Capped Off!

With next season's menswear trends focusing on jeanswear, I decided I needed the appropriate accessories for my Ken dolls. Finding sneakers and boots are easy to find on Ebay, but surprisingly, I was not able to locate a decent baseball cap. Eventually I was able to find a mini-tutorial which posted a picture of a pattern. That helped somewhat, however, I wanted to better understand how to actually create the pattern so I could make it for difference sizes of doll heads.

Now for those of you living outside of the U.S, your dolls can probably live without this head gear. But for all of you who are Stateside, you know very well that in addition to his Nikes, American Ken dolls (no matter their lifestyles) need their baseball caps!

Instead of having you measure and do math, I found it easier to use strips of paper to figure out the two basic measurements: the circumference of the doll's head and the height of the crown. And that is how we begin.

1. Cut a strip of paper which is wide enough to wrap around the doll's head from ear to ear and long enough to reach from his eyebrows to the very top of his head. Mark and tape in place.
2. Next, take another strip and place on top of the head at the very center. Mark where this strip meets the top of the other strip. This is the circumference of the width of the head.
3. Take the (longer) strip and fold in half. Then take that half and fold it into equal thirds. Cut one of those squares off the (side cap) strip. Take the top cap (shorter strip) and fold in half.

4. With the box you cut off the side strip, glue down then divide in half and mark.
5. Take the top cap (which you previously folded in half) and place it on top of the box at the midpoint.
6. Create a triangle by making diagonal lines from that top point to the sides of the bottom square. Add 1/8-inch seam allowance to complete this, the top of the cap.

8. Cut six pieces out in the fabric of your choice using this pattern. You can also cut out two more pieces using iron-on interfacing if you want to add a little stiffness to the front of the cap. (I used it for the light blue denim but not for navy blue or beige cap. It all depends on the look you want, but in examining my dad's baseball caps, I discovered all of his has some sort of stiffening in the front.)
9. If you are using the iron on interfacing, adhere it to two of the pieces, but trim away the hem. This will cut down on bulk around the hem of the cap.
10. Put the cap pieces together in pairs. Stitch down one side of each pair. Press the out seams. Then one by one, put the side of each pair together, stopping to press the seams out. Do this right until the last seam. I make one straight, tiny stitch at the very top where all of the triangles intercept. (Note: it is easier to press the seams after stitching each section as opposed to stitching up everything then ironing last.)

11. Turn the hem under and glue in place.
12. Place on the doll's head to check for fit. Now it's time to make the "visor."
13. Place the cap on a sheet of paper.
14. Trace curve of front third of cap, then mark the midpoint.

15. Decide how long you want to make the visor. Mine is 3/4-inch but yours can be longer or more shallow. Draw a line from the midpoint of the cap to the tip of the visor. Draw a horizontal line.
16. Draw straight lines from the endpoints of where the visor will join the cap.
17. Draw in the curved lines of the visor. Then draw seam allowance underneath the lower curve.
18. Trace these curved lines to the other side of the middle line.
19. This is the pattern for the visor. Cut one of these out of Bristol board or some other heavy weight paper.
20. Add seam allowance around the outer edge of visor and cut two of these out of your fabric.

21. Stitch the two pieces together wrong side out. Glue the Bristol board directly to one side of the fabric and use a dry iron to set. Trim one of the seams a little bit. By staggering the layers, your visor will press flatter!

22. Turn everything right side out. Press very well. Stitch around the bottom seam allowance to hold everything together. It will also cut down on fraying.

23. Clip around the curve, then bend the seam allowance back.
24. Glue to the cap.
25. Hand stitch. To finish the inside, I've glued in bias time around the edge.

Finish off with the addition of a brad or sticker at the very top. You can also add tiny badges, ball club initials, or emblems in the front of the cap or on the visor!

These fit my Barbies as well! OR......you can simply make the visor and glue a ribbon or twill tape around it to make a sun visor!