How to reduce the volume of a knitted hat?

Is it possible to make a felt or velor hat smaller?

Over time, a felt or velor headdress stretches, but it can be restored to its original appearance and parameters. If you need to revive a felt hat, the following method will help:

First you need to prepare a mold in which the product should fit. This could be a saucepan or a flower pot.
Fill a container with water and bring it to a boil. Hold the hat over the steam to warm it up.
Place the product on the prepared form. Level it on all sides, adjust the margins. It is necessary to take into account that the hat will take on the shape it will have when it dries, so it is necessary to level the item before it hardens.
Correct the product periodically. When it is completely dry, remove it.

How to dry properly

After washing, place the hat on a towel for 15-20 minutes. During this time, most of the excess moisture will go into its pile. Then place the hat on a three-liter jar or a special stand, waiting until it dries completely. Or change the towels periodically until the entire fabric is dry.

ATTENTION. Unless shrinkage is required, do not dry on or near a radiator. Otherwise, this may lead to “compression” of the fibers.

Drying knitted items

How to wash a hat so that it shrinks

Hats that have lost their original appearance can be restored by washing and drying them, following the manufacturer's recommendations. You need to clarify the composition, and then familiarize yourself with the rules of care. When washing, you should use only those products that are used for delicate fabrics and woolen items. The temperature regime must be observed, and the water after rinsing must drain on its own; twisting must be completely avoided.

Attention! If the label indicates that machine washing is allowed, you need to put the hat in a special bag and set it to a delicate cycle. It should be dried on a terry towel.

Reasons why a hat may stretch

Like any woolen item, a hat can stretch and take on a shapeless, sloppy appearance.

The reasons why this may happen are:

automatic washing. The knitting of hats is usually weaker than other woolen items and this can cause both shrinkage and stretching of the product. It is advisable to hand wash such items;
time factor. After some time of wear, the garment may well wear down one or even two sizes;
improper storage. Some people, after the winter period, in order to maintain the desired shape, pull the hat onto a jar or mannequin, which over time will cause stretching.

Cap material

Before the procedure for returning the shape and volume of the headdress, it is necessary to determine what material was used for its manufacture and what additions or combinations of materials are present in it.

This will help not make the problem worse. Products made mainly from knitwear, wool and some synthetic materials are stretched.

A label sewn on the inside of the hat containing information about the composition of the product, acceptable washing methods, temperature, drying, etc. will help you find out this information.

Often, violation of these recommendations entails loss of the shape of the headdress and unpresentable appearance.

Making a fur hat smaller

A fur hat is reduced for various reasons, it could be its deformation, or maybe it was an incorrectly selected gift.

It will be somewhat more difficult to make such a headdress smaller than a woolen hat.

Often, fur hats are made by the manufacturer in several sizes, using adjustable elastic bands that allow you to reduce it by a size and a half.

If this kind of convenience is not available, you can make the hat smaller in two ways:

sew in a fur headdress. This option requires some knowledge and skills in sewing. To begin with, the lining fabric is carefully ripped off, then the fur trim and the seam connecting all the parts, which is located on the back of the head, should be ripped open. The next step is to remove the parts necessary for reduction from both sides. For example, when reducing the cap by two centimeters, one centimeter should be cut off on one side and on the other as well. Here you should take into account the seam allowance and, perhaps, remove not a centimeter, but 8 mm.

This procedure can also be done with caps on a solid base, followed by fastening its parts in reverse order.

This method involves reducing it using an additional insulating layer of batting or padding polyester. Having decided to use this method, you need to prepare a new lining, since the insulation blank may simply not fit under the old one. After tearing off the “native” lining, the prepared insulation is hemmed onto the insulating cap, after which a new lining fabric is sewn on top. This option is more labor-intensive, however, it allows you to give the hat even better thermal insulation and, if necessary, return it to its original size.

Useful tips

Before washing, you need to consider the following basic features of caring for hats:

Processing technology varies significantly depending on the type of material.
An incorrect regime can lead not only to loss of volume, but also to the formation of pills, shrinkage and shedding.
The use of hot water and prolonged soaking are prohibited.
It is better to wash hats by hand.
It is important to clean knitted items in soft water, so you can add a little baking soda when washing.

We recommend reading: Baking soda: beneficial properties, uses, how to take

It is necessary to use only liquid detergents; if there are none, then the powder must first be dissolved in water and then the headdress should be lowered into it.

Product bleaching

Sometimes white wardrobe items fade in color, turn gray or yellow. But this situation can be corrected at home. For example, in one of the following ways.

Components:

cool water (~300C) – 8/9 parts;
hydrogen peroxide – 1/9 part.

Instructions:

Dilute the solution from the indicated ingredients (you can add a little soda to enhance the effect).
Soak the material in it for 2 hours, occasionally stirring the contents to uniformly lighten the fibers.
Rinse thoroughly and dry, avoiding direct sunlight.

