How to cover the inner brim of a baseball cap?
March 30, 2022 7:48 AM Subscribe
I have a baseball cap with a curved brim. I would like the underside of the brim to be white (it’s currently green). How best to do it?
It’s a 9FIFTY snap back hat with a flat brim, but I hand-curved the brim so it’s like this- a snapback with a pretty deeply curved brim.
The underside of the brim is green fabric -I would like it to be white, both so it better matches the hat color, and so it casts down a more flattering reflection on my face (the green reflection makes me look noticeably sickly). A slightly reflective white would be great.
I’ve painted white acrylic paint inside the brim to do this with other hats before, which reflected well, but it always looked blotchy.
I’ve tried gluing paper which also worked for light reflection, but the edges never looked crisp. I think gluing on fabric would also look messy.
This brand of hat is meant to be worn flat-brimmed but I hand-curved it pretty deeply, out of personal preference. Because the brim is curved, the green inner brim fabric buckles slightly, which was partly why using paint looked janky before.
So- I’d like it to be white and a bit reflective under the brim, and still look smoothly and professionally made with crisp edges.
Any ideas how to make this happen? Thanks!
It’s a 9FIFTY snap back hat with a flat brim, but I hand-curved the brim so it’s like this- a snapback with a pretty deeply curved brim.
The underside of the brim is green fabric -I would like it to be white, both so it better matches the hat color, and so it casts down a more flattering reflection on my face (the green reflection makes me look noticeably sickly). A slightly reflective white would be great.
I’ve painted white acrylic paint inside the brim to do this with other hats before, which reflected well, but it always looked blotchy.
I’ve tried gluing paper which also worked for light reflection, but the edges never looked crisp. I think gluing on fabric would also look messy.
This brand of hat is meant to be worn flat-brimmed but I hand-curved it pretty deeply, out of personal preference. Because the brim is curved, the green inner brim fabric buckles slightly, which was partly why using paint looked janky before.
So- I’d like it to be white and a bit reflective under the brim, and still look smoothly and professionally made with crisp edges.
Any ideas how to make this happen? Thanks!
Seems to me a fabric is going to give the best result, if it can be done neatly enough. But not with fabric glue, rather a spray adhesive or a layer of heat-activated mending fabric in between (the latter might be better to conceal the creases). Choice of fabric will also matter for reflectivity and hiding imperfection (which are probably somewhat at odds with each other -- felt would conceal but isn't so reflective). If it matters enough you could then have the edge stitched.
posted by snuffleupagus at 8:31 AM on March 30, 2022
posted by snuffleupagus at 8:31 AM on March 30, 2022
If you live near a craft store, maybe check the Pellon products in the sewing section. I use their fusible fleeces and light interfacing on sewing projects and they iron on well. The fusible fleece is not what you want but maybe some of their lighter weight products, like a stabilizer, would work.
(Next step if you have access/skills at a sewing machine: Personally, I'd want to sew the edge of the fabric under like a typical seam allowance, and then run (adhesive) wonder tape along that sewn under edge, to make sure all was fusible given that you've covered the fusible substance with the seam allowance.)
posted by icaicaer at 8:37 AM on March 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
(Next step if you have access/skills at a sewing machine: Personally, I'd want to sew the edge of the fabric under like a typical seam allowance, and then run (adhesive) wonder tape along that sewn under edge, to make sure all was fusible given that you've covered the fusible substance with the seam allowance.)
posted by icaicaer at 8:37 AM on March 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
Taking the thick stuff inside fabric-paint squeeze bottles from a craft store and applying it with a foam brush is something I've seen film art department people do on weird clothing surfaces. Gaffers tape is useful for getting a clean edge. I can't promise it won't look bad.
posted by eotvos at 8:43 AM on March 30, 2022
posted by eotvos at 8:43 AM on March 30, 2022
The wrinkly inner fabric is going to make this a little bit tricky.
Have you tried multiple coats of paint? Applying a second or third layer once the previous layer has dried will help a lot with the blotchiness — same concept as applying multiple coats of wall paint when painting a room a lighter color. Using a paint intended for fabric would probably help as well though I don’t have a specific one to recommend.
posted by mekily at 9:11 AM on March 30, 2022
Have you tried multiple coats of paint? Applying a second or third layer once the previous layer has dried will help a lot with the blotchiness — same concept as applying multiple coats of wall paint when painting a room a lighter color. Using a paint intended for fabric would probably help as well though I don’t have a specific one to recommend.
posted by mekily at 9:11 AM on March 30, 2022
I'd stick some white fabric on using two-sided carpet tape
posted by anadem at 9:53 AM on March 30, 2022
posted by anadem at 9:53 AM on March 30, 2022
Before you try anything yourself, I'd take it to your best alterations shop and see what they suggest. They may be able to sew-in or glue-in a piece of fabric so that the end effect is neat and durable.
posted by quince at 10:39 AM on March 30, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by quince at 10:39 AM on March 30, 2022 [3 favorites]
Fabric paint is a better option. It’s set with heat once it’s dry. You can layer it. Or you can add fabric medium to acrylic but just a tub of white fabric paint is pretty much the same cost and I feel it works better. I suggest thinning some with water and doing a couple layers. I like this one from jacquard
posted by Crystalinne at 12:04 PM on March 30, 2022
posted by Crystalinne at 12:04 PM on March 30, 2022
Similar to the carpet tape idea but a bit simpler: I would use adhesive felt
posted by delezzo at 5:53 PM on March 31, 2022
posted by delezzo at 5:53 PM on March 31, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 8:05 AM on March 30, 2022 [1 favorite]