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How to Sew: a Reversible Fleece Hat Pattern and Tutorial (VIDEO)

Fleece just makes you want to snuggle into it. Now, as winter sets in, is the time to make DIY reversible fleece hats for kids and adults, using our easy to follow tutorials, as a reversible fleece hat keeps you warm, and is light and soft to the touch. With our free fleece hat pattern and tutorial you’ll be able to make reversible fleece hats super-fast, so there will always be one on hand for each family members to grab on their way outdoors. We have supplied some handy tips you’ll need to know about sewing fleece successfully, and on distinguishing the right from the wrong side, before you dive into making the reversible fleece hats, that are plain on one side and printed on the other.

how to make a fleece hat

Below you will find my step by step written tutorial how to sew a reversible fleece hat with VIDEO instructions for all the visual learners.

handmade fleece hat inside view

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8 Tips for Sewing Fleece Fabric on your domestic machine

tips for sewing fleece

  1. Use a walking foot on your machine – it is also called an even feed foot or dual feed foot and it exerts an even pressure so that fabric does not slip when sewing thicker layers. Quilters will be familiar with this type of foot.
  2. Use a ball-point needle as it has a rounded point that kind of slides between the fibers of the fleece rather than piercing through the fabric like a regular needle.
  3. Use polyester thread as it is more durable and can stretch slightly more than cotton, which can snap when a seam is stretched on a fleece or jersey knit garment.
  4. Increase stitch length, and correspondingly reduce tension slightly, because fleece is thicker.
  5. Use long pins or clips to put your seams together before stitching – this helps to avoid that kind of rippled look.
  6. A light weight stabilizer fabric used along a seam provides a professional finish, avoiding that give that can result in the above-mentioned rippled look.
  7. Iron – Sewists usually have their irons handy to press as they work, but don’t use an iron straight onto fleece, otherwise you get a kind of shiny patch where you have used the iron. If you must press seams use a pressing cloth and keep the iron on a low setting.
  8. Don’t stretch the fleece– Lastly, be careful when feeding the fabric through the machine that you are not inadvertently stretching it, as this is the fastest way to get those unwelcome wavy seams.

Tips for telling the right and wrong side of fleece

Distinguishing the right and wrong side of fleece is a little harder than with many other fabrics. You’ll find the right side is a bit more coarse or bumpy, while the wrong side is smoother, but this difference is very small.

If you still have difficulty, cut a little test piece and stretch it along the cut edge – the cut edge will curl to the wrong side of the fabric.

testing right and wrong side of the fleece

It is suggested you use a particular colored pin placed in the center of the pattern pieces to indicate the right sides when you cut out all your pattern pieces – once you have placed pieces together and pinned them you can remove the color-coded pins, as once you stitch, the seam will indicate which is the right or wrong side.

How to make a fleece hat

DIY Fleece Hat Supplies and tools

fleece hat pattern and supplies

DOWNLOAD: reversible fleece hat pattern (Free PDF file)

Follow us for free patterns & tutorials! [easy-profiles]

How to Sew a Fleece Hat

Watch the diy fleece hat video first and then follow the written step by step instructions below.
Please enjoy and don’t forget to Like and SUBSCRIBE over on YouTube to be kept up to date with new videos as they come out.

REVERSIBLE FLEECE HAT VIDEO TUTORIAL

DIY FLEECE HAT INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Download and print the fleece hat pattern

draw your own fleece hat pattern

Get the free reversible fleece hat pattern from the link above and trim the excess paper. Measure the head circumference and draw your own fleece hat template according to the measurements given in the pattern.

STEP 2: Cut the fabric

fleece hat pieces cut according to the free pattern

From the pattern supplied cut 4 pieces on the fold as indicated – two in plain fleece and two in printed fleece.  Don’t forget to add a 1/4″ (6mm) seam allowance all around except on the fold. Mark the right sides with a colored pin as suggested in our tips for sewing fleece.

***Be sure to have the stretch of the fleece going AROUND your head, otherwise the hat will end up too small to fit the head***

STEP 3: Sew the base of the hat

pinned bottom of the fleece hat

Using your walking foot and the stitch lengthened to 3, stitch 1/4 inch (6 mm) from the edge of the base of the hat, backtacking at start and finish. Repeat with the other side of the hat.

PRO TIP: If using stabilizer, use a a 1-inch width length of light-weight stabilizing fabric lined up to the edges before you sew 

STEP 4: Sew the darts

Open out the pieces and on the wrong side pin the V shape cut for the dart at the top of the head and stitch ¼ inch (6mm) from the edge on each side of the outer and the lining for both sides of the hat – that is 4 darts in total.

diy fleece hat sewing the v shapes

STEP 5: Cut open the darts

Where the dart ends towards the body of the fabric carefully cut open the small bit of fabric, with a small pair of sharp scissors and flatten the dart out with your fingertips or you can use an iron on a low setting with a pressing cloth to ensure the seams lie flat.

fleece hat cutting into the SA of the darts

STEP 6: Layer and pin

Open up the two sides and with right sides facing, and print to print and plain to plain facing each other pin the two halves together starting with where the two darts meet at the top, then line up the seams at the brim. After that, ease in the pins so the two pieces of the hat are lying flat and lining up with each other.

diy fleece hat pinned halves of the hat

STEP 7: Stitch around

Stitch right around the edges with a 1/4″ inch seam, leaving a 2 inch (5cm) opening midway down the plain side, which is the gap through which you will turn the hat.

