To begin, I tested a very simple running stitch Redwork design (it's called Hibiscus Circle Redwork, small size) on a synthetic straw hat.

I printed a template of the design so I could determine the placement. Where you place the design is largely up to your personal preference. I placed the design so the center point was midway between the edge of the brim and the crown of the hat.

The marks shown left are the design's center point, and horizontal and vertical axis lines.

To help me hoop the hat so that the design is aligned where I want it, I've removed the paper template and connected the horizontal and vertical axis lines.

For my first test, I used tear-away stabilizer. Those of you that have read these articles in the past may be surprised....I nearly always use and recommend cutaway stabilizer.

However, because I used a light and simple Redwork design, and because the synthetic straw is very sturdy, I was fairly certain that tear-away stabilizer would do well - and indeed, that turned out to be true.

In the image to the left, I've cut a piece of tear-away stabilizer and have drawn horizontal and vertical axis lines on it. This will help me when lining up the needle in the next steps.

It quickly became apparent that I wouldn't be able to hoop the hat. Instead I hooped the stabilizer, and placed the hat on top.

First I needed to choose the hoop. One of the basic rules and guidelines in embroidery is to use the smallest hoop that can accommodate the size of the design. But I'm deviating from that rule with this project.

I found that using a larger hoop gave me more surface area on the tear-away stabilizer, which allowed me to lay the hat flatter. You will likely find the same. If you have a variety of hoops to choose from, choose a large one.

I hooped the stabilizer, aligning the marks on the hoop with the marks on the stabilizer.  Then, I sprayed the stabilizer with a quick shot of temporary adhesive (I use Gunold's KK100). I aligned the marks on the hat with the marks on the stabilizer, with the outer edge of the hat positioned along side the right side of the hoop (the side opposite to the tab on the hoop). Then, I pressed the hat into place.

Hats have crowns, and I wanted to make sure that the crown wasn't going to interfere with the movement of the hoop by bumping the machine. Even though I used spray adhesive to keep the hat on the stabilizer, I was still concerned that the hat would shift and move if it bumped the machine.

I attached the hoop to the machine and pressed the crown of the hat inward so that the hoop would have ample room to move, and the crown wouldn't brush up against any machine parts.

I moved the hoop so that the needle was right over the center point, and then I stitched the design.

After the design had finished, I tore the excess stabilizer away from the back, and trimmed the loose stitches.

The picture to the left is a close-up view. You can see how the ridged material causes the running stitches to jag back and forth a bit as they cross the ridges.

Although the unevenness in the stitching is visible at a close-up view, it isn't visible from even a short distance away.

This picture was taken from a little less than 3 feet away, and the jaggedness of the running stitches isn't noticeable at all. The Redwork design is a subtle and understated addition to the hat.

I was curious to see if a topping would minimize that jaggedness to the running stitches - but it doesn't. I stitched the Redwork design onto the hat with a water-soluble topping, and then without. The results were the same. The only difference was the extra 30 minutes it took me to remove the topping, and the mess that I made while doing it. If you decide to stitch a Redwork design onto a hat, skip the topping. It doesn't make a difference.
 

Next I tried a more solid-filled design, the Damask English Rose Corner (small size). With this test I used water-soluble stabilizer on the top and the bottom. I was searching for a way to have the underside of the brim look a bit neater.

The results are great. The synthetic straw supports the stitches very well, which means that a water-soluble stabilizer as a backing is sufficient. And, using it as a topping helps to smooth designs with satin stitches as the stitches pass over the ridges of the brim. While a topping doesn't make a difference with running stitch designs, it does with designs that have satin stitches.

Because these fashionable hats have big and floppy brims, the back side of the design will show. If you wish, you can wind a bobbin with the same thread that you're using in the top. That way the underside of the brim won't show the white bobbin stitching that you see in the above photo.

