Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Dr. Seuss Day ~ Cat in the Hat Tutorial

If you've been with me for over a year, this is old news...If you're new to Mama Lusco, this fun hat comes together in about an hour.  Print off your pattern pieces, pull out the felt, and stitch up a fun hat for your kiddo to wear to school for Dr. Seuss Day!

My kids are excited for Dr. Seuss' birthday and Read Across America Day, March 2.  Their school is providing green eggs & ham for breakfast and inviting families to come participate in reading programs that day.  They have been encouraged to dress like their favorite Dr. Seuss character, so Drew decided he wanted a Cat in the Hat striped hat.  Here's the picture I used for my replica:

 

Mama Lusco's Dr. Seuss Hat Tutorial/Pattern
fits most elementary age - small adult heads
 
 

Supplies:
1/2 yd red felt
1/2 yd white felt
1/2 yd  lining fabric ( I used part of a pillowcase)
Sewing notions inclucing: Sewing machine, Thread (red recommended), Scissors, Pins, Rotary cutter & mat (recommended)
Pattern pieces for hat top and hat brim:
Dr. Seuss Hat Top
Dr. Seuss Hat Brim
Please add 1/4" seam allowance around pattern pieces 

1.  Cut pieces for hat body:  Cut 3 - 3"w x 22"l from Red Felt
                                           Cut 2 - 3"w x 22"l from White Felt
     (Cut lining fabric after above pieces sewn together to form hat body) 


2. Starting with a strip of red felt, sew with right sides together alternating between red & white strips.


3.  Place hat body onto lining fabric as a template and cut out lining.  Baste around all edges, connecting hat body to hat liner.  With right sides of hat together, sew up side seam.  You now have a tube shape for the completed hat body.


4.  Using Hat Top  pattern piece, cut 1 Red Felt and 1 lining fabric.  Baste around edge.

 
 

5.  Turn hat body with liner out and pin to hat top with liner up.  Sew around, connecting hat top to hat body.

 
 

6.  Cut out Hat Brim pieces: 2 - White Felt.  (see picture above in step 4)
    ( I did not have enough white felt, so I cut 1 piece red and 1 piece white)
    Place right sides together and sew around outside edge.  Turn right-side-out and baste around inside edge.

 
  
  

7.  With hat and brim right-side-together, pin brim to hat and sew around.  



  
8.  (Optional) Trim seams down to about 1/8" and overcast or serge.



Put on your hat and grab a good book!



Please forgive any errors or omissions in this tutorial.  Email me with questions or suggestions.  Pattern is for personal use only.

9 comments:

  1. wow, thanks for this! I'm making it this weekend!

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  2. Angie, thank you so much for posting this! I had very short notice that my son needed to dress up as a Dr. Seuss character and didn't know what to do! I found your post and constructed the hat! On a scale of 0-10 of craftiness, I'm a -5. THANK YOU SO MUCH for this AWESOME tutorial. It was so easy to follow even I could do it!

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  3. Thank you so much for the detailed instruction, your site is very helpful and informative! god bless

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  4. Help I can't get the pattern pieces to download. Can you please email them to me carrollmika@yahoo.com

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  5. I'm trying to print the patterns for this great hat but it's opening in Scribd and won't let me print. Is there another format you can share them in or tell me your measurements so I can make it without the pattern? Thank you so much!

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  6. Thank you so much for the tutorial. My son loved his hat for Dr. Seuss day at school!

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  7. Fantastic tutorial. Thank you very much. I had enough felt, so used white as the base and put the red lines on top without any lining. Quick sew and most likely a very happy cat in the morning!

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  8. I can't get the top and rim pattern to print either, what is the size measurements for those?

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