This past winter, every where I looked fashion berets were popping up on celebrities. In fact, I love HGTV Design Star, and this past season, one of my favorite designer’s signature fashion pieces was the beret. She is a gorgeous blond who pulled off the Beret look in every episode. Some were so fun and just made her outfit pop. They were definitely her statement piece and each time she wore them, I wondered to myself if I dare try and pull it off this coming winter.
One of my regular readers had seen my Sewing 101 post and knew my desire to learn some simple sewing projects, so when Angi, from SchneiderPeeps, sent me this great beginner beret project, along with the cute yo-yo embellishments, I definitely wanted to share.
Thanks Angi! Take it away.
Here’s a great project for the beginner sewer. What makes is a great project? There’s only one seam and we’re going to use fleece so we don’t have to worry about the fabric fraying.
Supplies:
- 1/2 yard fleece
- sewing machine that is working
- thread
- ruler
- pen or marker
- freezer paper
Optional – for embellishment:
3 1/2″ circles of coordinating fabric for the cute yo-yos.
hand needle
The first thing you need to do is make your own simple pattern. With the help of your ruler, draw a circle that has a 13″ diameter (this will fit a pre-teen to adult head) For a younger child (like my 3 year old) I use an 11″ circle. It doesn’t have to be perfect. I use freezer paper to draw out my pattern and then I can re-use it over and over.
Now, fold your fleece over so that it is doubled and trace the circle onto your fleece. (I trace on the edge away from the fold so I have a bigger scrap piece left over) I used a fabric marker whose ink disappears with water but you can use a pen or sharpie, it doesn’t really matter because you’ll be cutting on this line.
Put the circle into your machine and line the edge of the fabric up with the edge of your presser foot. (the presser foot is the the thing that you have to lower to hold the fabric in place.)
Do a couple of stitches forward and then do a couple of stitches backwards to lock in the stitches so they won’t come out. This is important – every time you sew you need to back stitch at the beginning and at the end.
Clip about half of the seam allowance off being careful not to clip the stitches. I used pinking shears but you can use regular scissors if you want to.
Now, make another circle pattern that is 6″ in diameter and put it in the middle of your 13″ circle. (4″ for 3 yr old)
Trace around your circle on only ONE side of the beret.
Now pull the two layers apart so that it looks like a fortune cookie.
Cut out the smaller circle.
Cut 3 small circles that measure 3.5″ each.
Thread your hand needle and begin to make small stitches around the edge of the circle. Leave some thread hanging at the end. You’ll use this to tie a knot.
This is what it should look like when you’re done. Make sure you leave some thread at each end. This stitch is called a running stitch just in case you wanted to know.
Pull the two strings and the circle should start closing in on itself. Continue pulling until the circle is closed.
Now, tie a square knot (right over left, left over right). You might want to ask someone to hold the yo-yo down for you.
Decide where you want to place your yo-yos and then sew them on. Just stitch up and down right in the middle like you do when you sew a button on and then knot your thread. If you have no clue what I’m talking about here’s a basic hand stitches page.
Voila! Enjoy being the talk of the town!
It’s coming to that time of year when children start getting restless and the words that every mother dreads, “I’m bored,” becomes common place. Over the next month, I will be sharing Boredom Busters ideas, crafts and zany, fun things that can become your “Go To” arsenal for those very moments. If you have an idea you’d like to share, feel free to submit it for consideration here.
Angi is a minister’s wife and mom of 6 crazy kids. She writes several times a week at SchneiderPeeps about the goings on of her family which includes, among other things, crafts, homeschooling, gardening, chickens, and bees.
Mine gave been saying that since the first week of vacation! Lol
Well, hopefully, there will be some fun and easy ideas to get you through the next month. This one is a bit more involved (but so fun), but some more coming up will be super fast/easy. 🙂
I just took my 10 year old daughter on a trip to the dollar store for inexpensive craft kits to keep her busy this afternoon while I get some work done. They had some great ones there. It has been over an hour now since we got home and I have not heard a peep from her. This from a child who follows me everywhere around the house.
I know fleece doesn’t unravel but, you don’t even bind the edge? About 25 years ago I crocheted a beret that looked like houndstooth when complete, navy and white. I am amazed at how easy this is. Mass produce for Christmas gifts! Ha! You can get fleece throws on clearance for really cheap! Thanks for the DIY tip! So cute!
@Carol, Thanks, Carol. You don’t have to bind the edge. Of course, you can if you want but we never do.
I don’t want to rant but.. when I was little I was supposed to entertain myself. No way would I expect to be entertained by my parents.
If I ever told my mother I was bored, she would put me to clean windows and iron napkins. (She worked 10 h a dy outside the home and was a homemaker on weekends). I learned to read a lot, draw and play by myself (I’m an only child).
Since then I’ve worked as a babysitter and nanny and found a lot of kids to be “spoiled” in the sense that they are unable to concentrate on a task (whether it be doing homeworks or playing) by themselves, without any external “help”. Hard on the parents who have to accomplish something and bad for them that do not learn how to develop any creativity.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the beret idea would be great for special one on one time with mom or dad but not as a “I have to find out how to bust my kids boredome” recipe.
Anto
@Antonella, Hi Antonella,
For my family the teaching of skills like sewing is very important and we’re not super concerned about entertaining our children. You’re right, it does take adult time to teach these skills but I wouldn’t put it in the same category as a child not being able to entertain himself. This is one of the projects I used to teach my daughter to sew. She started sewing with me (on her own machine) when she was almost 6 and now that she’s 12 she can pretty much sew whatever she wants. Once these skills are learned the child can then not only entertain herself but also do something productive.
Thanks for giving us food for thought.
I follow you on pinterest(Kelly Saver) and pinned your Fashion Beret post
http://pinterest.com/pin/170925748328358947/
oops! this belongs in your Valpak giveaway
I loved this post, it was so informative. I saw a throw at a church sale made out of those yoyos and it was absolutely beautiful. I was wondering how to make them. Thanks so much to both of you.
Hello,
Thank you so much for making this beret so simple and easy to follow, I’m excited to make one!!
God Bless
Marie
Hi, you did a great job on the tutorial – looks very easy to follow along. My daughter is having a Paris birthday party and I was going to make berets for all the guests. In your instructions you list 1/2 yard of the fleece – does that just make one hat or could you get more out of the 1/2 yard?
Thanks!
I was so excited to find your easy tutorial to make this beret!! I am a girl scout leader and we are preparing the girls for a ‘World Thinking Day’ event where we chose to represent France. I am now making a beret for each girl in our troop. We are going to make them out of felt, hope they work out 🙂 Thanks again!
YAY!! What a fun project and I’d love to see them when you are done with yours. 🙂