Question about a hat

[chibymethos]

Hi, all. I've never made a hat before and thought I'd take a stab at this one:



However, I'm not sure quite how to begin. Can anyone tell me if the hat is straw, felt, or wool? I think it might be very tightly woven straw, but I'm not sure.

Also, is the crown cut out and the cloth added that way, or is it over the crown? And does it matter either way?

Any help would be much appreciated.

[cosmoblue]

The brim is straw. I would guess that the brim is just a brim and the cloth is added on top. I would think that it would need to be open because the updo hairstyles of the day would need room up there.

check these links, it is similar and you could use this method:
www.demodecouture.com/projects/capote/
www.koshka-the-cat.com/capote.html

[Mme de Beaufort]

That's funny. I just made myself one of those hats as a last-second project for Sunday. It took me no more than fifteen minutes to make it, and it was super-easy.

I used a hat from Michaels, but you can find higher-quality straw sun hats in a variety of places including marshalls and such. This was a cheapo, not so wide-brimmed hat.

Cut a large circle of fabric which they did for the hat you have pictured there. Gather the edge of the circle to fit around the straw-hat's crown. I cut the top of the hat out to accomodate my hair, but you don't have to. Glue (or sew if you're fastidious) cloth part to the brim, decorate with ribbon, add ties if you want them; there are none on that one you found.

This one here was a 1AM project done last-second because I didn't have a bonnet to wear and it was a super-bright day. It's ugly, but it worked.



It's not as puffy as the image you found, but it's the same concept. A wide sunhat with a 'muffin-top' attached to it.

Straw hats to use:
www.shoebuy.com/betmar-casablanca/242940/520371
www.coolibar.com/02216.html
www.top-hats.com/2688.htm

[lauren]

So fun! I need to make another hat.. sigh...

Jas Townsend has a really nice wide brimmed hat in their hats section.

jas-townsend.com/product_info.php?cPath=9&products_id=706

[dawnluckham]

I make this style of hat often. However, I’m “fastidious” as Steph says, and I do sew the hat.

I cut the crown out of the hat with scissors (too small is better than too large to begin with). Try on the hat brim and trim away carefully until you have a comfortable fit.

Using bias tape, I bind the raw-cut straw edge of the inner circle cut out.

I cut a 20 inch diameter circle out of silk fabric and a 20 inch diameter of medium/light weight buckram. I sew the silk on top of the buckram using a machine binding stitch of sorts (this can be a machine zig-zag or a serged edge).

I turn the serged edge under pressing with the iron and then I use a child’s gluestick to “baste” cotton twill tape (1”wide) over top of the serged edge. It’s hidden now. I then use two parallel rows of hand stitching through the twill tape and silk in order to cartridge pleat the full silk circle. The twill tape gives these pleats more body.

I then mark the open circle on the straw brim at ¼ locations and I divide the silk circle into ¼ marks as well. Pinning the silk circle to the straw crown, matching ¼ marks, I draw up the pleating. I then hand stitch the pleats to the straw crown.

The hat is finished except for the fun decorating parts! ;D

[chibymethos]

I'll probably be 'fastidious' as well, but the one Steph made, while not as large as I was thinking of, I still think it looks cute. It matches the dress quite well.

Thank you for the links.