I wanted a floppy hat, so I made one: the Elbe Textiles Serpentine hat!

The number one best thing about this hat is that it is incredibly floppy. The number two best thing is that the rim is so nice and wide for maximum sun protection. Number three best? Packs into my bag easily. And number four best is flipping up the front for some 90’s girl Blossom vibes. I've been wearing it most days since I made it.

The white canvas is a bit from some old curtains that I’d previously used to make an apron. The blue is a linen-cotton blend that I used to make Matthew some PJ pants (it’s a little rough for that purpose but he doesn’t mind).

My head circumference fell directly between medium and large, so I opted to make the large. I’ve pinched out an inch and that would be quite tight, so I’m glad I went for the looser fit. But anyone else with a half-inch increment between two sizes, you’ll be OK with either, depending on how firmly you want the hat to fit on your head.

The instructions for this simple hat are clear, with nice illustrations to boot. I’ve also made their Sage Tee, and I have nothing but good things to say about their patterns. The hat came together in an afternoon of baby watching for me, so it is also quite quick.

Other items of note: I skipped top-stitching the hat round the top, a mostly aesthetic decision. I also wasn’t careful on finally topstitching down the outer white part of the hat to the brim, and caught whole chunks of the blue lining (slash reversible alternative outside) in my stitching and had to re-do it. Being lazy never gets you places!

I’m so grateful for this quick and easy hat pattern’s existence, as it meets that dream of home sewing “I want it/ I made it” with practically a snap of the fingers.

Pattern: Elbe Textiles Serpentine Hat
Size: Large
Measurements: 23.5 inch head circumference
Fabric: blue and white midweight linen-cotton blend from Century Fabric in Saskatoon; heavyweight cotton canvas from curtains
If there is a next time: would be nice to experiment with a stiffer brim; be careful with top stitching. Might be worth trying the size down but worry it would be tight!