Tracing the Hat to Make a Pattern

I began to create a pattern for the hat by tracing its form. There are 3 pattern pieces: crown top, crown side, and brim. The hat is symmetrical from side to side, so I only need to trace half of it.

As you can see, I created a lot of matching points, especially where the curves are sharpest. This will help me make sure I'm not stretching a curved edge out of shape when I sew it to a straighter edge. I traced these preliminary pieces on a (makeshift) light table to make the completed pattern pieces shown in the next photo. Notice that a 3/8" seam allowance has been added on all the edges except the outside of the rim, which will be encased in a binding.

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Stay tuned...