I wanted some newsboy caps for the chorus in Tales of Hoffmann, but they're very expensive to buy, so I decided to make my own, with the help of some of the wonderful people here on COAK :)

I followed Fifties Twist DIY's instructions with the following exceptions:

I used five panels instead of eight.
I made a narrower hat band -- just two inches wide.
I didn't line the cap, which made it quite quick to make. (I used a flannel remnant that I picked up for $1.50, and that wasn't about to unravel on me. Since it's just for a costume I was more concerned with speed and expense than with longevity :) If you have a ravelly fabric, you could bind the seams or otherwise finish them instead of lining the cap.

To make the cap without lining:

1. Sew the main hat pieces together as usual.

2. Sew the brim as usual. (I used very heavy interfacing on each brim piece -- I'm pleased with how stiff it came out)

3.Seam each of the two band pieces in the back as usual. (You'll have two circular pieces -- one for the main hat band, one for the hat band lining)

4. Pin one band to the main hat pieces, right sides together, distributing ease, as usual.

Here's where it differs from the original:

5. Pin the brim onto the hat band that you sewed to the hat -- match centres and baste in place.

6. Pin the hat band lining to the hat band, right sides together, matching centre backs. You'll be pinning over the bottom of the brim. Sew.

7. Turn the hat band lining to the inside of the hat. Turn up the seam allowance on the lining and pin in place. You can either sew the hand band lining to the inside of the hat by hand, by "stitching in the ditch" or by top stitching, which is what I did. (Always top stitch from the right side of your work.) I then top stitched the bottom edge of the hatband to be symmetrical :)

And now I have my first newsboy hat, and the confidence to make more :)

Thank you, Fifties Twist DIY, for your great method!