Sewing - Insulated Hat
All content copyright © 2010-2024 Frank Revelo, www.frankrevelo.com, United States copyright office registration number TX-7931345
left is quilting alternative 1, right is quilting alternative 2
Based on Green Pepper cold-weather hood pattern.
Instructions below specify walking foot attachment, which is necessary in my experience when trying to quilt insulation sandwiched between nylon. With normal foot, only bottom layer of fabric is pulled, and result is puckering. With walking foot, both top and bottom are pulled. My walking foot attachment (Kenmore part 20-6701, about $20 in 2009) will work on most standard sewing machines with vertical bobbin. Expert sewers might be able to get by without walking foot.
If made with 2.5oz/sqyd Primaloft, about 25 grams. If made with 3.1oz/sqyd 3M Thinsulate, about 35 grams. Compared to these scrimed insulations, continuous fiber polyester (such as Polarguard or Climashield) is more durable, gives more warmth for given weight, and performs better when wet. These advantages more important for pullover and quilt than hood. Advantage of scrimed insulation is ease of precise sewing, which is more important for hood than pullover and quilt. Hence choice of scrimed insulation for hood.
Materials:
- .5 yards lightweight breathable shell fabric, such as 1.0 oz/sqyd HyperD diamond ripstop nylon.
- .5 yards scrimed insulation, such as 2.5oz/sqyd Primaloft or 3.1oz/sqyd 3M Thinsulate.
- 18" of 2mm Dacron cord (same as guylines for tarp).
- Small cord-lock.
- Polyester thread and 80/12 needle.
- Walking foot attachment for sewing machine.
Instructions:
- Single line of stitching sufficient everywhere, assuming strong thread.
- Walking foot where specified, otherwise ordinary presser foot.
- Choose either of 2 quilting alternatives (see photos above).
- Cut 2 sides and 1 center for each of inner shell, outer shell and insulation.
- Stitch together sides and center of outer shell, right sides facing, using 3/8" seam allowance. Center will be too long, so trim excess.
- Walking foot. Attach insulation pieces to wrong side of inner shell pieces using zigzag on all edges.
- Walking foot, quilting alternative 1: inner shell only. Top stitch each inner shell piece, both vertically and horizontally.
- Walking foot. Stitch together inner shell sides and center, right sides facing, using 1/4" seam allowance. Center will be too long, trim this excess. Trim additional .625" from bottom of entire dinner shell. Zigzag insulation to bottom of inner shell.
- Walking foot. Stitch together inner and outer shell around face opening, right sides facing, using 1/4" seam allowance. Turn inside out. Fold over excess outer shell and top stitch to close bottom. Top stitch around face opening, using 3/8" seam allowance.
- Walking foot, quilting alternative 2: inner and outer shell. Top stitch entire hat, both vertically and horizontally.
- Sew ends of 2mm cord to chin tabs with bartack and attach cordlock.