Hand embroidery is my favorite summer project because you can take it on the go! I always have a hand sewing project for summer road trips and what better way to get ready for our Yellowstone National park trip than this fun handmade wildflower baseball cap! Anyone can do this, and I’m excited to show you how to embroider a hat by hand along with this free floral hand embroidery pattern.

This post was sponsored by JOANN, which means they supplied materials and compensated me for my time, but all opinions are my own.

Don’t be intimidated by the fact that it is on a hat! This is truly a beginner project. I have the pattern designed so several of them print on one page, so if you’re not loving the stitches you made, just seam rip them out, peel off the pattern, and start fresh!

If you like hand embroidery, you’ll like these other posts too!

• 15+ Free hand embroidery patterns
• How to embroider on a tshirt – with a cat pattern
• How to hand embroider shoes
• Online embroidery classes for beginners
• Modern embroidery kits for beginners

I am loving the hand embroidery trend on clothes lately, but can’t swallow all the designer prices. This is an easy way to stitch on hats, jeans, bags, tshirts, anything! This little pattern would look adorable stitched in a hoop as an ornament or a patch on a backpack, too.

When I’m not making something, I’m usually outside with my kids. I had so much fun matching those two hobbies together with this project, and I hope you love it too!

Pin this tutorial for how to embroider a hat by hand for later with this link or collage image:

How to embroider a hat by hand:

Supplies

• Comfort colors Hat – this is the same one I used, I think it looks much bluer in real life
• Sulky Fabri Solvy
• Sharp, micro tip scissors
• Hand embroidery needles
• 4″ embroidery hoop
• DMC embroidery floss
• Free PDF pattern- sign up for my newsletter and get the free download once you confirm your subscription! If you’re already a subscriber, you can access the pattern with the password in each newsletter, in the resource library.

DMC Colors:

• Dark blueish purple: 791
• Lime green: 907
• Citrine green: 472
• Grass green: 905
• Light purple: 554
• Dark purple: 550
• Fuchsia: 718
• Light Pink: 957
• Coral: 956

Steps:

Step 1:

Prewash your hat! If you ever have any intention of machine washing it, you need to wash it the same way first to eliminate any shrinkage. Print the PDF pattern on to Fabri-Solvy, trim roughly around, hoop the hat and peel off the back/press to adhere it. 

Step 2:

Start stitching! All stitches were done with 2 strands unless otherwise noted below:

Text: Filled backstitch

Green stems: stem stitch

Green leaves: filled backstitch

Fuchsia flowers: 3 strands

Light pink flowers: satin stitch (as shown in the picture, I prefer to do a backstitch around the outline and then satin stitch over it!), 1 strand

Light purple flowers: lazy daisy stitch

Step 3:

Once you’re done, take the hoop off and turn it upside to soak in warm water for a while, then use running water to finish rinsing away the Fabri-Solvy.

Step 4:

Add any freehand stitches for extra buds or flower centers, like I did, let it dry in the sun (I recommend balling up a towel underneath to help shape it) and you’re ready to wear it!