Companion forum thread to:

MYOG Fleece Headgear

Nice pillow case...it makes me sad that my sewing machine is broken.

Fleece is FUN!
And it is so much tougher than down or synthetic.

cheers

I'm just curious as to why you don't invert the beanie so that the seam and seam allowance is hidden?

If the fleece had a different surface for the inside and outside, then I would place the "outside" sides together and sew, and then invert.

I'm going to make one since I do need one for sleeping and really foul winter weather. But I'll make the head (top) seam so it curves UP to a point in the back. Then I'll look like a big elf.

Maybe I'll sew on pink, pointed fleece "ears" too. :) Also I may sew in some light elastic around the bottom half of the face opening.

One could have fun making goofy balaclavas for kids.

Edited by Danepacker on 11/12/2010 13:45:13 MST.

nice set of instructions for the hat and the balaclava.

For the fleece pillow case just stitch a piece of fleece to the inside of your clothes stuff sack, seam seal the seams on the outside. To use turn inside out and stuff.

For the deluxe model only stitch three sides of the fleece so a blow up pillow can go inside the stuff sack, and your spare socks, etc can go into the fleece pocket to add some cushioning.

>I'm just curious as to why you don't invert the beanie so that the seam and seam allowance is hidden?

Comfort vs aesthetics?

Thanks for the pattern, I am new to MYOG and it was an easy project. For the seams on my hat I did a straight stitch then trimmed the excess almost to the stitching, then did a zig zag stitch over that. It looks very clean, the same on both sides, and seems to very strong.

I got some cheap double sided fleece from walmart, and it is very warm and comfortable. My hat weighs in a 34g.

Just got back from trip and read people's comments

I put seam on the outside for comfort over aesthetics - however it's really just a comfortable the other way, and I think the aesthetics are fine either way also - so it's arbitrary :)

Great you made one Brian - now you're going to become addicted and make other stuff.

I've thought about making pointy ones, or ears, or whatever, but just haven't gone past the fantasizing stage.

i was trying to add only three letter words to the title but I am in the process of making a lined / insulated beanie that has a polyester inner, fleece outer (reversible by default). I would add ONE extra cut and stitch seam so that the hat has ONE 'crown to edge' seam. I have no picture drawing capabilities but if you take a birds eye view f the hat there would be 4 stitches going from crown towards the edge. ONE of them is full length and continues to 2/3 down from crown to edge 180 degrees away. Stop now if my descriptions are poor!!!
The other stitch is perpendicular to that stitch but allows for an elimination of space (wasted and poor insulation) between head and hat. This stitch, after reducing the 'volume' of material, brings that hat closer to your head. I have seen that there is at least one person saying 'why aren't the stitches hidden.. well with a double hat (making two and sewing together, diff materials) they all disappear. The last part is to sew the crown together so it doesn't, in fact, separate and look like a rugby ball!

if anyof that makes sense, please send me the pattern ;) Happy Holidays folks...

If you have polyester inside, it doesn't stretch like fleece, or does it?

If inner doesn't stretch then you'de have to make it bigger to fit, but you want the fleece to be a little tight so it stretches to fit so it stays on your head in the wind. And if there's an inner fabric, there might be less friction between that and fleece so it slides off more.

I don't care if the unfinished seam shows, but that's just me.

But, I don't mean to discourage you. Hat requires so little fabric you can afford to make prototype, try it, modify, iterate until happy. Feed back your experience.