How to sew a Driving Cap

Posted by: stayinhomensewin on: August 24, 2009

• In: Crafts | free pattern | tutorial
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I spent countless hours searching the internet trying to find a pattern for the Driving Cap (Ivy cap, Flat cap, Golf cap,  Scally cap) depending on what you call it. My oldest son wanted one and we couldn’t find one, so I thought I would find a free pattern and print it off and sew it up. HAHA! There are tons for crochet/knitting but none for sewing. So at last I found one at the thrift shop for 99cents and figured I’d just dismantle it and trace out my pieces from there………

I did forget to take a picture of the original but here is my finished piece.

So this cap was not that hard at all. You have 5 pieces including your brim board. There was a lining but since my fabric was kinda heavy (canvas) my son didn’t want a lining in it.

FEW THINGS FIRST:

I am not an expert Millinery so bare with me. If my name piece labeling is confusing, sorry again not an expert here. 

**This is my personal pattern, not for anyone to copy and sell thanks!**

Suggestions-If you have never made a hat before with a brim, try it out on cheap/scraps first b/c attaching the band/brim is a real PITA!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            You can also do some top stitching on the brim before attaching. Or around the top seams. You can stencil the top/sides. Have fun.

IF you want the pattern pieces send me a comment

CUT:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1 Top hat piece, 1 side pieces (labeled crown), 2 brim pieces, 1 band piece (or twill tape long enough), 1 brim board (if you are going to do a lining just do an extra top hat & crown piece)

ALL my sewing is at 1/4 inch *except brim piece*

First pin your brim pieces wrong side out (my wrong side are the camo) and sew on the outside curve leaving top open to flip and tuck your brim board in.

 

Now with your brim board inside *sew across the top as close to edge as possible*. For the brim board I just used a piece of card board from a soda box, OPTIONAL: I think I sprayed it with some silicone water gaurd stuff I got at walmart in the camping section (I already had it for something else). And there is actual special brim board you can buy just not sure what it is called.

Take your top piece and fold it so the center comes together and sew to the X that is marked on the pattern and it will look like this

OK so I wish I had taken better pics of this part here. Pin the top piece and side/crown pieces together. On the pattern I marked it with red Xs that say Pinning on both pieces. Match up the center of the sides with center of the front. Sew from one end to the other all the way around.  (if you are doing a lining sew that together the same way)

Flip it out and your cap should look like this , and the brim is ready to be attached soon.

SO here is where it gets a little foggy b/c I did not take good pics again, and forgot to write it down and it’s been almost a year so…..plus I can’t get to the cap to take a look either, so we’ll wing it. I think I had bought twill tape to do around the inside but it was too short so I had to use some of the camo fabric and since it was a first time I was not worrying about it being perfect. **I did find another hat that the inside/brim/lining was done the same.

If you are going to have a snap on the top assemble those pieces now. I have seen them where the brim is glued to the cap, I suppose you would use permanent fabric glue. Snap your top and brim together and pin it flat make sure you get it centered and the brim edges come right to the edge of the cap. Sew the brim on abuot 1/4 in. Now your brim should have 2 sewn lines.

*TRICKY PART*(If you are doing a lining place that inside as well and make sure you have all 3 layers while sewing) So now take your band piece and starting at the center back line it up to the edges and sew 1/4 in up to  brim.  WHEN getting to the brim area make sure you get the edges of the brim. Take your band piece and bring it down the brim and stitch over top that first close to edge stictching, making sure when you are coming back to the next edge that you get all layers (I missed and you can see it sticking out a little-it’s under the cap so not really noticable). Meet back at the center, where you can fold the band over at the end (if there is enought) making it clean.

 

NOW turn everything into the cap and iron it down good. Sew around the edge about 1/8 in.  MAKE sure you get all that brim (lining if you did one) in there too!  In the pic you can see the inside of my cap with the band folded into it.

The inside should look like this. And you notice my brim corner on the top where I missed it.

Now let everyone try it on!

And after all that my son wore it to school and he said his friends said it looked like an old man hat and he didn’t wear it to school again. Even though he really liked it. Peer pressure gesh!

Tags: Flat cap, free pattern tutorial driving cap, Golf cap, Ivy cap, pattern driving cap, Scally cap, Sew driving cap, tutorial driving cap