Winter Baby Bonnet
Nothing seems more quintessentially baby to me than a baby bonnet! And no fabric seems better suited for one than Liberty of London’s gorgeous Tana Lawn. It’s just the right material for this classic garment: soft to the touch and in patterns sweet enough to rival even the cutest little baby face.
But when you have a baby born in the height of winter, with snow falling and winds howling, however cute and charming it is, a delicate hat of just lightweight Lawn won’t do. And so, for the winter baby, I made a Winter Baby Bonnet.
Michael Miller’s sumptuous Organic Sherpa adds an extra cozy layer and an extended tie doubles as a mini scarf. Decorative and functional, this Winter Baby Bonnet perfectly frames the baby’s face while keeping her sensitive head protected from the elements.
With so many beautiful Liberty prints to choose from, I know I’ll be making one for every winter baby I know! – Corinne
Materials
- Outer Hat: 1/2 yard of Liberty of London’s Tana Lawn. We used Hot Pink Wiltshire (above left) and Pink Thorpe (above right).
- Lining: 1/2 yard of Michael Miller’s Organic Sherpa, 100% organic cotton
- A 110- yard spool of Gutermann’s 100% Cotton Thread. We used color 1040.
These are enough materials to make one hat in any size.
Additional materials needed…
- A Winter Baby Bonnet template, available for free download here, printed and cut out in the appropriate size.
- A walking foot for your sewing machine.
Sizes
Sizes are shown for 0-3 (3-6, 6-12, 12-18, 18-24) months.
Notes
To print the PDF template, be sure to first download the pattern and then print it. This means rather than simply clicking the link and opening the PDF in a browser window, you should click on the pattern link using the “right click” or “control click” option on your mouse or keyboard. This will give you the option to “Download the linked file.” Once the file is downloaded, it should print like a charm!
Prewash all fabrics before starting. This is particularly important with the Organic Sherpa, which shrinks quite a bit with its first wash and dry.
Use ¼-inch seam allowances unless otherwise noted.
The right side of the Organic Sherpa is the fuzzy side.
Pattern
This pattern is also available as a printer-friendly PDF. Just click here!
Cut
You will use the prepared template to pin and cut 2 Hat Sides from the Liberty of London and 2 Hat Sides from the Organic Sherpa, but first be sure to line up the grain line properly. Here’s how…
The Liberty of London has two grain lines, one that runs parallel to the selvedge and one that runs perpendicular to the selvedge. Line up either one with the template.
The Organic Sherpa only has one grain line, and it runs parallel to the selvedge and along the line of the knit. Line it up with the template, as shown above.
Also, to be sure that you cut the two Hat Sides from each fabric with the proper orientation, cut one Hat Side with the right side of the fabric facing up and one with the wrong side of the fabric facing up. The two Hat Sides from the same fabric should be mirror images of each other.
Cut one 3 ½ by 11 ½ (3 1/2 by 12 1/2, 3 3/4 by 13 1/2, 3 3/4 by 14 1/2, 4 by 15 1/2)-inch Rectangle from both the Liberty of London and the Organic Sherpa. The grain line of the Sherpa should run along the long edge of the Rectangle.
Piece
Working with the Liberty of London pieces and with right sides facing, pin one long edge of the Rectangle to the long outside curve of one of the Hat Sides. It can be tricky to keep curved seams wrinkle-free. Use a lot of pins to ensure that the seam will come out un-puckered and smooth. Sew around the pinned curve.
Cut notches in the seam allowance along the curve. Trim the seam allowance to 1/8-inch.
Repeat with the second side. This is the Outer Hat.
Now, working with the Organic Sherpa and with right sides facing, pin one long edge of the Rectangle to the long outside curve of the Hat Side. The knit fabric is much more flexible around the curve than the Liberty of London, so you shouldn’t need as many pins to keep the seam flat.
To sew, change the foot of your sewing machine to the walking foot and stitch along the pinned curve.
