Turn an Old Hat Into a Regency Bonnet

Turn your old summer hat into a regency bonnet! It’s perfect for period costumes or as a summer bonnet. I love hats with decoration. I’m not especially good at wearing them but love the extravagancy and I admire everyone who wears fascinators, big hats, all those who are not afraid of flowers, feathers and all the things that can fit onto a hat. I’ve had these really wonderful fabric flowers at home for a time, I don’t even remember where I got them but as soon as I got and old summer hat I knew they would fit perfectly together. I also decided to add a small white bird.

What is a Regency Bonnet

A regency bonnet is a head covering typical for the British regency period in 1811 – 1820 under the regency of George, Prince of Wales. It’s a bonnet decorated with ribbons and sometimes, flowers.

1. summer hat
2. ribbons
3. flowers
4. scissors
5. sewing machine and matching threads
6. glue gun
7. pencil/pen/marker
8. optional: lace, other decoration

If you don’t have a sewing machine, you can still make this bonnet using the glue gun where I’m sewing. Sewn bonnet looks better, though.

First, we have to give the hat a bonnet shape. For this, you need to cut off about one third of the brim. Mark it before cutting! See below to see how the bonnet should fir your head.

Cut the third of the brim all the way to the crown and then around the crown.

The cut edges of the brim should reach your jawline approximately.

Depending on the material of your hat, the cut edges could fringe and you need to prevent this by stitching it with a straight stitch about 0,5 cm/0.4 in from the edge.

The first piece of decoration will be the ribbon at the inside of the brim. I decided to go with this piece of lace and I find that madeira fabric with wavy edge also looks great for this. Place the ribbon all around the brim and fold the ends to the upper side of the brim.

Topstitch the ribbon with two lines close to the long sided of the ribbon. I stitched the lower side 0,5 cm/0.4 in from the edge and the upper side 1 cm/0.8 in because I like how the upper edge moves a bit differently than the brim (see photos).

The back ribbon will reinforce the back of the bonnet and it will make it look neat. Cut a ribbon as wide as the back of the crown without brim + extra length, I recommend 4 cm or 2 inches. Fold half of the extra length at each end (so 2 cm or 1 inch) and place this ribbon on the back side of the crown.

Topstitch all around the ribbon about 0,5 cm/0.4 in from the edge.

Now let’s prepare a long ribbon that will go all around the crown with brim, over the cut edges of the brim and its loose edges will serve as a bow of the bonnet. Here I recommend you to read the following steps first to see how you should measure the length of the ribbon you’ll need. Add around 1 – 1,5 m/3.5 – 5 ft for the bow.

First, pin a part of the ribbon to the cut brim, align the edge of the ribbon with the edge of the brim. At this point, the loose end of the ribbon is what you’ll be making the bow with.

Where the edge of the brim goes into the crown, you need to make a corner so you can lead the ribbon around the crown. Fold a piece of the ribbon like in the photos to make the corner.

When you make the corner, the ribbon should be side by side with the back ribbon.

Pin the ribbon all around the crown to the other cut edge of the brim.

Make another corner and cover the brim in the same way like you did at the beginning.

Topstitch along both long sides.

Fold both ends of the ribbon twice and topstitch. I used zig-zag and a straight stitch.

If you don’t want to add another outside ribbon, you can start decorating. I will be adding another ribbon.

As a second ribbon, I chose the back ribbon. It’s narrower than the first ribbon, so the edges of the first ribbon will still be visible under the second ribbon. I cut a piece that was needed to cover the crown (except the part with the back ribbon) and a little extra to fold the ends of the ribbon in. A

I topstitched it just like the back ribbon.

Now you can try the bonnet on and start designing decoration.

Place your regency bonnet on the table and the pieces of decoration on it until you’re happy with how you’ve arranged it.

Once you feel this is it, glue the decoration on with a glue gun.

And you’re done!