How to sew a wizard hat: kid to adult sizes and steps

To sew a wizard hat, sew a cone-shaped crown from outer fabric and lining, make a stiffened round brim, join the crown to the hole in the brim and hand-stitch the lining over the seam. The Sewzy Wizard Hat takes about 60 minutes, is a beginner pattern and comes in three head sizes: Kid, Teen and Adult. It is a Premium pattern in the Sewzy app, not a free download.

TL;DR

• The Sewzy Wizard Hat is a Premium beginner pattern in the app, about 60 minutes. It is not a free download.
• Sizes by head: Kid 20½ inches (ages 4 to 10), Teen 22 inches (ages 10 to 16) and Adult 23½ inches.
• Fabric: 1 yard of outer fabric and 1 yard of lining for Kid and Teen, 1⅛ yards of each for Adult.
• The brim needs stiff sew-in interfacing or buckram.
• The pattern has only two pieces, a crown and a brim, each cut on the fold. Seam allowance is ⅜ inch (1 cm), included.

Sew the Wizard Hat from this guide, step by step, in the Sewzy app

Pick your size, print it from your phone, and follow every step with a sewing coach beside you.

Is there a free wizard hat sewing pattern?

Not from Sewzy. The Wizard Hat is a Premium pattern in the Sewzy app, and none of the free Sewzy patterns is a hat. Everything below explains how a wizard hat goes together, so you can follow the method with any cone-and-brim pattern. The free sewing patterns page lists what is free.

What do I need to sew a wizard hat?

• Outer fabric: velvet, velveteen, satin, cotton, wool felt or linen.
• Lining: cotton.
• Brim stiffener: stiff sew-in interfacing or buckram.
• Thread and a chopstick for pushing out the tip.
• Optional: a strip of heavy interfacing for a bendable point, millinery wire for the point, felt stars or a buckle band.

What size wizard hat do I need?

Choose by head, not by age. Measure around the head where the hat will sit and match it to the table. The ages are a guide only.

Kid and Teen fabric amounts are for 45 inch wide fabric. If you are between sizes, take the larger one.

How do I sew a wizard hat, step by step?

These steps follow the five stages of the Sewzy pattern. Press as you go for a neat cone.

1. Cut. Print with your size and tape the tiles together. The crown and the brim are half pieces, so place the straight edge on the fold. Cut 1 crown in outer fabric and 1 in lining, 2 brims (one outer, one lining) and 1 brim in stiff interfacing. Cut out the inner circle of the brim on all three layers. For a point that holds a bend, cut a strip of heavy interfacing 1 inch wide to run down the fold line of the crown.
2. Sew the crown. Fold the outer crown in half, right sides together, and stitch the straight edge ⅜ inch from the edge, from the base to the tip. Stop ¼ inch short of the very point and backstitch. Trim the point, press the seam open, turn right side out and push the tip out with a chopstick. Sew the lining crown the same way, but leave it wrong side out. Slip the lining inside the outer crown, wrong sides together with the seams matched, and baste the base edges together.
3. Make the brim. Stack the layers: lining brim right side up, interfacing on top, outer brim right side down. Stitch the outer circle ⅜ inch from the edge all the way around. Trim, clip the curve, then turn right side out through the center hole and press the edge. Topstitch ¼ inch from the edge and again 1 inch from the edge to stiffen the brim. Baste the layers of the inner circle together.
4. Join the crown to the brim. Pin the base of the crown to the inner circle of the brim, right sides together, with the crown inside the hole and the brim folding up. Put the back seam of the crown at the back notch. Stitch ⅜ inch from the edge all the way around, clip the seam and press it up into the crown.
5. Finish. Turn the lining's base edge under and hand-stitch it over the seam on the inside so nothing is raw. If you added interfacing to the crown, give the tip a bend. Add felt stars, a buckle band or a bell at the point if you like.

Why does the brim need stiffener and clipped curves?

A brim made from fabric alone flops over the face, so stiff sew-in interfacing or buckram keeps it flat. The outer edge of the brim is a curve, and little snips in the seam allowance let it lie flat instead of puckering. To practice first, see how to sew a straight line and curves.

Which fabric makes the best wizard hat?

Velvet and velveteen look rich and suit a classic wizard. Satin is shiny and dramatic. Cotton and linen are easy to sew and good for a first hat. Wool felt is forgiving because it does not fray. A cotton lining is the same in every case.

Two tips from the pattern change the result a lot. Cut the outer crown on the bias for a softer, floppier point, or on the grain for a crisp cone. Black velvet with a purple lining makes a witch, and midnight blue with gold stars makes a wizard.

Common wizard hat mistakes

• Stitching right to the point. Stop ¼ inch short of the tip and backstitch, then trim, so the point turns out cleanly.
• Skipping the brim stiffener. Without interfacing or buckram the brim drops. Topstitching rings around the brim also hold the stiffener flat.
• Leaving out the clipping. Unclipped curves pucker when turned.
• Ironing velvet. The pattern's care note says to spot clean, use a cool iron on the cotton and never iron velvet. Steam it instead.
• Loose trims on a child's hat. Sew felt stars and any bell on firmly. A bell is a small part, so leave it off a hat for a very young child. A hat that must stay on a running child can have a 12 inch elastic chin loop sewn inside at the sides. Keep it loose, and take it out for a child who sleeps or plays unsupervised, because anything under the chin is a neck risk.

More costume and hat ideas

A wizard hat pairs well with a cape for a full dress-up set. If you want a different shape, try the Jester Hat or the Santa and Elf Hats, and read how to sew a jester hat or how to sew an elf hat. Browse the costume sewing patterns, or see DIY Halloween costumes to sew for more ideas. Download Sewzy on the App Store to get the Wizard Hat pattern.

FAQ

Is there a free wizard hat sewing pattern?

Not from Sewzy. The Wizard Hat is a Premium pattern in the Sewzy app, and none of Sewzy's free patterns is a hat. The steps in this guide still show how a wizard hat goes together, so you can use them with any cone-and-brim pattern.

What fabric is best for a wizard hat?

Velvet, velveteen, satin, cotton, wool felt or linen for the outside, and cotton for the lining. The brim needs stiff sew-in interfacing or buckram so it stays flat. Cutting the outer crown on the bias gives a softer, floppier point, and cutting it on the grain gives a crisp cone.

What size wizard hat should I make?

Choose by head measurement. The Sewzy pattern has Kid for a 20½ inch head (ages 4 to 10), Teen for 22 inches (ages 10 to 16) and Adult for 23½ inches.

How do I make the point of a wizard hat stand up?

Sew a strip of heavy interfacing 1 inch wide down the fold line of the crown, and the point holds a bend. Millinery wire in the point is an optional extra. For a floppy point instead, skip both and cut the outer crown on the bias.

Is a wizard hat safe for a small child?

Keep trims simple. Felt stars sewn on firmly are fine, but a loose bell is a small part. If the hat needs to stay on a running child, add a 12 inch elastic chin loop inside at the sides, and keep it loose enough that it cannot pinch or tighten at the neck.