Children’s Summer Hats

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 81, Issue 4, 16 October 1950, Page 400

Children’s Summer Hats

B y

NELL MACPHERSON,

Rural Sociologist,

Department of Agriculture, Auckland. NOW the weather is becoming warmer and children are playing outside again for long periods they need summer hats to protect their faces and necks from the direct rays of the sun. Hats should offer ample protection and yet be easily washed and ironed if possible. THERE are many kinds of summer hats for children, but print hats which match the clothes have become increasingly popular in the last few years. Various patterns are available in different shapes and with different finishes. The hats illustrated in this article are easy to make and consist of one main piece only and they will open flat for ease of washing and ironing. Any cotton material is suitable for the hats, and as only Jyd. of material is needed for each, they can be made of the same material as frocks or sunsuits, or even from the skirt of an older child’s outgrown frock. The materials needed for the girl’s hat are Jyd. of cotton material, cotton thread, and 2 buttons and.for the boy’s hat Jyd. of cotton material, cotton thread, and Iyd. of each of three colours of cord. To find the size for the hat it is necessary to make two measurements: One from ear to ear over the crown of the head; the other from the base of the neck over the crown of the head to the forehead. To this second measurement 2in. or 3in. is added for a brim to shade the eyes. In the hats illustrated these measurements were as follows: Girl’s hat Boy’s hat in. in. From ear to ear . . .. . . 15 12 From neck to forehead . . 15 +2 * 14-4-2 The hats will fit a girl of 3 to 4 and a boy of 1 to 2. Making the Patterns Girl’s hat: Take a piece of paper 18in. x Bin. Mark off 17in. on one side (point A). Mark off sin. and lOin. along both sides. Join these marks across the paper with dotted lines. .

Along the Win. line mark off 71in. (point B). Join B and A with a smooth curve. Along the ,sin. line mark off 4in. (point C). Join C and B with a smooth curve. Along the base line, Dd. mark off sin. (point E). Join E and C with a straight line. The resulting pattern is of one half of the hat. Boy’s hat: Take a piece of paper 17in. x Bin. Measure off 16in. on one side (point. A). Mark off 4Jin., 9in., and 14in. along each side. Join'these marks across the paper with dotted lines. Mark off- 6in. along the 9in. and 14in. lines. (Points C and B.) Join C and B with a straight line. Mark off 3|in. on the base line, Dd, the 4Jin. line, and the Sin. line (points'E, F, and G). Join E. F. and G with a straight line. Join C and G along the Sin. line. Mark off sJin. along the 14in. line (point H). Join H and A with a smooth curve and H and B with a straight line. The resulting pattern is of one half of the hat. To Cut out Either Hat Place the straight line AD on the lengthwise fold of the material and pin the pattern on to the material. Allow Jin. for seams and cut out the pattern. Each pattern must be cut out twice. From the material left cut out the ties for the girl’s hat. To Make up Either Hat Place the two pieces with their right sides together and tack them firmly. Stitch round them by machine, but leave a 2in. opening at the base. Trim the seam allowance carefully, paying special attention to the curves and angles. Turn the right side out and press it flat. Slip stitch the opening at the base of the hat. Then proceed as follows: Girl’s hat: Five inches from the base of the hat (point C on the pattern) work a buttonhole on each side. Stitch each tie across one end and along the side. Trim the seams and turn the ties inside out and press them. Slip stitch the open ends. Sew one button and one tie to each point of the brim. Time is saved if the button and tie are sewn on in the same action. Boy’s hat: Work loops jin. long at B. C, and G. Plait the three cords together and thread the plait through the loops. Tie it either over the brim or under the chin. Stiffening No stiffening is included in the pattern, because a cotton material will be sufficiently stiff if starched. The peak of the boy’s hat and the. brim of the girl's hat may be further stiffened if necessary with several rows of . stitching (as in the boy’s -hat illustrated). The hats may be piped or bound round the edges or may be embroidered. (What little boy would not like a bucking horse embroidered on the tail of his hat?) The girl’s hat may also be embroidered around the edge of the brim or it could have a frilled edge. The frilling is stitched in when the pieces of the hat are being seamed ‘■ogether.