Add a Liner to Your Hats

I live in the mountains of Colorado. It's cold here. And windy. So let's face it... getting cozy rocks. 

Over the years I've had several requests to show you how I add a liner to my beanies for some extra warmth. It's not that I didn't want to let you in on my secret, I just don't do it that often. And setting up for a photo tutorial with a toddler running around isn't always the easiest thing to do

But here it is now, my way of adding a liner to a crocheted hat. There's no one way to do this, so go with what's comfortable for you.






What you'll need:

• A Hat (duh)
• A Liner - choose the material and size you want. I order mine online and are 8.5" long.
• Needle and Thread - you'll probably want to match the liner, unless you want stitches that will stand out.
• Scissors
• A Mannequin Head - My secret ingredient. Her name is Greta. She's awesome.

1. See my pretty hat? (It's my Boulder Beanie.)
2. Turn your hat so the WS is facing out and put it back on your mannequin.
3. Turn the liner inside out and fit it over your hat. This takes some finesse and a little patience. I center the tops of the liner and hat and hold them together while I stretch the liner down. I also try to line up the seams. You'll most likely have to poke some of the crocheted hat up into the liner to get it to fit. That's ok. It'll forgive you.
4. Make sure the bottom edges are lined up evenly around the hat. I leave the last round of the crocheted hat showing beneath the liner. You can pin the liner to the hat, but that's the beauty of using a mannequin head. You don't have to. Your liner and hat will stay aligned and 'stretched' just right.

Now's the time to thread your needle. Don't forget to knot it at the end. May seem obvious but when you're a tired crocheter who's shooting a photo tutorial with a toddler riding her bike dangerously close to your tripod, you forget things.

5. Starting at the seam, insert your needle up through both your hat and your liner and pull it through. I do this a couple of times at the beginning to make sure it's secure.
6. Find the next crocheted stitch on your hat (to the left or right, whatever's comfortable). I usually work into every other stitch, but if you're feeling ambitious - and gave yourself plenty of thread - you can work into every stitch too. Just make sure you're consistent. Insert your needle up through that next st and the corresponding spot on the liner. Pull it through.
7. Insert your needle back into that SAME stitch and through the same spot on your liner. Pull it through. I have no idea what kind of stitch this is. If you're a better sewer (er... seamstress or tailor) than me and know the name, let me know.
8. Find the next crocheted stitch over... if you skipped a stitch the first time, do it again this time. Be consistent or your thread will look wonky. Keep working like #6 and #7.

9. Keep working around your hat and liner. As you go, be sure to pull your thread tight enough so it doesn't leave big loops, but not so tight that it creates buckles in the liner. For me the hardest part of this whole thing is keeping my thread from knotting as I'm working. Don't let it get you down if it happens. And it will happen. Do your best to work out the knot, and don't ask me how to attach new thread if worse comes to worst and you have to cut the thread. I don't know what to do at that point. Maybe cry.
10. Work to the seam where you'll be reunited with the thread tail from the beginning. Hopefully you didn't run out of thread. I'd hate to see you cry.
11. Use any method you'd like to tie the threads together. Just make it secure. I use a combination of embroidery and overhand knots. I thread the tails through the layers of the liner (mine are double thick) to hide them.
12. See the stitches? You're all done!

Enjoy getting cozy.

play hard... play hooky


Behind the scenes of this tutorial...