Wednesday, August 31, 2011

CRAZY ABOUT HATS

              Why would anybody want to make hats?  




My Akha Hat




     I really can't answer that question, but here I am having the time of my life figuring out how to assemble some crazy hats.....


     If you are interested, join the brief comments and views of some of these creations.  




 My Akha Hat 
           
      In Laos and Thailand, I have been enchanted with the Akha hat style.  So, why not try to make my own version of their great hat?  My base fabric is a Guatemalan remnant from the Guatemalan Zigzag Coat that I have just finished and the beaded trims come from Yemen, Turkey, and Ethiopia.....The tassels on top are a treat from Thailand....  Quite cosmopolitan, wouldn't you say?


Look For the Guatemalan Fabric Strips Below


My Akha Vision
Guatemalan Huipil Remnant
Can you find the section used for My Akha Hat?





                              Guatemalan Glamour














Guatemalan Weaving with Ikat
     The woven fabric is a treasure with its tiny ikat designs mingling with the glorious colors of the Guatemalan highlands.  Those village women are master artisans in fiber creations.

     Several summers during the 1990's were spent visiting the many highland villages learning about the lives and techniques of these incredible artisans.

   Vogue pattern 9117 provided some helpful ideas to  illuminate the brilliant fabric.
Front 
     Note the graceful flow of the pleats with this woven fiber.   A touch of black ribbon embellishment is all that is necessary to complete the creation.
Back View



Button and Bauble




                                     The Fascinator Hat

     A silk taffeta blouse found at the Discovery Thrift Shop in Yakima was the perfect fabric for my Fascinator.  


Fabric Recycled from Cancer Thrift Shop






    Taking on this style of construction was a challenging undertaking for me.  In my sewing experience I had never worked with materials such as buckram, wire, glue....   My Vogue pattern 7464 was a great guide as I followed instructions step-by-step.  





The Fascinator from the 1930's


And, abracadabra, just like magic.....it came out looking great.  Was I ever delighted...!  

Fabric and Embellishment Options

The Brim  Covers Buckram

Adding the Crown 

Next Step: Close the Back

Completed

Fun!

Hip Hip Hoorah!


                         What fun to wear this Fascinator gem!



 The Yoyo Jewel


     Years ago I had made this style hat (as you observe in the Guatemalan fabric above) and have enjoyed its wearability.  The Vogue pattern 9117 seemed to be a great choice for this crinkly raspberry polyester. 


     In my stash I just happened to find the perfect embellishment items: ribbon trims, silk yoyos, and beads.


Yoyo Hat


The crown and brim decor were fun, but fitting the fullness of the brim fabric challenged me.  With a little sweat and pleating, I managed to incorporate the multitude of fabric onto the brim piece.
  


Getting Ready to Add Lining


The fun was adding the beaded decor to the yoyos and  finding a stylish placement for them on the crown and brim.  


A fun hat to make with rather quick results.    




Adding Yoyos and Beads

View of Crown with Yoyos


    The answer to my original question is that hats are bundles of fun to make and invite lots of creativity!  And, they don't take weeks to finish.







1 comment:

  1. Hi Mom,
    I really like all the hats, very creative! The first one is my favorite though, when you wear it we'll always know where you are.

    ReplyDelete