Toddler / Baby Mid-19th Century Sunbonnet

This sunbonnet pattern was inspired by this original bonnet at the Wisconsin Historical Society website. It features a wide brim that can be stiffened with quilting or cording, a full back crown and a curtain at the neck to provide sun protection for little ones.

I made my boys sunbonnets in cotton for coolness. You can use any light cotton. Beware of sheers though - although they are accurate and pretty to use, they do *not* provide good sun protection and it is very easy to get sunburned!

Variations: You could also use this same pattern to make a winter bonnet or hood for your little ones. Use wool or silk for the outer layer, wool batting for the inner layer (peeled thin) and a slippery fabric such as silk or cotton sateen for the inside layer.

Size: This was drawn to be roomy on an 18 month old child. I think it would easily fit a child up to 4 yrs. of age, or more, depending on head size. To increase this pattern to a larger size, please visit the link in my sidebar on how to alter pattern size.

You will need these pattern pieces:

Brim

Crown

Cut a rectangle about 4" wide x 12" long for your curtain piece

From your fabric, cut the following:

2 Brim Pieces

1 Crown Piece

1 Curtain Piece

You will measure and make the ties after the bonnet is assembled.

Assembly:

Making the Brim:

Lay your brim pieces on top of each other, right sides together. Pin along short edges and longest edge. Stitch, using a 1/2" seam allowance. Trim seam, clip corners and turn. Press well. If you will be quilting or stiffening your bonnet brim, now is when I would do that. It is easier to work with a flat brim than one that is attached to the rest of the bonnet. I originally made my boys bonnets with no stiffening at all but later added rows of machine stitches to stiffen the brim up.

*Note: On the original bonnet, it appears that the brim is made of one layer of fabric and hemmed at the exposed short and long edge, rather than being made of two layers of material. This would definitely be cooler, so feel free to make your brim this way if you would like!

Making the Curtain:

Press up a narrow hem on the short edges and one long edge of your curtain piece. Stitch hem in place. Run gathering stitches at the top of the curtain piece along the raw edge. Set aside.

Making the Crown:

Run gathering stitches along the rounded edge of the crown. Pull up to fit brim, pin in place and stitch with a 1/2" seam allowance. Bind off seam to finish, or overcast seam by hand.

Pull up curtain gathering stitches to fit the straight bottom edge of crown. Stitch, using a 1/2" seam allowance. Press seam up towards crown. You will bind this seam to finish, but before attaching the binding, stitch two eyelets in the center of the binding strip. Pin binding over seam. Before stitching, thread cotton cord or twill tape through eyelet holes to the seam between crown and brim. Pin cord or tape to seam, stitch to secure. Finish stitching binding. You will now have an adjustable drawstring at the neck to adjust for size as your child grows.

Ties:

Decide how wide you want your ties to be, and how long. Make sure they are long enough to tie in a generous bow at your childs neck. Cut two strips of fabric as long as your measurement and twice as wide as your width measurement, plus 1" for seam allowances.

Press strips in half lengthwise. Stitch around long edge and one short edge, using 1/2" seam allowance. Clip corners and turn. Press well. Turn in seam allowance at top of ties to inside of ties. Pin to bonnet and stitch securely into place by hand.

Enjoy!