Scroll down to the second set of bullets for the free PDF sewing patterns.
I kind of wish I had made today’s pith helmet project out of “army green” felt or desert tan felt instead of white! But the truth is this… I was trying to make a pattern for a sailor’s cap, so that’s why I was using white.
Instead of a sailor’s cap, I ended up with this awesome pith helmet, made entirely from felt! How cool is that? The final product reminds me of the pith helmets worn by British officers in the foreign service in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s.
Some time down the road, I’ll post the pattern for the sailor’s cap I’ve designed –yes, I eventually got it right– and I’d also like to try making today’s pith helmet project out of more modern military-looking felt colors.
And you know that green mesh they use to wrap avocadoes in, for bulk sales? I’ll see if I can add that stuff to my “army green” pith helmet to make it look like the camouflaged military helmets worn by GI’s in Vietnam back in the 1960’s and early 70’s.
Here’s something else to think about… Does this project sort of remind you of that fishing cap your grandpa always wore on camping trips? Yeah. In an off-white or khaki color, I could totally see adding a bunch of tiny fishing flies to the cap for that “Grandpa’s fishing cap” look!
Today’s free printable PDF patterns will fit the following dolls or action figures:
- 12 inch (30.5 cm) GI Joe action figures
- 12 inch Broad Ken dolls
- 12 inch WWE wrestler action figures
- 16-17 inch (40.5 cm to 43 cm) Tonner Fashion Dolls
And here are the patterns and tutorial videos you’re looking for:
- Free printable PDF sewing patterns for making a pith helmet for 12 inch action figures
- How to do a backstitch (that’s the stitch I used throughout the tutorial video)
- Tutorial for making the pith helmet (at the top of this page)
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To honor the trademark rights of the doll and action figure companies mentioned in this blog post, I am including links to their websites here. Please feel free to visit their website and consider purchasing one or more of the dolls mentioned.
GI Joe action figures are owned and distributed by Hasbro Pulse, which holds the registered trademark for these retired toys (™). Please visit the Hasbro Toy website to learn more about their company and its trademarked toys.
Broad Ken and the WWE wrestler action figures are products offered by Mattel, which holds the registered trademark for them (™). Please visit the Mattel Toys website to learn more about their company and its trademarked toys.
I need to make HI Joe a set of camouflage utility uniform “cammies” with for pockets on top and cargo pockets on trousers. Do you have an easy pattern for that?
I don’t have something that specific for GI Joe at this time. However, I do have a pants pattern and a shirt pattern that will fit him. Click here for those patterns.
You may want to consider signing up for my class in pattern alterations, which will be offered in December or January. In that class, I’ll teach you how to take an already-existing pattern (like pants) and alter it to suit your project.
The class will be offered through the Creative Spark platform.