Baby Sunbonnet: Success!

After a little encouragement from the peanut gallery, I have successfully sewn Lily a sunhat that is functional and fashionable!

My first attempt at a baby sunhat back in March was embarrassing. I had decided to create my own design with little to no research or hat-sewing-experience; after all, how hard could a hat be? I was very wrong. Not only did it not fit, but I realized it was not well designed. Children's hats need a tie so they can't swat the hat off. I also realized that Lily would benefit more from a bonnet rather than a sunhat whose brim went all around the head. With a full brim, she had trouble lying back in her stroller or carseat.

By June, I still had not sewn Lily a new hat. With this unending sunny weather, I desperately needed to purchase one to tide us over. I found a really great bonnet at Diaper-eez in Bloor West Village and it fit Lily for a full 2 weeks before it was barely shielding the sun from her eyes. Here was my chance to redeem myself (and finally be worthy of Jenn's praise) and make her a bonnet that was the right size -- and with room to grow so it would last into the autumn.

I took some pointers from the bonnet we had bought and reworked it a bit. A bonnet is essentially three pieces: the back of the head, the brim of the hat, and the piece in the middle that joins the two.

With some basic pattern drafting skills that I picked up from (none other than) the workroom, I created a cute little sun bonnet with a nice large brim for Lily. I chose a lightweight cotton with blue trucks, a boyish touch to an otherwise girly hat!