On Designing a Zero Waste Hat
The Making Zen Online Retreat is coming up at the end of this month (it’s free – register here and read more). I’m presenting a sew-a-long for a low waste sunhat.
The idea of a zero waste hat has been rolling around in my mind for the past year+, and I’d planned to talk about designing a zero waste hat at the end of my presentation, but I’d used up all the allocated time. So instead I made a separate video for anyone to view on YouTube. It goes for about 13 minutes.
The hats referred to in the video are:
I’ve experimented a lot with sewn hat patterns the last year, and learnt a lot trying to make patterns with less waste. I have no wish to gatekeep what I’ve learnt, so maybe it was good I couldn’t add to the Making Zen video, as more people have access to YouTube.
Two other things I’ve been thinking about which aren’t in the video:
1. Cutting a shape apart and flipping the pieces to give straight outer edges can give more useful/whole/bigger surrounding shapes.
2. I’m discovering that even when a hat fits, there are many little things that influence if it fits really well:
- The amount of hair you have and how it grows (out or down).
- How you wear your hair under a hat eg flowing or ponytail.
- The thickness of the hat’s fabric and interfacing.
- The tightness of the hat’s interior ribbon (this can be adjusted within a certain amount).
- How big/high your ears are, or even if one is higher than the other (like mine!).
- The shape of your head (as opposed to the size).
In breaking news, here’s a freshly-sewn sample of a zero waste hat (yes, zero waste, not low waste). The shape is based on the sunhat’s crown. It’s a very warm hat, being a double layer of fabric and four layers for the turn up. It also looks OK as a slouchy hat, without the turn up. The only thing that’s not zero waste is the fabric, but if any Aussies can point me to a good natural, non-itchy, substitute for polar fleece, I’m interested!
Cheers!
Very interesting, thank you! About the bonnet, I think this is going to be a hit for my husband’s Christmas, thanks! And as for the fabric issue, is merino wool too itchy for you? I’ve got a “tube” that I use as a hat or a scarf made in merino knit and it’s really soft. I thought the fabric came from Australia but it’s maybe New Zealand? Or is there another reason not to buy this kid of fabric?
That is a good suggestion. I was thinking about a fluffy type fabric, like a natural version of polar fleece, but you’ve reminded me I have a piece of merino knit here I could try (the thin kind you make base layers from) which I know isn’t itchy.
Oh, I love a good beanie…. and would also love to hear of a natural fabric that didn’t make my head itch like crazy… resulting in the ditching of much needed hat. Your pattern looks fabulous Liz.
Yeah, itchyness is the deal-breaker, isn’t it? I’m thinking some sort of wool blend might work. I’ve been searching online – it’s surprising how many 100% synthetic fabrics are called things like Lambs Wool.
Your emails are always a bright spot in my day, & make me think about fabric differently.
I would have thought that getting soft, merino fabric would be fairly cheap & easy for you to get!
Yes, you’d think soft merino fabric would be easy to come by, here in the biggest merino wool producing country in the world. At our house, I can literally look out the window and see sheep. But unfortunately wool processing and fabric mills have gone offshore, so actual fabric is neither cheap nor easy to get.
I’d hate for you to fall down a rabbit hole, but spinning & weaving are really fun 😉
I’m deliberately resisting!!!
I’m very interested in the slouchy hat! Although I have a few months before I would need it here in the upper hemisphere.
You totally rock a slouchy hat! Keep it in mind for October 🙂
Your hat pattern looks really cool and has so much potential!
It might come in handy for lining knitted hats. I really like knitting hats but sometimes they can be a bit itchy and they are not that wind-proof. So lining them helps to solve these two issues.
I tend to line knitted hats with a cotton version of polar fleece. I’ve got no idea if this material is available outside of Germany. It’s rather pricey here. So I try to use it efficiently.
But it might be worth looking for it.
You could also use two layers of fabric: a warmer outer layer and a thinner layer that is less itchy.
I keep asking myself if felted wool would work. I felt pullovers in the washing machine once they have reached a stage when they’re not really wearable any more. I really wonder if I could turn the felted pullovers into a hat…
Thank you Judith – you have given me some great ideas!
Yes, you can! I have bought felted sweaters to sew with. I love wool, but not the itchy kind