Western-inspired hats are everywhere right now, and Melissa Miller from Miller’s Rustic Sawmill showed just how easy it is to customize one using the new Essential Stencil hat stencil collection. This rust-colored rancher hat combines soft metallic details underneath the brim with bold running horses on top for a look that feels custom, rustic, and completely wearable.
One of the best things about these hat stencils is how easy they are to personalize. You can keep the look subtle or build on it with paint markers, leather bands, stitching, rhinestones, or other embellishments.
Start by prepping your hat and making sure the surface is clean and completely dry before stenciling. Melissa recommends placing the hat on top of a bowl or rounded object while working to help stabilize the brim.
Flip the hat over and position the “Wild & Free” stencil underneath the brim. Make sure the wording is facing the correct direction so it reads properly when the hat is being worn.
Secure the stencil with painter’s tape to prevent shifting. Using a mini stencil brush and metallic antique copper paint, lightly pounce the paint onto the stencil. Build the color slowly for a soft, tone-on-tone finish.
This subtle metallic effect creates a look that almost resembles a burned hat design without actually burning the material.
To balance the design, add one of the floral elements from the Wander Often stencil set to the opposite side of the brim. Using the same metallic copper paint helps keep the entire design cohesive.
Melissa loves mixing stencil designs together to create more custom combinations, and this floral detail adds the perfect western-boho touch.
Once the underside details are dry, flip the hat back over and place the running horses stencil along the back portion of the crown.
Using a separate stencil brush and a soft off-white paint, stencil the horses with light, even pressure for clean coverage that still feels soft and vintage.
The contrast between the copper underside and the soft white horses gives this hat a layered, high-end custom look.
The finished rancher hat combines subtle metallic details with bold western-inspired accents for a custom look that’s perfect for everyday wear, craft fairs, paint parties, or handmade gifts.
Melissa also tested these stencils on a curved trucker hat and found the floral designs worked beautifully there too, making these stencil sets incredibly versatile for different hat styles.
If you’re ready to create your own custom western hat, grab the new stencil sets before they sell out and don’t forget to use Melissa’s code MRS2019 at checkout.
Want to see the entire process from start to finish? Watch Melissa Miller create this custom western-inspired rancher hat using the new Essential Stencil hat stencil collection.
Be sure to follow Melissa for more creative hat decorating ideas, stencil inspiration, and rustic handmade projects.
Comments will be approved before showing up.
