One of the questions we're often asked is "How do I print and use your hat burning designs?". In this article, I'll walk you through the process step-by-step. I've also included photos to help you better see the process. Please read all the way to the end. At the end of the article, we'll give you tips on making sure the images fit your hat.
STEP 1 - DOWNLOAD THE FILES
Download the files into your computer's downloads folder.
STEP 2 - OPEN YOUR EDITING SOFTWARE
Open the software you'll use to work with the files. We use Inkscape (free software) or Canva. Everything we do can be done in Canva's free version. Because most of our customers use Canva, we used Canva for our screenshots.
STEP 3 - SET YOUR PAGE SIZE
Set your software page size to 8-1/2" x 11"
STEP 4 - UPLOAD YOUR FILE INTO YOUR EDITING SOFTWARE
Upload the JPG or PNG from your downloads folder. Either file type will work fine. We're showing the image centered on the page. This is for illustration only. In the next steps we'll show you how to set up the image for printing.
Photo by coolmoondesigns.com
STEPS 5-8 - CUT YOUR IMAGE INTO QUARTERS
In each of these steps you need to resize the image on each page to quarters. Because we're using 8-1/2" x 11" paper, the image will be full size but only 1/4 of the image will be on the page. The end result should look like this:
Photo by coolmoondesigns.com
STEP 9 - CREATE A TEMPLATE
Using the four pages that you've printed, you will now create a template. You will have to trim the edges of each page so that they lay perfectly on top of the adjoining image.
Photo by coolmoondesigns.com
STEP 10 - FITTING THE TEMPLATE TO THE HAT
In this step, you will cut out the center of the hat so that it fits over the hat's crown.
STEP 11 - TRACE THE PATTERN
Place a piece of carbon paper between the hat pattern and the hat brim or crown. Using an ink pen or stylus, trace the pattern onto the hat. Don't rush it. The tracing will be what you work with when burning the hat, so you want to get it right the first time.
STEP 12 - BURN THE HAT
YEAH! Congratulations, you are ready to do the fun stuff. If you've never burned a hat before, you should practice first. You can use an old hat, buy a piece of stiff felt, buy a cheap hat, or similar material to practice upon. If you don't have a burning tool, we recommend buying one that has heat adjustments. You can go too deep too fast with a very hot tool. So be careful. The best safeguard is to practice on something you can throw away.
Here are some additional tips
FAQ
The design doesn't fit.
When laying out the hat design, you first want to measure your hat first. Pay attention to how big the crown is in width and length. You'll also want to measure the brim's outside dimensions and the area where the brim joins the crown. Once you have these measurements, adjust your image on your computer prior to printing. Images that are continuous around the hat take more adjustments to get them right than individual piece of art that can be randomly placed and are not integrated into other designs.
Can I make the design bigger or smaller?
Yes. All of our designs can be resized.
Do I have to use the design as is?
No. In fact, we encourage you to use our designs as a starting place in creating your own unique design. Many of our customers buy 2 or more designs then merge them together to create something new. With our designs you have virtually unlimited possibilities and you don't have to be a graphic designer. We've done that part for you.
Can I use the designs for commercial applications?
Yes and no.
Yes, you can use the designs to create hats or other items for resale. Many of our customers use them to begin or build upon their design portfolio.
No, you can't claim the designs as your own. And you can't resell the designs as stand-alone products, even modified. As a rule of thumb, if you put the design on a hat, purse, belt, shoes, or use it for wood burning, that is all perfectly acceptable. But if you sell the design, even if you modify it, that is not allowed and infringes on our copywrite protection. We want all of our customers to succeed in making something for themselves or creating a product to sell. All we ask is that you respect our creative talent and not claim you created the design or sell the design itself.