raw wool that hasn’t been spun into yarn yet. You can find it online and in the needle felting section of a craft store. You can use all the same color, or you can use different colors for a unique effect.
A felting tool looks a little like a brush, with a flat base and a bunch of pins sticking out of 1 end. You can find it online or in the needle felting section of a craft store. Be very careful when handling the needle felting tool; the pins are very sharp.
Start at the top of the hat (crown) and work your way down the sides and to the brim. A vertical layer counts as 1 layer, and a horizontal layer counts as another. You can do more than 4 layers if you want a thicker hat. Work in even numbered sets, so 6 or 8 layers (maximum).
Be gentle when removing the plastic bag so that you don’t distort the hat.
Don’t concentrate the dish soap all in one area. This will make it easier to distribute it more evenly across your hat.
Felt is very absorbent. If it starts to become too dry, add more water and dish soap. Keep working until your hat is felted to your liking. Some people like to leave the felt thick, spongy, and “wooly,” while others like to felt it thin and smooth.
If the hat is too soapy and produces too much foam, rinse it with hot water first. If the towels get soaked, move the hat over to a dryer spot on the towel. Don’t wring, twist, or wrap the hat in the towels, or you will ruin the shape.
Wrap a grosgrain ribbon around the hat, stitch it in place by hand, then cover the seam with a felted bow or flower. Decorate the hat with needle-felted flowers or berries. Cut flowers out of felt, layer them together to make fuller, more colorful flowers, then sew them onto the side of the hat.
