"The Dragonfly" Scrub hat with fold up brim, tie and elastic at back

I named this hat after the little dragonflies all over the fabric. I like the look of this fold up brim. The brim extends beyond the edge of the hat at the back and is long enough to tie in a small bow. In the middle of the back there is also elastic. This bit of elastic just helps to contain the hair. This is a good hat to make if you are sewing one for someone else. Because of the ties. it adjusts for every head size. For the display on this manequin I left it a little loose. I did this because this is how tight I tied it on my own head. I wanted to display how long the tie hangs down at the back for a person with an average size head. (The manequin has a smaller than average head) When I tie it on my own head it does not gap at the front like this and it sits further back from my eye.


Supplies needed for "The Dragonfly" scrub hat with fold up brim, tie and elastic:
printer to print pattern out
tape to tape pattern sheets together
paper scissors to cut pattern out
cutting mat and rotary cutter for fabric or fabric scissors
sewing machine
serger (optional)
thread
one 2 1/4"  by 44" strip of fabric. (Most bolts of fabric are 44" wide) This is for the brim of the hat.
one piece of fabric that is 11" by 44". (Cotton fabric is my favorite) This is for the body of the hat.
Piece of 1/2 inch elastic. Need about 4 inches but I do not cut it off if I have a big long piece. I sew it down, stretching as I sew, and then cut it off.

Ready to take on this project? Go to Pattern Downloads and print the PDF format pattern.
Then go to the tutorial below and follow the directions. Don't forget to leave feedback. I'd also love to see your creation on the flickr page.

Before I start describing how to do anything I will explain the design of the brim. If you understand the design of the brim it will help you understand the directions a little easier.

Below is a picture of the finished hat. I am holding it with the brim folded down. Notice how the fabric from the "Top Piece"  goes all the way down to the inside fold of the brim. The contrasting fabric meets up with the "Top Piece" right at the edge of the brim. On the inside of the hat there is an edge of the contrasting fabric that needs to be either serged or zig zag stitched to prevent fraying. This serged/zig zag edge will be sitting next to your forehead when you are wearing the hat. Notice the white line of stitching on the dark blue dragonfly fabric? When the brim is folded up this does not show. This is a line of stitching that I did close to the serged edge of the contrasting fabric. This holds the contrasting fabric in place so it doesn't shift around.

The next picture below shows how the brim of the hat extends out to become the ties at the back of the hat.

Now that we have a clearer understanding of the design of the hat we can start.

Step one: Tape the pattern together as directed on the pattern. Cut out. Place "Top Piece" pattern on fabric on fold of fabric and cut out the fabric. Note the Dragonflies on my fabric go all different directions so placement of pattern on fabric was not important. The top of my hat was next so the salvage of the fabric. If you are using a fabric with pictures that go in a particular direction you may need to use a bigger piece of fabric so that you can turn the pattern piece around the other direction.

Place the "Front Piece" on the fold of the fabric and cut out.

Once your pieces are cut out they should look like this.

Step 2: You want to find what will be the middle front on both pieces. Fold the "Top piece" in half and make a little crease with the iron. Then fold the "Front piece" in half and make a little crease with the iron. (This crease will be on the curved part of the "Front Piece") Now with right sides together line these two creases up and put a pin in to secure the two pieces together. 

Now pin the rest of the "Top piece" to the "Front Piece"

Step 3:  Sew these two pieces together using a serger if you have one or using a sewing machine. Sew slowly and carefully keeping the edges lined up as you go and removing the pins as you go. If you used the sewing machine for this step go back and zig zag stitch the edge to prevent fraying.

Step 4: Now we will be working a the back of the hat. Don't be confused by me saying "Front Piece" or "Top Piece" I use these terms because these are the names of the pattern pieces as they are marked on your pattern print out: Serge or Zig Zag stitch the straight edge of the "Top piece" to the side edge of the "Front Piece". The picture below shows me doing this. Notice how the straight edge of the "Front Piece" is a little bit longer than the side edge of the "Front Piece" This is the very back bottom edge of the hat. The elastic will get sewn onto this edge later. After the elastic is sewn on the edge gets flipped up and sewn down and then the two edges will line up. Next serge or Zig Zag stitch this bottom edge that the elastic gets sewn to to prevent fraying.

Step 5 : Now it is time to work on the brim. Serge or Zig Zag stitch one edge of the brim. 

Fold the brim in half and make a little crease with the iron to mark the middle point. Fold the hat in half finding the middle of the "Front Piece". Make a little crease with the iron on the "Front Piece" With right sides of fabric together line these two creases up together. (The raw,  Non-Serged edge of the brim will be the edge that gets sewn to the "Front Piece next)

 Pin and sew these two pieces together. (Start and stop sewing at the back of the hat right where the seams for the "Top Piece" and "Front "Piece" meet.) 

Open the seam then flip it around so the wrong sides are together and press with the iron.

With the sewing machine make a line of stitching close to the serged edge to hold the inside of the brim in place.

At this point you can place the hat on your head. Flip the brim up where it seems right. Remove it from your head and give it a real solid press where you have folded the brim.

Step 6: Using a Zig Zag stitch sew the elastic onto the bottom edge of the back of the hat. After the first few stitches apply lots of tension on the elastic while sewing it down. Once you finish sewing trim the tail of the elastic that is left over off.

Flip the bottom edge up and using a straight stitch sew it down. You might pull this edge straight so it is not gathered while you are sewing it. As soon as you let go the gathers will reappear. (Now the elastic will no longer be showing)

Step 7: Almost done! We just need to finish off the ties. Fold and iron down the ends of the ties about 1/2 inch.

Fold up the raw edge of the brim and then fold the serged/zig zagged edge so that it covers the raw edge. Press it with the iron.

Using a sewing machine sew very close to the edge of the serged edge and then sew the ends of the ties closed.

This is how the back of the hat looks.

Project complete! I hope you were able to understand  and follow this tutorial. Feel free to leave feedback on how it went. Remember I would love to see your project on the Flickr page.