This year, I’m trying to get a head start on Halloween, so while you’re thinking about your Valentine, I’m working on parts to a Chase costume. If you don’t know, Chase is from the program Paw Patrol—he’s a dog, a German shepherd, specifically, and seems to be a security or police dog who does a lot of rescuing. Yes, my granddaughter wants to be a dog. Fine by me. My husband has always wanted to be a dog, too. Here is a typical pic of Chase:
The one item I decided not to make is the pup pack or backpack. I thought about making one, which wouldn’t be difficult, but there is an actual pup pack toy, complete with his rescue tools, so that seemed like a no-brainer. It even comes with his badge.
This is the first in a series of posts for each element of the costume: hat, vest, furry dog body. So on to the hat.
For Chase’s police-style hat, I had the genius idea to buy an inexpensive hat with a brim and take it apart for a pattern. I found this great adjustable child’s yachting hat that fit the bill:
- I have found some ready made Paw Patrol appliques, but not the paw shield on the characters’ hats, so I made that myself with iron-on mending patches in grey and white.
- I used a stiff craft interfacing on the front part of the hat, in addition to lining it with the blue fabric, so that it is finished inside.
- The rest of the hat fabric pieces do not need to be lined.
- The plastic hat band was trimmed to about 1/2″, just enough for the yellow grosgrain ribbon trim that I stitched in place by hand.
- Sew the lower strips together first and then onto the adjustable band.
- Sew in the crown last and turn—working on a hat with an adjustable band makes it pretty easy to sew everything on.
Voila!
UPDATE 4/28: See those tabs at the back of the hat in the last photo? Well, they came off at Easter during the trial wearing of the hat, so I took them out and made some blue tabs with velcro for adjusting the size. It’s much better, and I should have done it to begin with. Those plastic straps were just not sewn in well and they easily tore the threads holding them in. I should have known that a 5 year old would be constantly adjusting the size.
