Get ready to fall in love! This Handkerchief Baby Bonnet tutorial is so dang adorable, it almost makes me want another baby! (Don’t tell my husband I said that!)
Making a Handkerchief Baby Bonnet is not a new refashion, but most tutorials are for small, white, new, handkerchiefs with poems attached and such. In my hankie collection, my favorites are the beautiful floral hankies- but they tend to be larger in size. I created a simple way to “shrink” these larger hankies to make unique baby bonnets that are a perfect baby gift, nursery decoration, and heirloom.
How to Make a Handkerchief Baby Bonnet
1. Find a hankie.
Scour thrift stores, go to estate sales, ask your grandma. If you really get desperate, you can always find them on etsy and ebay. A great price is 25 cents. A good price is $1. If you have to pay more than $2, makes sure it’s in great condition and that you love it. The hankie I chose is 15″ x 15″ with a scalloped edge.
2. Fold one edge in about 3″ and press.
This will be the back of your bonnet.
3. Fold opposite edge in about 4 1/2″ and press.
No matter the size of your hankie, you want to make this fold large enough so the width equals about 6 1/2″. This fold will be the front of the bonnet. Hankie will overlap.
4. Sew parallel tucks in the front bonnet big enough so the pieces do not overlap anymore.
I sewed 3 – 1/4″ tucks. Press tucks away from bonnet front edge.
5. On the back edge of bonnet, sew two rows of gathering stitches 1/8″ and 1/4″ away from folded edge through both layers.
6. Pull gathering stitches as tight as possible.
Tie thread in a square knot to hold in place.
7. Run a regular stitch around newly formed back bonnet circle (right on top of gathering stitch) to secure gathers in place.
8. Run two gathering stitches (1/4″ apart) along front bottom of bonnet on each side.
For a 15″ hankie, place first row of stitches 1 1/2″ up from bottom edge. This will give the bonnet more shape.
9. Pull threads to gather.
10. Secure gathers in place by topstitching along stitch lines on each side.
11. Add ribbon tie to each side to create bonnet ties.
Now you’ve refashioned your hankie!
Isn’t it adorable?!?
. . . . .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Hey everyone! My name is Carrie and I like to make stuff! I am an avid wardrobe refashioner, spending more time in thrift stores and at estate sales gathering materials and supplies than in fabric stores. Before the mini-van, I graduated with a degree in Fashion Design and worked designing little girls clothing for a little company that rhymes with Cold Gravy. While designing for money has become a thing of the past, designing for pleasure will always continue on. So happy to be a guest on Somewhat Simple today, sharing an old favorite and “somewhat simple” sewing tutorial to help you get ready to usher Spring right on in! For more of my ideas, please visit my blog, This Mama Makes Stuff.
This tutorial originally published on Somewhat Simple in March 2010.
Here are a few more simple spring craft projects you might enjoy:
DIY speckled eggs // sisal rope pot // book page pennant banner
Thank you for your tutorial on making baby bonnets with "real" hankies. I make mine from scratch of muslin and vintage laces and have never used a real handkerchief. I picked up a couple of plane white hankies to make your style because mine with all the lace are really girly, and these make great boy bonnets.
Thanks again:)
Sherry
Eeee! I love that green one! I have a vintage hankie collection & would love to try this out.
I am in the middle of Carrie's slim slack tutorial & love that she answers my questions & tries to help out the confused amongst us!
I am new to This Mama Makes Stuff – I luv your article on preserving kids artwork! Wish I had done this – but will be sure to use this idea for my grandkids!
Hi there 🙂
I asm a follower love your creativity Carrie
Cheers
Catie
I already follow This Mama Makes Stuff. Actually, that's how I got over to your site! Love her wonderful tutorials!
These are too cute! I have to try making them. I love that she is a biker. I grew up riding dirt bikes.
I also had a dad who took us to super cross.
I love the post about your first marathon. I had a little tear in my eye by the end.
her pictures are awesome! i just love the boy burp cloths! and this hankie bonnet is going in my favorites in hopes of making one soon!
t enjoyed a lot of the sewing on Carrie's site. children clothes, burp clothes, etc.
