This essay is for someone with minimal sewing skills. If you’re not too good at sewing, find someone who is
and ask him or her all those basic sewing questions.
Materials
-1 yard of fabric (your choice)
-Batting (amount needed depends on how thick you want it to be)
-Sewing machine (or you can do it by hand, its not that hard)
-Scissors, thread, needles, pins, (all that sewing stuff)
-Cords or a strap and buckle (for under the chin)
Adjusting the pattern
My pattern was made to fit my head, so you might want to adjust it a bit to fit your head exactly. I find that the
easiest way to do this is to use the pattern to make a simple unpadded cap from a cheap fabric and see
where it might be too tight or too loose. Don’t forget to leave some room because there will be a little
shrinkage. If you decide that your head is just as misshapen as mine, you can skip that step and move right to
the padded cap.
Construction
Once you have the pattern set, trace it onto your fabric four times. Then cut out all four identical pieces and
remember to leave your half-inch for seam allowance. Take two of these pieces and stitch them together
along the pattern lines your marked, remembering to leave the bottom open for stuffing. Now stuff with as
much batting as you want, just keep in mind that you will have to stitch through it all. Close the bottom edge
and repeat on the other two pieces.
You now have two pillow-like pads that need quilting to keep the stuffing in place. This is the part that I'm glad I
did on a sewing machine. Decide how far apart you want the stitches and mark them with chalk or something
else that will come out. The closer they are the more shrinkage you will get.
After they are both padded and quilted you can put them together. Attach them along your half-inch of extra
fabric along the curve, while leaving the front and bottom open (I hope everyone already knew that.)
Now if you turn it inside out you will have a nice arming cap with unfinished edges along the face opening and
bottom edge. This can be remedied by folding them in and stitching to keep it there.
Your cap is only missing some way of securing it underneath your chin. If you are good with leather you can
put a little strap and buckle from one point to the other, or if you are like me (lazy), you can attach two cords
from the points.
You now have a nice piece of padded armour. Go make your friends jealous and show it off. Just remember it
makes hearing things a bit harder.
Special thanks to Andy Goddard and my
darling grandmother :)
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