Popping Stitches - The Most You've Stretched a Hat

[Alive'n'Amplified]

What's the most you've stretched a hat without re-blocking? For instance, have you stretched it to the point where you've popped the back stitch? When you pop or even intentionally cut the stitches, does this affect the rest of the secondary stitches around the sweatband and/or the ribbon?

 

[gtdean48]

I've broken a hat band as well as ripping the stitching at the back of a sweatband.

 

[g.durand]

I popped some of the stitches in the back. Had to have the sweatband replaced. The hat needed to be re-blocked and re-sized before I did it, so I experimented. Now I know. It's still a great hat by the way, and it now fits after professional care.

I treated a dry vintage sweat band with Lexol. I found that the sweatband had shrunk after the Lexol dried and the hat no longer fit. I tried to gently stretch the sweat by hand and POW!, it tore like paper and about two inches of the stitching at its edge came apart, too.

Other than the time I popped the stitches in the undersized hat, the most I have ever stretched a hat was less than a half-size.

I'm wondering how many are going to admit these things here. .....'fess up dudes!

 

[Monte]

I had a fedora made, but it was too small. After years of storage without much wearing, I used a combination of cutting the stitching on the sweat and storing it on a "hat jack" stretcher to make it somewhat wearable.

I've noticed that hats seem to retain "memory" and want to go back to their original size when you store them. They're built to last through the heat, humidity and sweat of daily use. That's really a great set of qualities in a product. But they're qualities which work against us when we try to stretch leather that is sewn to felt.

 

[DNO]

Stretching one size: never had a problem.

Two sizes: it's a good idea to cut the stitching on the back of the sweatband. The rest of the stitching is usually not disturbed. Results, however can vary with the quality of the hat.

Three sizes: not a good thing.

 

[job]

I stretched a western hat 2 sizes but it didn't have a hat band on it.

 

[CircuitRider]

Some of the "leather" sweatbands from 70's era curl up and shrink with too much steam. Stretching not a problem as long as changing or room to adjust ribbon.

 

[Doc Glockster]

The Stetson Revenger in my avatar was a botched eBay purchase. The seller had advertised it as a 7 1/4. It actually was a 7. Since Revengers don't grow on trees, I tried stretching it and the leather sweatband tore like tissue paper.

Miraculously, after removing the pieces of the sweatband the hat actually fits my head if I keep my hair cut short. I use that Revenger as my sweaty ranch hat now.

Speaking of vintage hat sweatband care, is there something one should do to the sweatband in a vintage hat even before trying the hat on for the first time?

I won another Stetson of eBay and I don't want to ruin this one.

 

[gtdean48]

...
Speaking of vintage hat sweatband care, is there something one should do to the sweatband in a vintage hat even before trying the hat on for the first time?
....

Been covered a few times in the Lounge & currently in this thread = http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?72685-Too-gross-to-thrift
As I posted, anti-bacterial wipes on sweatband & liner then I use Lexol conditioner wipes on the sweatband...

 

[tuco1963]

wellllllllll ive stretched a straw fedora from a size 7 to a loose 7 3/8 after cutting the cloth sweatband and ive stretched 3 hats in my collection from 7 3/8 to 7 1/2 and 1 7 1/4 montanna peak hat into a tight 7 1/2 useing my homemade stretcher
which is a wood clam from harbor freight with a cut in half circle lag screwed into the top
i hate to brag but i could stretch the truith with this stretcher its a monster:eeek:

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Any pics of these said popped stitches?

 

[Geldoc]

My rule of thumb is plus/minus one half inch for stretching a hat or shrinking the sweatband. For stretching, patience (and sometimes repeated stretching) is essential and I sometimes wet the sweatband before stretching and let it dry well before taking the hat out of the hat jack. I evert the sweatband and brush a little water on the inside rough surface. I do the same for shrinking, and put the hat in front of a heat lamp for 10 - 20 min (not to hot a bulb, of course). I've had pretty good luck so far.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

So, assuming the band is in good condition, you can stretch it 1/2" without popping a stitch? Hmm. Interesting.

 

[Geldoc]

That's been my experience. But I've seen older sweatbands with tenuous stitching in part, that I would not do this to. For a relatively new hat/sweatband, it's been no problem for me. Maybe I'm just lucky, ha.