How to Sew Straps on a Toddler Hat

Do you have a toddler who loves to take their hat off and throw it?  I do!  If I can distract him, he'll keep it on, so any help I can get with velcro straps are always appreciated.  It seems like most hats bigger than about 12 months don't come with straps (why not?) so I had to add my own to a couple of his summer hats.

I used one of the hats that does have straps as my guide when making my own.

I measured the straps on the hat above and used that number as a guide.  I added a couple extra inches onto my measurements and I could always cut them off later.  Better safe than sorry!  I cut two long pieces of fabric that were about 10 in. x 2 in.  I folded each one in half longways and pinned.

To get a good crease, I ironed the strips.

Once the fabric cooled, I opened the fold and then folded each edge in towards the middle (where the ironed crease is).  Again, I ironed the fabric.

After the fabric cools, fold each side in towards the middle again and you'll have a perfect crease. 

I took each strap and sewed a straight line down the side to keep the crease closed.  Then I added a little piece of velcro to each strip and sewed it on.

The tricky part is figuring out how long each strap needs to be to fit the child.  I used my hat with straps (shown above) as a guide and then tested it on my son to make sure it fit.

I cut off the excess fabric on each strip and then folded over the edge.  A couple stitches on the sewing machine was an easy way to attach the straps.

Here he is modeling his new hat on the 4th of July!

He actually loves wearing it too!