Keep in mind that synthetic straw hats are cheaply made, and the dyes in the polyester-paper blend are likely to bleed when wet. When using a water-soluble stabilizer -- whether it's a topping or a backing or both -- don't soak the hat to remove the stabilizer. Instead, tear as much of it away as you can (use a tweezers or tip of scissors for the small areas), and then blot the rest away with a damp Q-tip or paper towel.
 

I found natural fiber hats at Wet Seal. These hats have a softer and smaller weave than the synthetic straw hats that I found.

I used the same technique with either water-soluble stabilizer or tear-away stabilizer on the back, and the results were great.

This is a natural fiber hat that I found at Michaels in the floral arranging section.

This hat has a heavier weave, and you'll note that the multi-colored straw creates a variegated effect.

While the technique of using water-soluble stabilizer as a backing is the same, choose the designs carefully. You can see that this running stitch Redwork design gets lost in the variegated straw.

However, a heavier design with satin stitches shows up very well against the multi-colored straw.

From the above photos you can see that I tested a Redwork design, and a design with satin stitches. Next I tested a design with a basic fill.

The Floral Butterfly design (small size) is a two-color design with a plain fill and filigree addition on top. I stitched it on the synthetic straw hat with water-soluble stabilizer on the top and the bottom.

I was focused on that jaggedness that showed up in the running stitch Redwork design. From this distance there doesn't appear to be any separation as the stitches cross the ridged hat brim. But take a closer look in the photo below.....

In this close-up photo you can see how the fill stitches spread apart a little bit as they go over the ridges in the hat. This will happen no matter if you're using a design that has running stitches, fill stitches, or satin stitches. And, it will happen no matter what kind of stabilizer you use on the back, and what kind of topping you use on the top. This separation that you see is a result of the physics of stitching across a ridged area.

A water-soluble stabilizer used as a topping minimizes the separation shown below, but it doesn't eliminate it entirely. And, as you can see from the photo above, that separation is unnoticeable from even a short distance.
 

Next I tried an applique design. Instead of choosing a traditional applique design with satin stitch borders, I selected one of the crafty cut-style applique designs.

These designs are light and airy and are a great choice for heavy-weave hats, as there are only a few simple stitches that sew directly onto the hat. Shown left is the Cozy Country Crafty Cut Flower Applique design (small size).

I ordered a natural fiber straw visor from Amazon.com and used the same technique as with the hats (water-soluble stabilizer on the top, and as backing). The design featured is the Dashing Damask Flower (small size).

There's no crown, so I didn't need to flatten it. But I did tape vertical brim down to flatten it more. This is an optional step.

You might remember the Embroidered Candle project, where I demonstrated a technique of stitching onto organza, and then trimming around that to create a piece that could be applied anywhere. I decided to take that idea, and use it to make an embellishment for the crown of the hat.

I found polyester organza that was the same shade as the hat. I backed it with a piece of water-soluble stabilizer, then stitched a border design. I used the Acappella Border 2, medium size.

After embroidering, I trimmed around the shape of the border. Then I soaked the water-soluble stabilizer away.

When the embroidery was dry, I pressed it with an iron on a low setting, and used a pressing cloth. Then I trimmed closely around the design, leaving about a quarter inch of fabric.

I used an all-purpose permanent adhesive (Elmer's Craft Bond Multi-Purpose Spray) and sprayed it on the back of the embroidery.

I positioned the embroidery on the crown of the hat, and pressed it into place.

I was concerned about the edges coming loose, so I added fabric glue (Beacon Adhesives Fabri-Tac) to the back side of the outer edges, and pressed those in place.

Using this method is a great way of adding embroidery to parts of the hat - like the crown - where it's difficult (if not impossible!) to get under the needle.

Voila - the finished result! Lisa is modeling the hat while lounging about on a sunny day. The embroidered organza piece is affixed to the crown (and I sneaked the Flower Cabriole design, small size, onto the brim, too).

We'd love to see your hats, too. Send pictures of your work to us - the address is stitch@emblibrary.com.

Hats off to you, and have fun stitching!