Cut notches in the seam allowance along the curve. Finger press the seam open.
Repeat with the second side. This is the Lining.
Attach the Outer Hat and Lining
With right sides together, slide the Lining inside the Outer Hat. Pin the pieces together along all edges.
With the walking foot still attached to the machine, sew around the pinned edge, leaving the short end of the Rectangle at the nape of the neck open. Backstitch at the beginning and end of the seam.
Trim the seam allowance along the sewn edge, leaving the unsewn area untrimmed.
Pull the hat right side out through the unsewn gap. You may need to use a tool, such as a chopstick or the eraser-end of a pencil, to push the hanging ties through.
Press the edge flat.
Finish
Thread a length of cotton thread onto a needle and use a ladder stitch to close the gap at the nape of the neck. Here’s how: Fold the edges under so that they align with the adjacent seams. Pull the needle from the wrong side to the right side of the hem’s fold so that the thread’s knot is inside the hat.
Insert the needle into the opposite fold, directly across from the exit point, picking up about ¼-inch of fabric.
Go back and forth like this, sewing through the folds, until you reach the end of the opening. Tie a knot at the end.
Pull the thread through the hat and snip it at the exit point to hide the end.
You’re all done!
Oh, I LOVE this! Thanks so much. This is perfectly me.
What size of baby head will this hat fit? I'd love to make one for my daughter; it's so sweet and warm looking.
Is this for newborns only? What ages will it fit? I'd love to make one for my 12month old niece.
Merci pour ce joli patron de bguin que je vais surement faire mon dernier bb de 3 mois… bonne continuation et merci pour votre blog…
j'espre que vous savez lire le franais !
OMG this is so adorable!
My niece is 9 months old – would this fit her?
Thanks!
This is so cute! Will it fit only newborns? I'd love to make one for my 7 month old son.
What is the approximate fit for this bonnet (up to how many months)?
thanks!
How about an adult version? Really. It's cute and looks fairly warm.
The babies up here in the North thank you! Cute and practical!!
Loverly! Corinne, can you also tell us about the yummy (wrap?) sweater this little sweet pea is wearing?
Thanks!
What an amazingly cute baby! And such a pretty sweater as well (the next Purlbee project? ;-D) What head size will this cover? Kind regards; Simone
Muy lindo, gracias por el patrn
Saludos Maricarmen
I think this is so so darling as is the little model! Gorgeous! xoxo
We need sizes for this pattern please!
Hello all asking about sizing –
Thank you for writing in! The hat is sized for a newborn, 0-3 months. Sorry this information wasn't in the original post. I've just added it in now.
It's great to hear of your interest in larger sizes. We think this is a great idea and hope to have the pattern sized up to two years in the next couple of months. Please check back in!
Thanks!
Corinne
So gorgeous! Already printed and ready to cut and sew, instead of cleaning the house this morning….x
OMG this is the cutest baby ever!!! I just adore this picture. Have downloaded pattern and am practicing making the hat right now thank you! – Jules
I too would love to know how to make the wrap this little doll is wearing
Adorable Adorable Adorable
Hello all asking about the knit sweater –
It's the Crossover Top from Debbie Bliss Essential Baby – one of my favorite baby pattern books. I knit it here in Blue Sky Sport Weight Alpaca in Natural Medium Gray.
You can get the yarn here:
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/714-Blue-Sky-100-Sport-Weight-Alpaca-Solids
Thanks so much for writing in!
-Corinne
Do I still have to cut seam allowance extra, or is it included in the pattern?
It is soooo gorgious, I want to make it right now!
Hi Vink-
The allowance is included in the pattern.
Thanks for your question!
Molly
As I said, I really love this bonnet! Featured it on my blog today. Let me know if that is not OK. Thanks. I enjoy your sweet sewing projects. http://www.debbiefeely.com/?p=4910
I'm sorry but this is just the cutest baby picture ever.
Ack! I have banned myself from knitting any more hats for my baby due in February but nobody said anything about sewing. So beautiful! Thank you for sharing this pattern!
