Hat Blank

[Horace]

I ordered a hat which I thought was complete. I got a hat blank. How do I get a sweat band in it?

 

[CrackStock]

Looks like you were ignored here. I cut a piece of cotton cloth to fit around the interior of the hat and overlap generously. I wash it a few times a few times to soften it and then fold a small bit of the edge back over to stitch up. A piece of cotton string in the groove from the sewing will serve as a draw string to adjust how the liner will hold the hat. If desired, I put a band around the outside of the hat; place a sizing band inside to adjust the fit and then stitch them with the liner at the same time.

I hope that this helps you. I know that the pic was a bit over exposed, but at least it gives you the idea.

CS

 

[LRB]

I just cut a piece of buckskin, and glue it in with water proof fabric glue. That is not as correct as the above method, but it works.

 

[CrackStock]

Actually Wick, I had done the same with the helmet shown, but the leather was too thick and therefore the helmet was a bit tight, so I went with a cloth pad over the leather edge and a cloth liner for the best fit. Poorly fitted leather helmets are quite painful so I needed to do something.

I used spring clamps for Lowes to hold it all together while I sew it. I used a stitching wheel from Tandy Leather/Leather Unlimited to get the stitching even and drilled holes in the leather to ease the sewing. This was not needed in a cocked hat as a sharp awl easily made holes in the felt.

CS

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I went to a thrift store and bought an old hat, cut out the headband and liner and sewed it in to me tricorn.