Thursday, June 28, 2012

The Clan of the Big-headed Women


It seems there are a lot of us with big heads. Sandy claims hers is bigger than mine. She wears her husband's hats. My husband's hats are too small for me. My problem is two-fold. Big head, lots of hair. I measured my head. If I pull a tape measure tightly around my head, just above my eyebrows it measures 23.5 inches. According to a chart I found by googling that is an XL or 7.5 hat size. I need a little extra room for my hair if I don't want a crease in it when I remove the hat. The hat I made measures 26 inches around the opening, which leaves it nicely roomy on my head.

I got lots of suggestions. I have tried the stretching idea. I have had luck taking the band off hats made of straw or grass-like materials, wetting and stretching them. I have never been able to stretch a fabric hat enough to make it fit.

I plan to make a rain hat from the pattern one of these days.  Synthia suggested cute oilcloth. That might be good, but perhaps a little too cute for my tastes. I am thinking more along the lines of GORE-TEX® . This is Oregon. We don't do cheerful rain gear. We blend into the landscape and are one with the rain. (ohmmmm) My friend Sheila directed me to Sunday Afternoons, a company in Southern Oregon. These look like very nifty hats and they do have an extra large size—which is not a guarantee that it will actually be large enough, but seems worth checking into.

For my hat I made my own pattern. It is a simple design, but required some math and figuring and trying. I constructed a paper hat and adjusted the sizing, then took it apart to use for the pattern. I am very happy to share my pattern with my big-headed sisters, if you'd like to make your own. I will need to draft it in Illustrator and make into a pdf, which I can email, so give me a week or two. I'm going to be gone for several days before I can even get to it.


17 comments:

  1. I'll join the club. I've got a big head too. My daughter Claire also has a big head. I remember when she was about 3 and we were shopping for cute summery outfits at The Children's Place where they had coordinating dresses and accessories (including hats) for babies up to elementary school age kids. We found a super cute dress in a 3T but we had to buy the Girls size XL hat to match!

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  2. Misery loves company, so I'm glad we big-headed women have found each other! I'm sure it means we have bigger brains too ;-)

    I would love to get a copy of your pattern. How wonderful to be able to make my own hats and not have to rely on the whims of manufacturers.

    Thanks for the link to Sunday Afternoons. Looks like some really nice choices there.

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  3. Oh my gosh, Terry - this post made me laugh!

    I too, belong to that clan - when I was little girl, my mother could never find me a sun hat - one day, I tried on my father's cowboy hat and it fit. I was ten, my father was a grown, 6'5" man with a proportiantely sized head. :)

    I have never measured my head, and have given up on the idea of ever wearing anything but a ball cap (and those rarely); but I bet we'd be simliarly sized!

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  4. Oh yes, I am definitely in that club. When I got married the man who did my wedding dress took all the measurements and then measured my head for a hat (going away suit). I'll never forget it - he was working away on the measurements and when he got to my head there was a noticeable pause....and then he said, "Man, you've got a big head!"

    Consequently I have little to no luck buying hats. I'd love a peek at your pattern, on sunny days here it is a necessity. I've got a cotton eyelet umbrella I bought in Japan, but I'd love a hat that fits!

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  5. Oh yes, I am definitely in that club. When I got married the man who did my wedding dress took all the measurements and then measured my head for a hat (going away suit). I'll never forget it - he was working away on the measurements and when he got to my head there was a noticeable pause....and then he said, "Man, you've got a big head!"

    Consequently I have little to no luck buying hats. I'd love a peek at your pattern, on sunny days here it is a necessity. I've got a cotton eyelet umbrella I bought in Japan, but I'd love a hat that fits!

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  6. Anonymous12:03 PM

    I can hardly wait. Maybe now I can have a hat that fits! And I know that I'm not alone in the "big head" department

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  7. Dear Clan President, You forced me to the tape measure and I can match that 23.5" head! I am also one of the big-hair people, not so much in volume but need the room or the curls all flatten out into flapper-style, so that's another consideration even if I find something that does go on and not sit on top like a cupcake.

    We're smarter than the average bear.

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  8. I have no idea what size my head is. I guess that means I don't wear hats? but I do--men's hats and the bigger the better so I can cover my ears and the back of my neck. But, only in winter.

    I am gobsmacked that you can make a pattern and then make an item of usable clothing (or a hat). Deborah made that cute skirt! If I had to make a bucket list, I would want to "know" how to make clothes. Cute, bespoke linen shirts with tucks and darts and embroidery. Right after I learn to speak French.13

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  9. Thanks for "Sunday Afternoon", I have ordered a hat - Men's L, of course. It is a straw that is on sale and I have already forgotten the name - maybe Atlanta? When it comes I will model it and send a picture. Hmmm, maybe I will do a whole Blog just about my hats.
    I have a terrible time posting a comment - they don't like my interpretation of their secret words. Guess that is why I posted twice las time. Happy trip. Del

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  10. Oh, pooh. I can't join your club. I have a tiny little pin head. At best a 7 1/8, possibly even a 7. When my little brother was 2 years old, his head was larger than mine and I was 12.

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  11. I am still laughing as I found your post so funny....and I think so much so because I am with Leigh....a "pin head". I am 60 years old wearing bifocal glasses set in frames the size a child would wear. And ball caps no matter how small or tight I try to make them...people ask if I am having medical problems. I would love to wear hats and finding one that won't fall down on my head past my eyes is almost impossible. The other part that made me laugh was the amount of hair you have too. I have fine baby hair so there is no bluffing anyone about my being a pin head!

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  12. I just returned from Oregon yesterday, I wish I would've known there was another Lady with a big noggin' there. I would love to meet another cranially endowed women. I get the "cranially endowed" from a hat that I own, the band on the inside proudly states this fact. Did you make the pattern for the hat? I would love to have it. Oh, by the way, my head is bigger than yours….ugh.

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  13. Anonymous5:45 PM

    I must of measured my head 20 times this week, i couldn't believe it was 24 inches round! I have a humongous head, I'm 5'7 and thin, which makes it looks even more big. I never wear my hair up. ugh, i hate my big head, but i do look good in "reggae style" knitted caps. I am so jealous of girls with small "lady" like heads. lol.

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  14. Anonymous12:38 PM

    I also have a big had 23''...I am always having people look at me funny or talk about it. I am not a tiny women so I think it goes good with my body but the more weight I lose I don't lose it in my huge head...lol...I am glad that there are other women out there that have the same issue.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:27 AM

      Mine is worse, i hated my self ever since i was a little girl. people always tease me cos of my large head and to make matters worse, i have this annoying round face and big forehead as well..

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  15. Anonymous5:18 PM

    I have a big head that is flat on the back and my face is round and flat I hate it soo much

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  16. Can I be in the club? Mine is 25inches nice to know there is other women out there I guess I'm lucky though I'm 5'8'' so it doesn't look so bad "Big heads unite"!!

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