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How to Stretch a Cowboy Hat – To Make It Fit Better
Has your favorite cowboy hat gone out of shape or shrunk, causing you a headache? You’re interested in learning how to stretch your cowboy hat without coughing up the money for a hat professional to stretch your hat or buying a new hat. We get it; maintaining a cowboy hat in the same shape for a lifetime can be difficult. No worries! We’re going to guide you through the whole process of how to stretch your cowboy hat and maintain its shape for generations!
Can You Safely Stretch a Cowboy Hat?
Yes you can. Depending on what it’s made of, there are different methods for stretching your cowboy hat. If your cowboy hat is made of fur-based felt or wool, you can stretch them by steaming. If your cowboy hat is made up of leather, you can make the size bigger by using a hat stretcher.
We don’t recommend steaming for leather cowboy hats since that can rip the leather or cause deterioration. If your cowboy hat is made of straw, you can loosen their straw fibers by soaking or steaming for a few seconds and reshape them.
What to Know Before Stretching a Cowboy Hat?
1. Check Your Care Label
Before you start, always read the tiny label stitched with the inner brim of your hat. Care labels are there for a reason. Especially if you are not sure about your hat, the care label gives a lot of information on the material of your hat, how you should and shouldn’t wash your hat.
2. Don’t Steam Leather Hats
If you have a leather cowboy hat, make sure you don’t use the steaming method to stretch it. Leather cowboy hats can be stretched by using a hat stretcher or the traditional knee method. Steaming or soaking them with water can lead to damage.
If your hat is made up of synthetic fabrics and has a leather sweatband or hatband around it, it’s better to remove it. Or else, use a towel to wipe it frequently during steaming without letting it absorb moisture.
3. Do Not Overstretch
During the process, be careful not to stretch your hat too much as this can lead to tearing and damage. Especially when you’re using a hat stretcher, be mindful of how much you stretch.
Try your hat on periodically to check the size. When you can leave one finger in between the hat and your head, you have achieved the right fit.
4. Do Not Dry Your Hat in Sunlight
After steaming or wetting your cowboy hat, do not dry it under direct sunlight. Not just cowboy hats but any type of hat can fade or shrink when you dry them in direct sunlight.
Placing them on a hat form, a bowl, or a ball, in a dry, cool environment is the best way to dry a hat.
How to Stretch a Cowboy Hat
Stretch Your Cowboy Hat By Steaming
Steaming your hat helps loosen the fibers while exposed to the heat and moisture during the process. MAKE SURE you wipe the sweatband of your hat if it is made up of leather. Or else, try reducing the exposure of steam to areas made up of leather.
Works for:
fur based felt, wool, polyester, straw cowboy hats
Not recommended for leather cowboy hats
Materials Needed:
Instructions:
Step 1: Heat Water in The Tea Kettle
Start heating water in the tea kettle. The larger the spout, the better it is for steaming your hat. Once there is a steady flow of stream coming from the spout, reduce the heat, and maintain the water at a steady temperature.
Step 2: Expose Your Hat to the Steam
Expose your hat before the steam, and pay more attention to the back of your hat. Use kitchen tongs to hold your hat if it’s too hot.
Maintain a distance of 5-6 inches away from the kettle when you’re steaming your hat. Also, please don’t over steam your hat.
Step 3: Use a Hatform to Stretch your Hat While it Dries
After steaming, gently reshape the creases and dents and stretch your hat gently using your fingers. Then, let it dry on a hat form. You can also wear your cowboy hat with a plastic bag on your head for the hat to adjust to your head size.
Stretch Your Cowboy Hat By Using a Hat Stretcher
If you’re really serious about making your cowboy hat one size bigger, you can go with the cowboy hat stretcher. The cowboy hat stretcher helps to stretch your hat evenly and effectively.
Works for:
fur based felt, wool, polyester, straw cowboy hats, leather hats( skip steaming)
Materials Needed:
Instructions:
Step 1: Heat Water in the Cooking Pot
First, start heating water in the cooking pot. Close the lid with a little opening. You can also use a tea kettle.