Hello Corinne,
I love this hat and would like to make them on a small scale to sell, less than 25, at a local boutique in Portland, Maine. Is this possible? It there a small scale permit I can purchase to do this?
Many thanks,
Anne
I made this a little larger for my 2 month old because I want her to be able to wear it next year too!
I absolutely LOVE it. I used subbed another very soft material for the inside and it turned out amazing! Thank you for sharing your creativity!
Hi Anne Riggs-
Thanks for getting in touch about this. Our patterns are all for home use only and thus cannot be made into products for sale, but thanks for asking!
Best-
Molly
Looking forward to the larger template sizes. Thank you.
Hello! Also looking forward to the larger pattern size! So so cute!
i LOVE this cap! blogged about it here:
http://karenblackburn.blogspot.com/2014/01/little-earflap-cap.html
made one larger & fits 6 mos.+
thank yoube well!
The bonnet is very cute and useful, no doubt,
but the baby!!!…
it is THE MOST PRECIOUS THING
one hope to see!!!
few pounds of ultimate joy with a face of an angel!!!
Lucky you!!!
Best Regards to You and Your Family!!
Joanna
I made this bonnet for my uncle's baby! It turned out great! thanks for the extra sizes. I made one for the 3-6 months (will keep her warm thru the rainy season) and one for the 6-12 months size (will keep her warm during the winter).
I'm a beginner at it was fairly easy to make, I think it turned out great!
Thank you so much for these beautiful patters and designs. I love this site!
Love your instructional DIY
Found you in Martha Stewart Living. Love the article. Christina Fratcher/owner. The DragonFly Quilt. shop Vero beach Florida
Thank you so much for this pattern. Made one yesterday in 0-3Mo for my little to come injune and was Soooooo pleased by the result that I did a second one today, in a lovely wool for the winter (3-6 Mo). Turns out so great !
Thank you for this very cute pattern! Made 2 of them for my friends twins in 6-12 months, hopefully it will fit when winter starts! (they are 4 months old now)
http://missyn.be/2014/09/warme-oortjes-voor-sus-en-pippa.html
I just printed the download for the winter baby bonnet, but it came through reduced. How large should the template be? Suggestions?
Hi Jane-
Sorry to hear you’re having this problem! If you look at the template here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/winter_baby_bonnet_2.pdf You can see how it is supposed to print, each page shown is a standard 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of paper. As you can see the head section should take up most of the piece of paper. If it isn’t you may want to check your printer settings or try using a different printer.
Thank you!
Molly
Hi Jane –
To make printing the template even easier, we’ve just added an updated version that includes a 1″ square. You can use that guide to make sure that you are printing out the file at 100%.
I hope this helps!
-Corinne
Hi, I am so excited to make this. One important question, I don’t have a walking foot but I do have a serger. Will that work instead?
Thanks!
P.S. I just finished the summer baby bonnet. It is adorable!!
Hi Allison –
Thank you for writing in!
The walking foot helps pull the extra bulk of the Sherpa through the machine by “walking” along the top of the fabric. I have actually never used a serger, so I don’t know if it has similar capabilities.
If you find your serger does not have this function, walking feet attachments can be easily purchased at many online retailers. They come in handy when working with very lightweight, slippery fabrics, thicker fabrics (such as the sherpa) and when sewing multiple layers as you do with quilts. If you think you would use the foot for any of these other purposes, it might be worth making the investment.
I hope this helps!
-Corinne
I love this winter bonnet but the link to the pattern template does not work. Is the template still available? Thanks
Hi Peggy-
It seems to be working fine on our end. Here is the link: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/winter_baby_bonnet_v2.pdf
If it’s still not working for you please email us directly purlbee AT purlsoho DOT com and we’ll send it to you directly.
Thank you!
Molly
This is the first sewn thing I’ve made that’s not a burp rag or two squares sewed together. And it turned out amazing! All the pictures are so helpful for a super-new sewer. Thanks!
