*Updated September 2025
Modern Jersey fabric is perfectly soft, stretchy and features rich, deep color that holds up beautifully to washing — even the repeated washes that baby things need. Since we launched Modern Jersey, our guest author and frequent contributor of brilliant sewing projects, Emma Jeffery of the Hello Beautiful blog, has been sharing projects and sewing tips for our soft and stretchy jersey in vibrant prints from the Spoonflower Design Library like this lovely infinity scarf. Today, Emma is back to share another simple Modern Jersey sewing tutorial, this time for soft and snuggly newborn baby hats. More of a visual learner? Scroll to the bottom of the post where former Spoonflower team member Joyce recreates this project in a video tutorial.
Emma: The first time I felt Spoonflower’s new Modern Jersey, I thought: baby clothes! Its cozy, snuggly texture is soft against a baby’s delicate skin and the fun, modern designs available in the Spoonflower Design Library are perfect for creating unique baby clothes and accessories.
To make a newborn baby hat, start by selecting your fabric. For my hats I used Flowers and Black Stripes fabric by MintPeony, and Geo Girls Pinks and Girl Chevron by natitys. You can make at least two hats from one fat quarter of Modern Jersey (you can maybe eke out a third if you’re not worrying about matching directional prints at the seams). Then, print the hat pattern. Make sure to print the pattern at 100%. Check that the 1” square on the pattern measures 1” x 1” after printing.
NOTE: This newborn hat pattern is designed to fit a newborn with an average head circumference of about 13.5”.
Materials Needed
- 1 fat quarter of stretchy knit fabric (like Modern Jersey)
- Free baby hat pattern
- Scissors
- Pins
- Needle and thread
- Sewing machine
How to make a knit baby hat
Step 1. Pin the pattern to the fabric and cut two pieces
I prefer to cut one pattern piece at a time, so that I can make sure to cut along lines determined by the fabric design. Ultimately this gives a neater finish to your hats.
Step 2. Pin the two pieces of fabric together
Pin together with right sides facing and set your machine up ready to sew knits. I like to use a loose zig zag stitch (length 3, width 1.5), and usually use a ballpoint needle.
Step 3. Sew the two pattern pieces together
Sew the two pattern pieces together, leaving the bottom opening unsewn. Then sew with the presser foot against the raw edges of the fabric to guide you around the curve of the hat and to give you a small 1/4” seam allowance.
Step 4. Turn up the bottom opening of the hat and press
Turn up the bottom opening of the hat 2” to the wrong side and press with an iron. (I turned mine up slightly more than 2”, so that I was keeping in line with the fabric design).
Step 5. Sew the turn up
Sew the turn up all the way around the hat, about 3/4” away from the raw edge.
Step 6. Press the seams
Turn the hat to the right side and gently press the seams.
Step 7. Fold up the bottom edge
Fold up the bottom edge about 1” to the right side to create a neat band around the opening of the hat.
Step 8. Tack the turn up in place
With a needle and thread, tack the turn up in place along the side seams to secure.
And there you have it! Thank you to our guest blogger Emma for showing us how to custom create a baby hat from Spoonflower’s Modern Jersey fabric.
If you’ve already made one (or a few!), be sure to share with your world and ours by tagging us at #Spoonflower on your social media channels.
About Our Guest Blogger
Hi! I’m Emma, and as well as working on the Fiskars Design Team, I blog over at Gather and Grand.
I’m an obsessive sewer, often leaping into projects with more enthusiasm than talent, more bravado than skill and more good luck than anything else. This technique has worked well for me so far and more often than not, I make things I love, even if they’re not absolutely perfect. And though I’m no expert, I have a passion for fabric, color and design. I know what I like and what I like makes me smile.
What is the length of the pattern? I am anxious to make some.
Hi Virginia,
The baby hat pattern is 7.5″ long. This is a great beginner-friendly tutorial and we think you’re going to love the finished results!
-Meredith from Spoonflower
Thank you for the pattern. I am in the process of making baby hats with my stash of knits and will be sending them out to be distributed to hospitals. Do you mind my sharing the link on their
Facebook page if there is an interest?
Hi love your hats. Do you have a pattern for 6 months and bigger nod for 4 and 5 year olds??
Hey Clare, unfortunately we don’t, but what I’ve done in the past to scale up this pattern is to trace a hat you already have that’s the right size and use that as a pattern. Alternatively you could borrow a hat from someone else or buy a very inexpensive one to draft your own pattern. Wax paper or interfacing is perfect for tracing a pattern, too. Hope this helps!
I think this pattern runs a little small. It almost fits my son who is 2 weeks old. His head was 13.25″in at his doctor appointment a week ago. It’s really cute though! I just wish it fit. ):
where do i get nice colorful knit fabric?
Iwona:
Why, at Spoonflower.com! All of our designs can be ordered on knit. Check them out here: http://www.spoonflower.com/shop?shop=fabric
I checked my square and using the 1/4 SA this pattern was TINY! I ended up having to trace a different hat that I had on hand just a different color that I needed. This was good for a preemie or a doll size.
Do you have an adult pattern for this same hat by chance?
Do you happen to have a pattern for an adult size hat too?
THIS IS PERFECT! I am running to the fabric store right now. and you make it look so easy. Been looking all over for a nice hat tutorial, i think this one is atuaclly doable!
Thank you so muchhhhh, from Johanna Fayetteville, North Carolina Photographer
Nice pattern.We can also add buttons and other decorative accessories on the hat.
Do you finish the edge inside the hat…the edge you sewed 3/4 inch away from?
Thank you,
Is it possible for you to share the measurements of the pattern? Height and width. Mine looks really small.
Hi,great hats 🙂 but would you be able to show or explain how to make exactly these but reversible hat
Great pattern!!! So so cute & most important–no buttons–so many people are adding buttons for decorative add-ons. Buttons are SO dangerous to use around babies. CONGRATS!! to you for a beautiful safe pattern!!!
What a sweet idea!
Amazing tutorial. What a great personalized gift. You could even add some hand stitched words to the rim of the hat to really set it off.
Thanks! And did you use a walking foot or just your regular foot on your machine?
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Hi Erika, I used size 12 ballpoint needle for sewing up these hats.
Thank you for the tutorial and showcasing these beautiful knits.
What size ballpoint needle do you use?
Thank you!
HI,can u please teach me how to make a pair of pyjamas for a one year old baby boy?
Hey Sarah,
We don’t have a specific pyjama tutorial, but we do have one on making soft and stretchy baby leggings made using organic cotton knit. Visit the Spoonflower Marketplace for over 350,000 designs!
Adorable !! Can’t wait to make some, thanks for the tutorial and pattern !