This is a simple sewing project.  The seams don't need to be hemmed, but you do need to sew one edge to make a "tube".  It just takes a needle and thread, not a sewing machine.

NOTE:  You can also use a purchased black hat and add the felt penguin face for an even quicker project.

We live in Canada so nice warm hats are handy parts of Halloween costumes.  Add black pants a black jacket and a white shirt for a simple costume.  Or make a black cape to go over a white shirt for something a bit fancier.

Materials:

• black polar fleece (16" x 20" piece for age 12 thru adult, 12" x 15" for younger children).
• White felt (one piece)
• pink felt (small scrap)
• orange felt (small scrap).
• two black buttons.
• needle and thread (we used white thread for the entire project as I find it easier for children to sew with a contrasting color).
• scissors,
• one foot piece of black wool  (any color would work if you don't have black).
• Paper and printer (though you can free hand the templates)

Instructions - Make the hat:

• Put the fabric around the head of the person wearing it if you want to check the measurement.  Polar fleece stretches so you don't need it to be exact.
• Fold with  right sides together (again, polar fleece doesn't really have a right side so don't worry too much) and sew a seam up the 16" side to give you a tube
• I use a blanket stitch but a running stitch works fine too (don't be fussy, just have fun and sew!).
     
  • This is a great first sewing project for children about age 8 and up.
  • Use a contrasting thread color if you're new to sewing...  It's easier if you can see your thread!  We used white.
• Optional:  roll the brim of the hat up a couple times and put a number of single stitches in it to help it stay in place
    
  • I like to do this as I don't like when my brim unrolls!
  • Don't sew a long running stitch on the brim...  When your hat stretches on your head your thread will break and unravel.
  • Instead, sew a single stitch and tie it off.  Move about 3" along the brim and sew a second single stitch and tie it off.
  • Repeat until you have about 8 single stitches tied off all the way around the brim.
• Put the hat on the head (right now it's open on top!) and tie a piece of wool around the top to close it off:
  • tie it nice and tight and it won't slip but if you're worried, you can use a darning needle to stitch a long running stitch around the top and then pull that tight (this is a job for a more experienced sewer).
  • Use a pair of scissors to cut the top scrunched up left over material down to the tie about every inch to make a fringe.  This will make the top left over material look like a cute pom pom on top of the hat

Instruction - Add the Penguin:

• Cut a heart shape from white felt and chop the bottom point off
• Cut two small circles from pink felt as cheeks.
• Cut beak (triangle) from orange felt
• Position the white heart shape just above the brim of the hat and pin.
• Use a single stitch to sew on the beak and pink felt cheeks.
• Sew on two black buttons as eyes.
• You can add a few more single stitches with white thread to attach the penguin to the hat

Templates:

• Close the template window after printing to return to this screen.
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers).

Template       (B&W)

Print friendly version of these instructions