Expert opinion

Irina. Housewife.

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REFERENCE. It is advisable to dry in a horizontal position to avoid deformation of the shape.

How to clean hats made of different furs

Rabbit

Dilute the solution from warm water and a mild detergent.
Place a rabbit fur hat in it and wash it carefully with your hands, without wringing or rinsing.
Place the item on a towel and hold for 15 minutes.
Dry away from radiators and heaters. Brush the fur periodically.

Mink

Dilute hair shampoo in a container with warm water and whip up the foam with a shower stream.
Use a sponge to collect the foam and apply to the headdress without rubbing.
Rinse the sponge and remove any remaining foam.
Wring out the headdress.

Expert opinion

Irina. Housewife.

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REFERENCE. If there are greasy areas on the fur, use a cotton pad soaked in table vinegar.

Arctic fox

Sprinkle semolina or starch generously onto the dry cap.
Begin to gently rub the material as if you were washing it by hand.
Remove any remaining cereal.
Clean your headdress with a special brush or regular sponge. Do this with very gentle movements so as not to damage the fur.

REFERENCE. The recommendations given also apply to fur scarves and collars.

Felt

Now the fashion for felt hats is returning and you can find them here and there. It is not possible to make such a thing smaller using the wool method. Felt is a capricious material and after washing it will become rough with a hard texture. You can make such a hat smaller using thread, foam tape and a needle.

The outer seam of the grosgrain ribbon (located at the junction of the crown and the brim) is torn off, a foam ring is inserted around the circumference and the seam is sewn up. It is this foam rubber tape of the required thickness that will prevent the hat from falling on your head.

What to do if a knitted hat stretches after washing

The special knitting technology does not make the headdress as durable as other knitted products. That is why they require delicate care and storage. First of all, this applies to the washing procedure. If the accessory becomes stretched after treatment, there is no need to throw it away immediately. Most often, knitted hats can be restored.

It is immediately necessary to determine what was done wrong. You should look at the product label and evaluate whether the hat was washed correctly, which led to such consequences. Next, you will need to wash the hat again, only this time in compliance with all the manufacturer’s requirements. With this in mind, you will need to wash the headdress.

What to do if a woolen hat stretches after washing

The most likely reason for loss of volume in a wool hat is too high a temperature. You can return the original appearance and size by re-washing, but now you need to change the processing mode. For washing you will need:

gel for wool products;
capacity;
hot water.

Place the hat in water at a temperature no higher than 60 °C and add a few drops of gel for woolen products. Leave in this state for half an hour. After this, carefully wash by hand. At the same time, you should not crush, squeeze, or twist too actively. To fix the threads in the desired state, you can place the hat in ice water for a few minutes. After the excess moisture has drained, you need to spread it on a cloth, without pulling it in different directions, and dry it naturally.

What to do if your mohair hat stretches after washing

Special detergents designed for delicate material will help save a mohair headdress.

A mohair hat can also be restored. To do this, you will need warm water no higher than 30 °C. Detergent for delicate items should be added to it in advance. If you don’t have such a product at home, you can use hair shampoo.

Having prepared the solution, you need to lower the mohair hat into it. There is no need to knead or rub it, so as not to disturb the knitting structure. It is necessary to ensure that the long pile does not roll up. To do this, rinse the hat in cool water, adding vodka, ammonia and turpentine. This solution will help restore the softness of the product and straighten the mohair. After washing, when excess moisture has drained off, the hat should be laid out on a terry towel for subsequent drying.

Important! If your hat sheds a lot during washing, you can try to fix the color by adding a teaspoon of salt to the water.

What to do if your merino hat stretches after washing

It’s not surprising that a merino wool item loses its shape after washing. This material is very delicate, known to everyone for its softness. Merino wool is considered one of the highest quality types.

The raw materials for the material are obtained from Merino sheep, which are characterized by special, very fine wool. Such products require especially delicate care.

This type of wool requires the use of a special product that will help avoid shedding and keep the entire pile in its original form. The water should be barely warm, 30 °C is enough. It is important to rinse afterwards in water at the same temperature. This will preserve the quality of the wool.

When adding the product, you must strictly follow the dosage specified by the manufacturer. Next, you should leave the cap in this solution for 5 minutes - no longer. Then rinse carefully, trying not to pull the item out. You need to rinse until the water stops leaving soap marks. After the water has drained, you can lay the hat on a cloth or wrap it in a terry towel.

What to do if a synthetic hat stretches after washing

You can dry the item by carefully wrapping it in a towel.

A synthetic hat will stretch significantly if washed in very hot water. You can wash the hat so that it shrinks, but first you need to pay attention to the product label to clarify the composition. If it is completely synthetic, it will be enough to immerse it in cold water with the addition of a special product. You need to hold it for 10-15 minutes. Rinse several times in the same cold water. It is prohibited to squeeze or twist the accessory.