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Re-making a hat
Jan. 7th, 2011 09:19 amIn August I bought a pink cheap (both price and quality I would say) felt hat at a flea market. It was a sort of standard shape with a round crown and wide brim. Not very flattering on me and most of all not that fun.
So a few nights ago, when Anna was over for tea, I decided to do something about it. First I cut off the rolled edge, which was clumsily machine stitched. There was a piece of piano wire in it which I saved if I should need it later. Then I soaked it in hot water to get rid of dirt and chemicals.
Then I started re-shaping it. This isn't that easy if you don't have a wooden hat form and know what you're doing - I neither have nor do.
The inspiration was several hats in a Sears' catalog from 1940-41, which New Vintage Lady has posted in her blog, mostly this one:
To shape the brim the way I wanted to I made a row of stitches along the edge, which I gathered gently. I will cover the edge with bias tape and then the slightly wavy edge won't be visible. I couldn't make the crown the way it looks on the photo above, so instead I went for a more pork-pie hat shape. This was achieved with the help of a plastic bowl with a edge in the bottom.
Then I let it dry over the night. To make it keep its shape I put a bowl which fits the indentation on top of it and also tied a ribbon around the hat to keep the lower part of the crown close to the bowl.
After it dried I removed the gathering thread and ironed the edge with lots of steam to make it a little less wavy - though I doubt if it had any effect. Since I don't have the kind of chemicals they use to make hats stiff and keep their shape I spray starched it heavily. It is currently drying from another spray and then I will edge it and add a huge bow in navy/green shot silk taffeta at the back.
So a few nights ago, when Anna was over for tea, I decided to do something about it. First I cut off the rolled edge, which was clumsily machine stitched. There was a piece of piano wire in it which I saved if I should need it later. Then I soaked it in hot water to get rid of dirt and chemicals.
Then I started re-shaping it. This isn't that easy if you don't have a wooden hat form and know what you're doing - I neither have nor do.
The inspiration was several hats in a Sears' catalog from 1940-41, which New Vintage Lady has posted in her blog, mostly this one:
To shape the brim the way I wanted to I made a row of stitches along the edge, which I gathered gently. I will cover the edge with bias tape and then the slightly wavy edge won't be visible. I couldn't make the crown the way it looks on the photo above, so instead I went for a more pork-pie hat shape. This was achieved with the help of a plastic bowl with a edge in the bottom.
Then I let it dry over the night. To make it keep its shape I put a bowl which fits the indentation on top of it and also tied a ribbon around the hat to keep the lower part of the crown close to the bowl.
After it dried I removed the gathering thread and ironed the edge with lots of steam to make it a little less wavy - though I doubt if it had any effect. Since I don't have the kind of chemicals they use to make hats stiff and keep their shape I spray starched it heavily. It is currently drying from another spray and then I will edge it and add a huge bow in navy/green shot silk taffeta at the back.
