Menolly Report post Posted January 30, 2011 Hi all, I have made a couple hats. One is a top hat and Im not sure what the other one is. It looks ok for the most part. But the problem I am having is getting everything in sync. I have made several patterns and have studied what I could find here and at other websites about making hats but my circles just don't match up with the brim or the top of the hat. I always have either a gap or excess at the top, bottom or both. I guess I am asking, What is the math formula for measuring to make a hat?How do I get the measurement for an oval? I hope there are a few elementary math teachers on here Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whinewine Report post Posted January 30, 2011 Hi all, I have made a couple hats. One is a top hat and Im not sure what the other one is. It looks ok for the most part. But the problem I am having is getting everything in sync. I have made several patterns and have studied what I could find here and at other websites about making hats but my circles just don't match up with the brim or the top of the hat. I always have either a gap or excess at the top, bottom or both. I guess I am asking, What is the math formula for measuring to make a hat?How do I get the measurement for an oval? I hope there are a few elementary math teachers on here Thanks! Not an elementary teacher, but... Circumference of CIRCLE= 2 x Pi x radius OR diameter x Pi Pi= 3.14 (approximate) RADIUS= 1/2 the diameter, (the measurement from the center to the edge of the circle) OVAL: for exact measurements, you'll need calculus. However... OVAL: simple measurement= measure the short radius and measure the long radius double both the sr and the lr square each of the results, then add both together divide by 2 take the square root multiply that result by 2Pi (2 X 3.14) Hope this helps a bit. russ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGGUNDOCTOR Report post Posted January 30, 2011 Even with math, you may be of some due to rounding up/down, etc. How do you make your patterns. and what are they made out of? Also search hat, and top hat here. Someone just posted some patterns, etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Menolly Report post Posted January 30, 2011 Not an elementary teacher, but... Circumference of CIRCLE= 2 x Pi x radius OR diameter x Pi Pi= 3.14 (approximate) RADIUS= 1/2 the diameter, (the measurement from the center to the edge of the circle) OVAL: for exact measurements, you'll need calculus. However... OVAL: simple measurement= measure the short radius and measure the long radius double both the sr and the lr square each of the results, then add both together divide by 2 take the square root multiply that result by 2Pi (2 X 3.14) Hope this helps a bit. russ oh my...I didnt think it would be THAT complicated lol. Thank you for taking the time to share that with me, Russ. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Menolly Report post Posted January 30, 2011 Hi Bigundoctor, I made up my first pattern after researching the various types and bits and pieces of patterns I found on the net. I looked at cloth hats a lot to see if they explained how it was done too. For my second hat I used a pattern from Leatherlearn. It was an old Tandy pattern I think. I printed it out then traced it onto file folders for a more permanent pattern. The first hat I did was way to small for most people so I wanted this one to be larger. I think that is where I went wrong. I tried to make it bigger and didnt really know what I was doing. I just didnt know if there was a trick I am missing to make this easier. Obviously it isnt using math formulas. At least in my case! I don't have a calculator with a square root button on it for starters. lol Thanks for the suggestions :D Ellen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGGUNDOCTOR Report post Posted January 30, 2011 This is where a computer can come in handy. If the pattern is on your computer you can enlarge it to any size you want, and print out the larger pattern. I blew up an old Al Stohlman picture of a flying eagle that started out around 2", and ended up with it being 18" or so. ended up taking up 5 sheets of printer paper to get it all. Even without the math, patterns can be made with basic stuff like string. Wrap a piece of string around your head, that is the circumference. You can make some big calipers out of cardboard to get the width, and length of your head. Then do this http://www.mathopenref.com/constellipse1.html Hope this helps, and remeber Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Menolly Report post Posted January 30, 2011 Thanks Bigundoctor! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtclod Report post Posted January 30, 2011 What about a dress makers cloth tape. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGGUNDOCTOR Report post Posted January 31, 2011 That is what I would use. I just wanted ti illustrate the fact that you don't need anything special to do this. I have some of the old Foxfire books, and the folks in the Appalachians didn't have anything fancy, but they did some neat work none the less. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Report post Posted February 2, 2011 Right on, on The Foxfire Books, it can be done. Kevin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
