Embroidered Fleece Tassel Hat

Keep cozy and warm in this fun, fuzzy hat.

Fringed fleece at the top gives a whimsical look to head-wear, and a quick-stitch embroidery design adds color and character. And, a flexible size chart makes this project great for infants, toddlers, children, teens, and adults.

Read on for free project instructions!

Supplies & Materials:

Project Materials or Supplies
- 5/8 yard fleece, in three different colors:
1/8 yard for top piece
1/4 yard for middle piece
1/4 yard for bottom piece
- Medium-weight cutaway stabilizer
- Temporary spray adhesive (we use KK100)
- Air-erase pen (or other marking tools)
- Needle and thread for some hand sewing

The designs used in this tutorial include:

- X3938, Quick-Stitch Baby Characters Design Pack
- X5263, Quick-Stitch Baby Characters II Design Pack

Gather Materials:

First, cut the fabric. Cut each piece of fabric with the stretch along the width.

Choose the size that you want to make, and refer to the chart above for the dimensions of each fabric piece.

For a custom fit, measure around the head (over the ears)to find the circumference. Take that measurement and add 1/2 inch for a seam allowance.

Use that measurement for the width of the fabric pieces, rather than the chart above. The height doesn't change for a custom fit, so you can refer to the chart above for height dimensions.

Four fabric strips laid flat on a wooden table: a solid dark pink strip, two solid white strips, and one white strip with pink, orange, and yellow polka dots.

The embroidery design is stitched onto the fabric selected for the middle of the hat. First, we'll mark the fabric for correct placement.

Using an air-erase pen or other marking tool, mark the center of the long sides of the fabric (measure the width and divide by two). Mark the fabric on the top edge, and the bottom edge. Draw a line connecting these two points, making a vertical line in the center of the fabric.

Create a paper template of the design by printing it from embroidery software. Poke a hole in the center of the template, and align it with the line on the fabric. Position the top of the design about 1 1/2 inches from the top edge of the fabric. Mark the center point and the horizontal axis points.

Hand holding a pencil drawing on a white fleece fabric. A small paper with a bee sketch is pinned on the fabric as a guide. The surface has blue stitch marks.

Start Embroidering:

Remove the paper template and draw a line connecting the horizontal axis lines. We'll use the vertical and horizontal lines to hoop the fabric.

Spray a piece of cutaway stabilizer with a bit of temporary adhesive, and smooth the fleece on top. Fleece is stretchy, so the spray adhesive helps it to stay in place during the embroidery.

Hoop the fleece and stabilizer together, aligning the markings on the fabric with the marks on the hoop.

White fleece fabric hooped in an embroidery machine with center alignment marks in blue ink, set on a dark wooden surface.

Attach the hoop to the machine and move the hoop until the needle is right over the center point. Embroider the design. For tips on embroidering on fleece, and checking for good-quality fleece, click here .

Generally a topping isn't needed, unless the design is Redwork or very sheer. And, any marks from the hoop come out in the wash, or with a few spritzes from a water bottle.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a pink and red flower with a yellow-green stem on white fleece fabric, secured in an embroidery hoop.

After the design has finished, cut away the excess stabilizer from the backside. We like to leave about 1/4 inch of excess around the design.

Close-up of a hand holding orange-handled scissors cutting white fabric with a visible red embroidery pattern underneath on a wooden surface.

Place the embroidered middle piece right side down and align the second middle piece on top. This is the inner lining piece that covers the back of the embroidery.

Pin the pieces together along the short ends.

Hand holding a folded piece of white fleece fabric over a flat wooden surface with a small triangular piece of fabric beneath it.

Place the middle piece with the embroidered side up. Align the top piece with the top edge of the middle piece, right sides together. Pin in place.

White fleece fabric with partially visible colorful embroidery underneath a folded bright pink fleece layer, held by a hand on a wooden surface.

Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the top edge.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching bright pink fleece fabric with a yellow pin holding the fabric in place, on a white work surface.

Next, flip the top piece over and finger-press the seam (don't press with an iron, as the fleece may melt).

Now we'll mark the top fabric to create a fringe tassel. Make marks at inch intervals all along the top and bottom edge of the top fabric. Draw lines connecting the marks.

White fabric with a small embroidered cartoon worm wearing a cream hat, placed above a pink fabric strip marked with vertical lines. A metal ruler and a hand holding a blue pen are measuring and marking the pink fabric on a wooden surface.

Cut along the lines to create the fringe. Cut from the outer edge, and stop about 1/4 inch from the seam.

Hand cutting pink fleece strips into fringe with scissors on white fabric featuring an embroidered worm with pastel stripes on wooden table.

Fold the middle piece with the short ends together, right sides together. Pin in place and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the short ends only. Make sure that the fringe does not get sewn into the seam. Then, turn it right side out.

Hand holding up a corner of a folded white fleece fabric with a red ruffled trim along one edge, laid on a wooden surface. A red pin is visible.

Next we'll prepare the bottom piece. Fold the bottom fabric with the short ends together, right sides together. Pin in place and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the short ends.

Hand holding corner of square fleece fabric with pink, orange, and yellow polka dots on white background, placed on dark wood surface.

Fold one of the open ends over 1/2 inch, wrong sides together.

Folded fleece fabric with pink and orange polka dots on a white background, placed on a wooden surface with a hand holding one corner.

Sew a seam right along the inside edge of the fold.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a white fleece fabric with large pink, orange, and red polka dots. The fabric is being sewn under the presser foot.

Turn the bottom piece right side out. Place the embroidered piece right side up. Place the bottom piece with the hemmed edge facing the bottom open end of the embroidered piece with the seams aligned.

Two fleece hats on a wooden surface: one white with a pink tassel and embroidered caterpillar, the other polka-dotted in pink, orange, and white. A hand is holding the latter.

Insert the bottom piece inside the embroidered piece through the bottom.

White fleece hat with black embroidered eyes and a yellow fleece beak, pink fleece tassels, and a soft polka-dotted pink, orange, and white lining. A hand holds the hat open.

Sew a 1/2 inch seam around the entire hat.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching white fleece fabric with two pins, one red and one black, holding layers together during the process.

Pull the bottom piece all the way out from the embroidered piece through the bottom. Fold the bottom piece, bringing the hemmed edge up to meet the bottom edge of the embroidered piece.

White fleece hat with pink fringe tassels and an embroidered caterpillar on front; inside lined with pink, orange, and yellow polka dot fabric.

Fold the bottom piece again, bringing it up over the bottom edge of the embroidered piece.

Hand holding a polka-dot fleece fabric in orange, pink, and yellow next to a white fleece piece with pink fringe and a stitched bird design.

Using a needle and thread, sew a few stitches along the upper fold of the bottom piece. Do this on each side of the hat.

Hand holding a needle stitching white fabric with a colorful polka dot fleece fabric piece in pink, orange, and yellow on a wooden surface.

Now we'll finish the hat by cinching the top opening. First, cut a strip of the fleece to 8 inches by 1 inch.

Bright pink fleece fabric on a wood surface with a rectangular strip cut out. Orange-handled scissors rest on the remaining fleece.

Set the hat right side up and allow the fringe to drape along the outer sides. Bring the sides together and hand sew them together along the top edge.