Sizing was spot-on, and the bonnet turned out great. Baby girl is outgrowing it, so I’m planning to make the next size soon!
Its so simple n wonderful..
This is darling. Do you have any suggestions for making it appropriate for baby boys?
Hi Lee –
Thank you for your kind words. I am so glad you like the project!
This bonnet was actually modeled after a traditional aviator cap style, and I think it’s perfect for baby boys as well as girls! Changing the fabric might be all the adjustment you need to make it a little more masculine. Here are some options that I think would look great on a little boy . . .
The texture of the two-tone weave creates a beautiful, subtle pattern on Robert Kaufman’s Essex Yarn Dyed linen-cotton blend, and it comes in a great variety of colors!
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/8449-Robert-Kaufman-Essex-Yarn-Dyed
I love the variety of plaids in Robert Kaufman’s Cape Cod Seersucker line. All of them would be perfect on a boy!
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/9369-Robert-Kaufman-Cape-Cod-Seersucker
Finally, variety of chambrays and denims in Robert Kaufman’s Chambray Union and Railroad Denim collections would be a great choice!
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/9154-Robert-Kaufman-Chambray-Union
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/9148-Robert-Kaufman-Railroad-Denim
I hope this helps!
-Corinne
I tried to down load your baby bonnet pattern, but only the words printed out. I make baby items for charity along with quilts for babies and thought your hat would be a quick one to make. Any way I can get this pattern?
Hi Snuffy –
We have had this issue before with our pattern PDFs. What we’ve found is that in order for all the information to print, the secret is to download the pattern first and then print (rather than opening the PDF in a browser window, which is what happens with a simple click on the link). When you click on the pattern link use the “right click” or “control click” option on your mouse or keyboard and this should give you the option to “Download the linked file”. Once the file is downloaded, it should print like a charm!
I hope this helps!
-Corinne
Is there a pattern for the sweater/jacket the baby is wearing in this picture?
Thank you!
Hi Jeannie –
The sweater Nieve is wearing in the photo is the Crossover Top from Debbie Bliss Essential Baby, one of my favorite baby pattern books. I knit it here in Blue Sky Sport Weight Alpaca in Natural Medium Gray.
You can get the yarn here:
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/714-Blue-Sky-100-Sport-Weight-Alpaca-Solids
Thanks so much for writing in!
-Corinne
I love these. I’m always needing a baby gift for a shower and these are so precious!
Beautiful bonnet I am trying to make it and almost finished,but I am looking at it and I have both pinned and the rectangles are on one side of the bonnet.Is this how it should go or should rectangles be on 1 each side of bonnet? Where do these come on the finished bonnet?
Hi Terri –
Thank you so much for writing in! I am trying to visualize what you describe, but can’t quite. I can say that there should be a rectangle piece that runs down the center of both the Lining and Outer Hats. The Hat Sides are attached to either side of the rectangle. I hope this helps clear up any confusion. Let me know if the pattern continues to give you trouble!
-Corinne
Finally figured it out.i see now the rectangles are in the middle of the hat.thanks for the great project.
I love this hat! I made it for my baby and it now fits her at 11 weeks old (her head measures in the 90th percentile, so it might fit other babies later). Not only is it gorgeous and super soft, but I love that it is the rare hat which does not fall off her head and actually keeps her ears warm, so it’s super practical also. I’m off to make some more!
The hat is a little big for my grand-daughter right now, made the 6-12 month size, she is ll months. Wondered if it was because I used flannel, not sherpa. She will grow into it, I am sure! It still looks cute on her.
Hi Barbara –
It’s quite possible that the change in fabric altered the fit slightly. The sherpa is a thick, fuzzy fabric and adds a bit of bulk to the hat. The weight and thickness of the flannel may have given the hat more ease than is in the original pattern. However, I am sure that your hat is just lovely, and there is no doubt that your grand-daughter loves it just the same!
All the best,
-Corinne