STEP 8: Turn around

Pull the hat through the gap so the right side is showing, then tuck the printed side inside the plain side to create the reversible hat.

STEP 9: Stitch the gap

Carefully hand stitch the gap closed using a invisible stitch.

handsewing the turning gap of the fleece hat

STEP 10: Stitch around the edge

Overstitch around the edge of the brim of the hat 3/8 inch (1cm) from the edge.

how to sew a fleece hat

And that’s it – the reversible hat is finished, just turn up the brim and the hat is ready to go. The printable pattern we have supplied is scalable to various size heads, so make up a few for family, friends and as gifts – a reversible fleece hat would be particularly welcome in the Boo Baskets for Halloween along with a You’ve been booed printable,  as a Christmas stocking filler, or as gifts for the less fortunate to keep their heads warm in the chilly weather.

That’s it your handmade reversible fleece hat is ready! Make sure to share this free fleece hat pattern with your friends and family!

DIY Fleece Hat FAQs, Tips and Troubleshooting:

Q: Can I make the gap to pull through the hat on the brim rather than on the side?

A: You can – when you sew one side of the brim leave a 2 inch gap to pull through, then when you have almost completed the hat, at step 9 when you do the overstitching then run two lines – one ½ inch from the edge, and one ¼ inch from the edge, right around the hat, ensuring you have tucked in the raw edges of the gap and it lines up with the rest of the brim.

Q: Can I make the hat with two prints or two plain colors of fleece?

A: Two plain colors can certainly work together, but two prints together may be a bit busy as you will see the second print when the brim is turned up on the hat. However, if you can find two prints that work well together then by all means give it a try.

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Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 20 comments
GrandmaSue - November 4, 2021

Be SURE you have the stretch of the fleece going around your head. Otherwise you will end up with a hat for an infant. Don’t ask me how I know.

Reply
    Helen - November 7, 2021

    Definitely! Thanks for sharing this tip, Sue

    Reply
Ashlee - November 6, 2021

*also has a hat for an infant*

Ces’t la vie

Reply
    Helen - November 7, 2021

    aww, that’s unfortunate. On the bright side, you have a perfect gift for a baby 🙂
    Just joking, if you have enough fabric chalk it up to experience and make another one!

    Reply
Lisa | Handmade in Israel - November 8, 2021

Great tutorial! I love the fabric you have used.

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Lois - December 14, 2021

More precise instructions for adjusting the size of the hat would be helpful instead of trying to adjust several different times.

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Patricia - December 23, 2021

I’m confused about how to make this an adult size. I measured the head circumference as 24″, so I’m assuming that I will need to increase the pattern to 12″ at the bottom. But what about the height of the hat? and the dart areas? Certainly they have to be increased also…but by how much? Help?

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Patricia Wooldridge - December 30, 2021

I really want to make this hat today, but I’m confused regarding the instructions to increase the size. I’m trying to make a hat for an adult with a head circumference of 24″. I don’t understand the note on the pattern, “head circumference:4″? What does that mean? I don’t want to end up with a child sized hat. I figure I need to increase this measurement to…say, 12″ to fit a 24” head circumference. What I don’t understand is the other measurements on the pattern, height, width, the point/dart area. Do I need to increase those also? If so, by how much? Please…help!

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Esmé Slabbert - January 12, 2022

What a pretty fleece hat! Wish I had one these past weeks with all our snow at our end. Thanks for sharing @esmesalon #seniorsalonpitstop

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Patricia - January 14, 2022

What a fabulous tutorial! Wouldn’t that be a great Valentine gift? Thank you for sharing!

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Julie Briones - January 18, 2022

This fleece beanie is adorable, Helen! And love that it’s reversible! Pinned, and happy to be featuring you at Tuesday Turn About this week!

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Donna @ Modern on Monticello - January 19, 2022

The choice of colors for the fleece are wonderful together. Great project for the winter months. So glad you shared it this week. #HomeMattersParty

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StephanIe 139a - January 20, 2022

That looks fab, so snuggly and warm! Thanks for sharing with #PoCoLO

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Barbara Conrad - March 2, 2022

I agree, we need instructions on how to make the hat larger. I am really confused.

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    Helen - March 3, 2022

    First measure your head circumference and divide it by 4. This will be the bottom measurement on the diagram. draw your own pattern according to the measurements in the diagram
    Also – if you are making it for an adult, make the height 11 inches instead of 10.
    Don’t forget to add 1/4″ all around for seam allowance

    Reply
Michelle - October 16, 2022

I was looking for a pattern for a hat and found your link you have some great ideas I appreciate you sharing .
Thank you

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Victoria - December 9, 2022

I’ve made six hats so far. Goes together well and easy to adjust the pattern for different sizes. Thanks for the tips sewing with fleece. Great stocking stuffer. Even made a couple for myself.

Reply
    Helen - December 11, 2022

    Aww thank you so much for these kind words, Victoria!
    It’s lovely to hear you liked the fleece hat pattern so much and made many hats for yourself and family

    Reply
Stacey - December 16, 2022

I just finished my first one it these hats. I cut it to the size or the pattern which seems like a good size for an adult. I did find one problem so far. After I finished it my husband tried it on, keep in mind I cut and sewed with the stretch going around the head….did the over stitch on the edge of completed hat…. issue is when you put the hat on the thread doesn’t stretch with the fleece and the thread line breaks. Going to remove all the edge stitching and leave like that.

Reply
    Helen - December 19, 2022

    Hi Stacey, you did the right thing by removing the overstitching. Fleece does not need overstitching as it does not fray

    Reply

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