One historical re-enactor said that night caps from this era were often indistinguishable from bonnets. If you like the look of this night cap, it would make an easy and quick adult women's bonnet as well. (Costumes are supposed to be fun, not perfectly historically accurate.)
Free downloadable night cap pattern:
Sewing instructions:
This is a rough diagram of how the bonnet will be constructed. You can click on any picture to view it in greater detail. Both of the curved sides (highlighted in blue) will be gathered prior to sewing the crown seams. The side flap of the brim (highlighted in green) will then be sewn to the gathered crown.
Step 1: Print out the pattern in tile. Print actual size, not
“fit to page”. Tape together.
Step 2: Cut out the pattern and trace onto the wrong side of
your fabric.
Pro tip: I found out that pencil can stain light fabrics and
does not fully wash out. However, erasing the marks lightly with a white artists eraser before laundering helps considerably. It helps as well if you rub the graphite marks with a stain remover stick and then wash the garment in cold water.
Step 3: Add a half-inch seam allowance to most hems and a one-inch
seam allowance for the drawstring at the nape of the neck.
Step 4: Cut out the bonnet, following the seam
allowance markings.
Step 5: Zigzag the side flaps, curved sides and bottom of bonnet. These seams will not be double fold hems, so this is to prevent fraying.
Draw a button hole in the centre of where the back drawstring will be.
This is roughly 4 inches from the curved edge and ¼ inch above the hemline. Follow your sewing machine's user manual to create a one-inch long button hole. Snip open.
At the end of step five, this is what it should look like with zigzag seam allowances and completed button hole:
Step 6: Run a loose basting stitch just outside of the marked curved edges' hem line and gather both sides. Once gathered, the seam should measure the same length as the side flap that it will be joined to. Distribute the ruffles evenly.
Pin the side brim flap to the curved crown seam, right sides together.
Repeat for both sides. Sew using a nice tight straight stitch along the marked hemline of the brim.
Once the crown is complete, it will look like this. It's starting to resemble a cap!
Step 7: The back drawstring is what gives this cap its shape and ensures it fits securely on the head. Fold the seam over once on the one-inch hemline, wrong sides together. You can fold it over twice, but ensure that there is enough space for your drawstring to fit comfortably. Sew as close as possible to the raw edge to form a channel, but leave the side edges open.
Cut two pieces of flat cording for the drawstring. I had canvas drawstring from a second hand shop that I used, but ribbon, bias tape or seam edging would work as well. Pin a safety pin to one edge of the drawstring and pull it through the channel from the far edge out through the button hole. Repeat.
Pull both pieces of cording through the button hole, leaving only half an inch poking out from the sides. Secure the cording and outside edge of the drawstring channel by sewing along the red line indicated below. Repeat for the other side. This closes the drawstring channel and ensures the cording doesn't get pulled out when tying a bow. Trim the excess drawstring at the sides.
Tie a tight bow at the back, gathering the fabric to fit your head.
Step 8: Double fold the remaining edges of the front brim and sew. That's it, you're done!
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