A reversible bucket hat is two complete hats, one in each fabric, sewn together around the brim edge and turned right side out. Each hat has three pieces: a round crown, a side band in two halves and a brim in two halves. The size comes from your head circumference plus 1 cm (3/8 in) of ease, and the crown is a little smaller than the head opening so the sides taper toward the top. Allow three to four hours; most of the time goes into curved seams and topstitching the brim.
How do you measure your head for a hat?
Wrap a tape measure around your head across the forehead, a little above the eyebrows and the tops of the ears, and around the fullest part of the back of the head. Keep it snug but not tight. Adult heads mostly measure between 54 and 60 cm (21 1/4 and 23 5/8 in); children's are smaller, around 49 cm (19 1/4 in) at age two. The body measurement guide covers the head along with every other measurement.
The hat opening is your head plus 1 cm. The crown circle is 3.5 cm (1 3/8 in) smaller than the opening, which gives the slight taper of a classic bucket hat:
| Head | Hat opening | Crown diameter |
|---|---|---|
| 54 cm (21 1/4 in) | 55 cm (21 5/8 in) | 16.4 cm (6 1/2 in) |
| 56 cm (22 in) | 57 cm (22 1/2 in) | 17 cm (6 3/4 in) |
| 58 cm (22 7/8 in) | 59 cm (23 1/4 in) | 17.7 cm (7 in) |
| 60 cm (23 5/8 in) | 61 cm (24 in) | 18.3 cm (7 1/4 in) |
If you are sewing for someone else, measure inside the band of a hat that fits them.
How are the crown, side band and brim shaped?
- Crown: a circle. Its seam allowance is narrower than elsewhere, 8 mm (5/16 in), because a narrow allowance follows a tight curve more easily. Mark it in quarters.
- Side band: a curved strip, the unrolled side of a cone, 7.5 cm (3 in) tall by default. Its bottom edge matches the head opening and its top edge matches the crown. It is cut in two halves, so the hat has two side seams.
- Brim: a wider curved strip, 6.5 cm (2 1/2 in) wide by default, also in two halves. How curved it is sets the slope: a brim that drops at 35° is the classic shape, 10–20° is almost flat, and 45–60° turns down like a fisherman's hat.
Medium fusible interfacing on the outer brim gives it body without making it stiff.
Which fabrics, and how much?
Mid-weight cottons work best: cotton twill, denim, corduroy, canvas or waxed cotton on one side, and quilting cotton or a second twill on the other. Two heavy fabrics together make thick seams that are hard to turn. You need about 50 cm (5/8 yd) of each fabric, even in 110 cm (45 in) widths, plus 30 cm (12 in) of interfacing. It is a good use for remnants, since every piece fits within about 40 cm (16 in) for most adult sizes.
How do you sew a reversible bucket hat, step by step?
Make two hats, one from each fabric, then join them.
- Cut and interface. Cut one crown, two side band halves and two brim halves from each fabric, and fuse interfacing to the outer brim halves.
- Side band. Sew the two halves together at both short ends to make a ring and press the seams open. On the inside hat, leave 8 cm (3 1/8 in) of one seam open for turning.
- Crown. Mark the side band's top edge in quarters, using the two seams and two points halfway between them. Staystitch it and clip into the allowance every 1.5 cm (5/8 in), stopping short of the stitching, so the edge can open out to fit the crown. Pin the crown to it at the quarters, then all around, and sew with the side band on top, slowly, pivoting with the needle down every few stitches.
- Brim. Sew the two brim halves into a ring, press the seams open, and sew the brim's inner edge to the bottom of the side band, matching the seams.
- Notch and press. Cut small wedges from the crown allowance to reduce bulk, press the allowances toward the side band, and turn the outer hat right side out.
- Join the hats. Put the outer hat inside the inside hat, right sides together, match the brim seams and sew all around the brim's outer edge.
- Turn the hat through the gap in the side band, push out the brim edge, and press it flat with a pressing cloth. Close the gap with a ladder stitch.
- Topstitch the brim in rows 6–10 mm (1/4–3/8 in) apart, starting at the outer edge, with a stitch length of 3–3.5 mm. Add one row around the side band a little above the brim seam to hold the two layers together.
- Press the crown and sides over a tailor's ham or a rolled towel.
How do you get smooth curves on a hat?
Curves are what make a hat look professional or homemade. Sew slowly and stop with the needle down to pivot often, rather than steering while the machine runs. Clip and notch every curved allowance: clips on the inward curves, small wedges on the outward ones, then trim the allowances to about 6 mm (1/4 in) once they are sewn. For parallel rows of topstitching, line the edge of the presser foot up with the previous row, and keep the brim flat on the bed of the machine as you turn it.
Tip: Test your topstitching on a scrap made of both fabrics and the interfacing. Thick layers often need a longer stitch and a slightly higher thread tension than a plain seam.
Can Sewly size the hat for you?
Sewly's bucket hat pattern drafts the crown, side band and brim from your head measurement, with options for the brim width, the side height, the brim slope and the second fabric for the reversible inside. Children's sizes from 2 to 14 years carry their own head measurements, so a matching hat for a child comes from the same pattern.