Step 2: Fix the Hat Stretcher Into The Inner Crown
While the water is heating, fix the hat stretcher into the inner crown of your cowboy hat. While fixing it, make sure it’s not too tight and not slanting. The center of the hat panel should be parallel to the crown of your hat. Tighten the handle to fit snugly.
Step 3: Expose Your Hat to The Steam
Next, expose your hat to the steam. Steaming helps to loosen the fibers. Here, you don’t need to wipe your leather sweatbands since the wood absorbs moisture. Skip this step if you have a leather hat.
Step 4: Stretch the Hat
After steaming the hat, twist the center panel of your hat stretcher and stretch the hat. DO NOT stretch more than ¼”.
Step 5: Let the Hat Dry
Finally, let the hat dry with the hat stretcher in a hat form. Make sure to dry the hat with the hat stretcher down (lying on the drying surface) if you dry your hat with the hat stretcher up, this could cause your hat to deform.
Stretch Your Cowboy Hat By Ball Method
This is also an effective method similar to using a hat stretcher, without needing to spend money on a hat stretcher. All you have to do is, stuff a ball inside your hat and inflate it to stretch your cowboy hat.
Works for:
fur based felt, wool, polyester, straw cowboy hats, leather hats
Materials Needed:
Instructions:
Step 1: Place Ball Into the Inner Crown of Your Hat
First, wrap your ball in a plastic bag to avoid the contact of dirt with your hat. Place the ball into the inner crown with the inflation point accessible. Remember, you can always deflate the ball and reposition it if needed.
Step 2: Inflate the Ball
Start inflating the ball. Ensure that you don’t inflate your ball too much, which can lead to overstretching.
Step 3: Let it Sit
Leave your hat with the ball inside overnight for effective results.
Stretch Your Straw Cowboy Hat By Soaking
Is your straw hat getting tighter or are you hearing a crack sound when wearing it? This is a telltale sign that your straw hat needs moisture. Both steaming and soaking will help your straw hat to get moisture and loosen. MAKE SURE to dry your hat completely before storing it since it can grow mold.
Materials Needed
- Tub
- Lukewarm Water
- Hat form
Instructions:
Step 1: Fill the Tub With Lukewarm Water
First, fill the tub with lukewarm water. ENSURE that it is not too hot, which can harm your straw fibers and not cold to grow mold.
Step 2: Soak Your Hat in The Tub
Next place your hat in the tub of water. Soak for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Do not over soak your hat.
Step 3: Place on a Hat Form
Take the hat out of the tub and reshape the brim of the hat. Use a hatform that mimics the shape and size of your head that will fit snug and stretch your hat. It can be a small bowl, a ball, or your own head. If you’re using your head, wear a plastic bag before putting the wet hat on.
Can Any of these Methods Cause Damage to the Hat?
All the methods mentioned above are safe and effective methods to stretch your hat. As mentioned earlier, do not use steam on leather hats. Check with the care label if you’re unsure about the material of your hat.
How to Maintain Your Cowboy Hat After Stretching
After stretching your hat, maintaining the shape of your hat is important. Here are some tips for keeping your cowboy hat in shape.
- Use Hatforms
After usage, make sure you store your cowboy hat on a hat form. It can be a small bowl, ball, or anything that mimics the appearance of your head.
- Proper Storage
You can also keep them in hat boxes and store them properly in your closet. If your hat is made up of natural fabrics, leave one naphthalene ball in your hat box to avoid fabric-eating bugs.
- Clean Them Properly
Before every usage, make sure you’ve cleaned your cowboy hat properly. Handwashing is the best method to wash any type of hat. Avoid throwing in into the washing machine, which can lead to hat shrinkage due to the hot temperatures and increased agitation of your machine.
- Wear them Frequently
Wearing your cowboy hat frequently helps prevent shrinkage, especially if it is a leather hat. Mix and match them with whatever you love, and don’t let the hat forget its owner’s head.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully you now understood how to master the art of stretching your cowboy hats. If you follow these instructions carefully, you’ll be able to rejuvenate you hats for many years of future enjoyment. Now it’s time to go for the first step of your preferred method!
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