How to Sew a Detachable Fashion Collar from an Old Fur Hat
A tutorial for upcycling an old fur hat into a detachable collar: unpick the hat, cut the fur piece and a lining with batting, prepare scarf loops, join the pieces, and turn the collar right side out.
Beginner2 hr 30 minFree
Translated
Things you will learn
Almost nobody wears real-fur hats these days, and a lot of them just sit unused; from one you can sew a great accessory — a detachable collar you can wear over a coat, jacket, or even a sweater, retying it with a different scarf or kerchief every time for a fresh look.
If the hat's fur has faded a bit, you can dye it with ordinary hair dye without touching the lining, and it'll look brand new.
You need to unpick the hat: carefully rip out the lining, then carefully cut out one even, whole piece of fur (you can cut away worn spots or turn the fur so the nicest areas face forward), cutting strictly from the hide side with a sharp knife or blade, without cutting into the fur itself — only scoring the hide.
Cut a lining to match the collar's size, add a batting insert the same size for more body, join the two and quilt them with crosswise lines spaced about 3 to 4 cm apart, then sew loops made from fabric strips onto the lining (a finished loop is 10 cm long and about 1 cm wide, cut from a piece 3.5 by 11.5 cm) for a scarf or kerchief.
Lay the lining and fur right sides together and stitch around the edge with a zigzag stitch, tucking all the fur strands in with a needle as you go and leaving an opening for turning; after turning the collar right side out, hand-sew the opening closed with an invisible stitch — and you can make a collar like this from any scraps of real or faux fur, not just an old hat.
What you'll get
You'll get a stylish detachable fur collar with loops for a scarf or kerchief that freshens up a coat, jacket, or sweater.
Materials and tools
Materials
An old real or faux fur hat, or any scraps of fur
Lining fabric
Batting, for the insert, sized to match the lining
Fabric strips for the loops, cut into pieces measuring 3.5 by 11.5 cm
Ordinary hair dye, optional, for touching up faded fur
Tools
Scissors or a seam ripper
A sharp knife or blade, for cutting the fur strictly along the hide
Sewing machine, for quilting and joining the pieces
Needle, for the hand-sewn invisible stitch
Files and resources
"Shabby Chic" Video TutorialThe materials for this tutorial are from the "Shabby Chic" channel. Thanks to the author!"Shabby Chic" Video Tutorial
Preparation
Gather your materials
You'll need an old fur hat (or fur scraps), lining fabric, batting, and fabric strips for the loops.
Refresh the fur if needed
If the fur has faded a bit, you can dye it before cutting.
Touch up faded fur
By the way, if the hat has faded a bit, you can touch it up and it'll look brand new! Just use ordinary hair dye and color the fur, without touching the lining.
The old fur hat before upcycling
Unpick the hat and cut out the fur piece
Carefully unpick the hat and cut out one whole piece of fur.
Unpick the hat and cut out a whole piece
Before cutting, you need to unpick the hat. First, carefully rip out the lining. Then carefully cut out one even, whole piece. You can cut away any worn spots, or turn the fur so the nicest areas face forward. Cut strictly from the hide side with a sharp knife or blade.
Cutting the fur piece
Score only the hide
As you do this, don't cut into the fur itself — run the knife along the hide only.
The trimmed fur piece
Prepare the lining and batting
Cut a lining and a batting insert, then quilt them together.
Cut the lining
Now cut a lining from fabric to match the collar's size.
Fabric for the lining
Cut the batting insert
For more body, it's best to add a batting insert. Cut it to match the lining's size.
Quilt the lining and batting together
Join them together and quilt them — work crosswise lines spaced about 3 to 4 cm apart.
Prepare the scarf loops
Prepare the loops from fabric strips and sew them onto the lining.
Plan where the loops will go
We'll sew loops onto the lining so you can thread a scarf or kerchief through them.
Preparing the fabric loopsFabric strips for the loops
Cut and fold the loop pieces
Cut fabric strips for the loops. A finished loop is 10 cm long and about 1 cm wide, so cut the pieces to 3.5 by 11.5 cm. Fold the outer edges in, fold the strip in half again, and stitch it.
A folded strip for a loopStitching the fabric loop
Sew the loops onto the lining
Sew the strips onto the lining, spacing them evenly along the whole length of the future collar.
Assemble the collar
Join the lining and fur, turn the collar right side out, and thread the scarf through.
Join the lining and fur
Now lay the lining and fur right sides together, and stitch around the edge with a zigzag stitch. As you stitch, tuck all the fur strands in with the needle. Leave an opening for turning. Trim away any excess fabric and batting.
Joining the lining and fur
Turn the collar and hand-stitch the opening
Turn the collar right side out, and sew the open section closed with a hand-sewn invisible stitch.
Hand-stitching the lining and fur
Fluff the fur and thread the scarf through the loops
Fluff up the fur, and thread a scarf through the loops. Your new accessory is ready!
The finished collar with a scarfThe detachable fur collar with a scarf
Use other fur scraps
This collar doesn't have to come from an old hat.
Use any fur scraps
By the way, to sew a collar like this, you don't have to use an old hat — any other scraps of real or faux fur will work too.
The collar worn over clothing
Finish and variations
Finish
Your detachable fur collar is ready
Your new accessory is ready! Now you can wear it over a coat, jacket, or sweater, and tie on a different scarf or kerchief for a fresh look every time.
Variations
Use any fur scraps
To sew a collar like this, you don't have to use an old hat — any other scraps of real or faux fur will work too.
Touch up the fur for a refresh
If the fur has faded a bit, you can touch it up with ordinary hair dye, without touching the lining, and it'll look brand new.
Beginner2 hr 30 minFree
