How can I get a wool hat to hold it's shape?

HigHurtenflurst · Post by **HigHurtenflurst** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:02 pm

Bought a wool raider's hat for my 6 year old.... "Good enough" type of crown, but most of the time when he jams it on his head, the brim stays completely flat, which looks ridiculous.

Before I destroy the hat in an attempt to get the brim to droop down in front, and the sides to curl up a bit, I thought I'd ask the experts here what to do.

I was thinking that steam alone wouldn't do it... Ironing it? Nah.... What I'm leaning toward now is soaking it in water and spraying it with starch we use for shirts and letting it dry in position.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Hig

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 7:24 pm

Well, if it's wool, water will shrink it and steam will REALLY shrink it. The only thing that might work is to put stiffdener in the hat. But probably the biggest thing to consider is this: does your 6 year old think it looks goofy, or do you think it looks goofy. If your son loves the hat as is, then there's really little to worry about.

The real Henry · Post by **The real Henry** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:48 am

I only really nice wool hats that have ever been made are vintage ones, but it's very hard to find one!

Regards,
Henrik

prairiejones · Post by **prairiejones** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 1:07 pm

If it is a Dorfman style Raiders hat, soaking it will make it even more difficult to shape, once it drys. And yes, it will shrink it. You could try some Scout Stiffener with an iron.

HigHurtenflurst · Post by **HigHurtenflurst** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 1:35 pm

binkmeisterRick wrote:Well, if it's wool, water will shrink it and steam will REALLY shrink it. The only thing that might work is to put stiffdener in the hat. But probably the biggest thing to consider is this: does your 6 year old think it looks goofy, or do you think it looks goofy. If your son loves the hat as is, then there's really little to worry about.

LOL, yeah, you're right, it's me.... There's just something inside of me that gets all fidgety when it looks wrong!

Anyway, thanks for your suggestions, I tried soaking just the brim where I want it to bend in water and soaked it good with spray starch, and it seems to hold fairly well now! I was concerned that the starch would leave white stain marks in the wool, but it looks pretty good.

I can allow him to wear it in publiic now!