Wearing History Victory Hat Pattern


Not gonna lie to you guys, this hat almost did me in.


I wanted a small project to get my sewing mojo back, and this Wearing History Victory Hat pattern seemed to fit the bill. I had some scrap denim left over, so I decided to make a hat, purse, and belt set out of it.  


I got the denim cut out, and the hat is only three pattern pieces. The pattern also called for interfacing or hymo for the cap brim and top, but I thought it would be better to recycle an old plastic dog cone to prevent future creasing if the hat got bent and such. FIRST MISTAKE.


Hymo is the main fabric used to make a floating front canvas for a jacket or coat. Hymo canvas can contain a small amount of hair (either goat or horse) but many beautiful hymos do not contain any hair content. They also vary in composition in other ways: some have a wool base and some a cotton base.  - Bias Bespoke Supply Co.


I adjusted the pattern to account for the plastic stiffener and got the brim and cap top put together. The next step involved attaching the turban portion to the front, and it took me several reads through the instructions to understand how it worked! Thank goodness Lauren of Wearing History had added in some extra illustrations; I'm not sure I could have ever wrapped my mind around the assembly without them!


Victory Hat with the matching purse and belt I made

Once I figured out how it went together, I began sewing.  I realized quickly that the plastic was a big mistake as I tried to manhandle all the pieces through the sewing machine!  The plastic is too stiff, and it was difficult to manage it and all the layers of fabric as well.


After SIX TRIES, I eventually got a *good-enough-meh* seam that didn't have extra fabric caught in it. Honestly, the join there is ugly. You'll notice a strategically placed braid detail on the brim to cover it up, haha!


All in all, making this pattern with unsuitable materials was traumatic... but I LOVE the finished result and will still be making it again anyway!




For the next try though, I'll make a couple changes:
- DON'T USE PLASTIC. I don't have hymo, but I think I've got some horsehair canvas that would work well.
- Extend the turban tie length. The pattern is for a head size 21-22, and it's right on the edge of too small for me with my current hair length. For the next version I'll extend the ties and hopefully get a looser, more voluminous turban look with it. 


Has anyone else made this pattern?  How did it work out for you?

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