Wednesday 20 January 2016

Make a Sweatband & Hat Reducer

It's not often I get a request from Mr TMW, asking me to do some sewing for him. Recently he asked me to make him a terry towelling sweat band for his gardening hat. He wanted to keep the perspiration out of his eyes, but he also wanted to make the hat a tad tighter so it would sit a little higher on his head.

How to easily make a terry towelling sweatband that also doubles as a hat reducer ~ Threading My Way


Although I had lots of terry velour on hand - left over from baby wash cloths - it took a few reminders from Mr TMW to get me started on this project. Each time I'd excitedly show him my latest finish, he'd say, That looks good. Have you had time to start my hat sweatband?


Don't know why I procrastinated? It was really very quick and easy to do:-
  • Measure the circumference of the inside of the hat (where the sweatband is to go).
  • Add an extra couple of inches. I was glad I did.
  • Hand sew the terry to the existing band on both long sides of the terry. I just held the band in place as I sewed, but you could use wonder clips.
  • Cut off any excess.


I didn't bother with neat and tidy stitches. Strength and durability was what I was after and so I used an overcasting stitch. If I'd sewn with a contrasting thread, you would be able to see just how irregular and large the stitches are. 

Sewing to the outside of the existing band was much easier than the inside, due to the fact that the inside was fixed firmly to the hat.

How to easily make a terry towelling sweatband that also doubles as a hat reducer ~ Threading My Way

Mr TMW was REALLY pleased with his new hat - more excited than if I'd made him a whole quilt, I think. Not only does the sweatband keep the perspiration out of his eyes, it doubles as a had reducer as well, so he doesn't have to keep lifting the hat up to see.

And here he is hard at work, wearing the latest gardening apparel - bike boots and arm protectors. This photo was actually taken two years ago when I made the arm protectors. If you look at the fourth photo in my garden post of last week, you'll see that the brown, weedy area above is now a green grassy area, thanks to lots of hard work, and the fact that we are no longer in the middle of a drought, as we were two years ago.

I quite like it when Mr TMW asks me to sew for him, as it's a break from my normal sewing and usually something that requires thinking a little outside the square, but can be completed in a relatively quick timeframe. So far, the results have been successful, and Mr TMW is always very appreciative of what I've done. 

Next project requested, is a cover for the battery end of a whipper snipper. I think(?) I know how I'll tackle it.

What's the strangest project you've been asked to sew?

... Pam


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11 comments:

  1. Some projects just don't need tiny neat and tidy stitches - they need "git 'r done" stitches :D

    My kids and their reminders for their (rather infrequent, fortunately) requests for mending = your husband's reminders about the hat sweatband, lol - they do tend to remind, don't they, when we don't get things done? Of course, we're finishing a multitude of other things, so that should count in our favour - shouldn't it? :D I"m glad your hubby is pleased with his resized and rejigged hat :D That reminds me - I have some mending to do ... ;)

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  2. I sewed an airplane cover and luggage bin for our airplane. Most people think that's strange. For me, it was custom fit and saving money. Hubby wants me to sew 'something' for the leather recliner where his head sits -it has discolored the leather. I have put this off for two years now as I can't quite decide how to attach the cover.
    Good job getting a small job request.

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  3. I like the idea of the sweatband in the straw hat. I am going to try this with my hats, hopefully before spring gets here. My sweetie doesn't wear hats much and it's one of the things I keep trying to encourage him to do for protection from the sun. He does, however, keep me busy with mending. Bless him, he thinks I can fix most any rip or tear in some of his favorite jeans and shirts. I have repatched and mended some of the same things over and over until it seems there are more patches than fabric!

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  4. That's pretty awesome Pam! I think it is the little things that we whip up and sew that keeps it fun.

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  5. It is always good to have the males requesting some sewing! But then they always seem to request things that aren't necessarily the most exciting - I've got some trousers to turn up for Harry that have been sitting there for ages! I love how happy Mr TMW was with your sewing, and a very practical idea.

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  6. That is some heavy duty clothing you guys need for gardening! You must have much more exciting foliage that I do.

    As for unusual sewing, I am presently trying to figure out how to sew a kneeling pad for my son, the new minister. He wants something he can tote easily which will mean a handle probably. I've got a few ideas, but I am still unsure about the thickness of the foam, best fabric, length, width. I've looked on line for ideas which has gotten me even more confused! Must get started soon, however, He is due home from Mongolia in less than a week. I'd like to have it ready for his trip back to Minnesota. I am the queen of last minute projects!

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  7. It's interesting that when men want something made for them, it's usually a very specific request. But I agree with one of the comments above that it's usually something not exciting or enticing! I didn't particularly look forward to doing my version of the "strangest project" which was also for my husband: a winch cover!

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  8. I love this story - he likes his hat band better than if you'd made a quilt for him - fab!
    It's funny how long we can procrastinate over quick jobs, I actually got 2 tiny little alterations done this weekend that took all of 5 minutes but that had been waiting for weeks!

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  9. Good idea, and I have a hat that needs this too. My strangest sewing project was also from DH, he asked that I turn a pillow case and bed cover into a wall hanging for his garage, it was The Stig (a British humor thing).

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  10. A cunning solution to sweaty days outdoors, I think there could be a real market for these, I know Farmer Nick could do with this on hot days here working outdoors, I might just indulge him now I know how. A great idea to solve a practical problem. Thank you for sharing with me on #Trash2Treasure

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