Follower of This Mama Makes Stuff!
sazzyfrazz at gmail dot com
I love her creativity in repurposing objects and giving them added beauty. I really wish she would do a tutorial for the women's tiered skirt repurposed into a girl's dresss! I love that idea!
sazzyfrazz at gmail dot com
I grabbed her button, too.
I love that she is such an amazing athlete and inspiration to those who follow her!
I have been following her blog for quite a while now via a subscriber.
I also follow her blog.
I've loved Carrie's blog sine I discovered her refashioned newborn gown last year. I also want to make one of those soft high chair seats.
i am currently loving the tshirt to newborn gown. gonna try that one out.
i'm a follower
Carrie is quite talented! She loves to crotchet, bike and run – what's not to love about her?
I love the diner waitress kit she gave to a cousin for her bday, so cute!
I love all her tutorials! Have you seen the tut for the fabric travel high chair?! FABULOUS!!! 😀
God's blessings,
Sarah 🙂
That Mama knows how to KNIT!!! All her scarves are GORGEOUS!!
Please enter me 🙂
Liannap@aol.com
Totally cute blog with a huge array of ideas. Great for when you need a new idea. elliecampbell@live.com
my blog asimplesillygirl.blogspot.com is sporting a this mama makes stuff button!
i follow this mama makes stuff!
carrie is my super-mom role model…will i ever have it all together? no. does she? not sure. :o) but she inspires me to get creative, get refashioning, and get running!
I've been a follower for a while & feel really inspired by Carrie's posts. I am about to have my first baby this year and she has really inspired me to look more at creating new things from existing things…and the new things are amazingly clever and unique. She also has a keen way of making the projects really seem do-able instead of overwhelming. One of my favorite blogs! Oh, and she has a great book list too!!
I have her button here
I am a follower of This Mama Makes Stuff
Wow I love Her tutorial for DIY dyeing! came just in time for a project I am doing!
annemolino at hotmail dot com
Laura Wilkinson: I loved how she made the woman's skirt into a dress for her daughter, amazing. cactusroper2002@yahoo.com
Such a cute blog! Her birthday post was so cute. I'm big into birthdays and being treated like a princess, so if you want good old fashioned donuts then by all means demand them! Or ask politely like a good princess would… 🙂
I'm a follower too 🙂
I love her tutorials!
follower
smilin_chick@hotmail.com
follower
smilin_chick@hotmail.com
I love the boy burp clothes!
smilin_chick@hotmail.com
I've been following This Momma for a little over a week. I love the tutorials, but my fave is her sparkle running skirt. Too cute!
I was really interested in her burp cloths-applique- I'm going to have to watch "this mama" more often!
I first saw her website when she did a tutorial on MADE. She is amazes me with how she seems to do everything without a pattern, using something she found at a thrift store, and it all looks fabulous. I also love that she is into running and biking and seems to just have passion for life. People like that are so very inspiring! Thanks!
I love when things are repurposed – making adult clothes into children's and making craft projects out of household items. Cute ideas!
She always has such cute ideas!
And I have the button!
I'm a follower 🙂
I love how she reuses things she has…easy on the budget 🙂
And I'm a follower 🙂
I;m currently making her tee shirt to baby gown.
i am a follower of this mama makes stuff- darling tutorial
I became a follower of This Mama Makes Stuff
oh and i'm already a follower.
i've been reading her blog for awhile now and i really love all of carries great ideas. i love the baby gowns!
Thank you for introducing me to This Mama Makes Stuff. I'm just getting into sewing and her tutorials look so fun! I can't wait to try to make my little boys some pajama bottoms.
I'm already a follower of This Mama Makes Stuff!
What's not to love about This Mama Makes Stuff? Her tutorials are great! I love the t-shirt to a newborn gown.
i love This Mama Makes Stuff!
earlier this week she did a blog about Albrecht Durer and i knew it was meant to be;O)
i'd love to win this sweet bonnet and am already a follower!