Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Millinery: Rethink, re-do.

Sometimes I just want to crow over what the milliners on blogdom are up to.
Today I am giving into the urge. I am resisting the temptation to just grab pictures off their websites so you don't have to click over, but this way, by following the links, perhaps you will find a new link to enjoy often.

First up:

Jane over at Glorious Hats posted a luscious re-do of a hat today.
I am just drooling at how she put together a small, classy feather trim for a simple felt hat.

She is such a delightful milliner, and always makes the most cheery comments. I get energized by her, and admire her work.
When she isn't creating classic items, she has a flair for the whimsical. Be sure to catch her "Big Sister hood" gift pack, and her Eggplant and Broccoli hats.

Next up for props: Over in Spain, Cristina has blocked up a vintage style hat to die for. She even included a tutorial of how she made it. I don't work much in felt, so I learned a lot!
The color! The style! Oh...please, please let her make more, and let the world discover the joys of wearing highly structured hats.

(Applause) Jane, Cristina, take a bow! My hat is off to both of you!

Now back to me...ahem...
I've been noticing articles about top hat styled hats being in fashion right now. In New Orleans, the sales lady was wearing a lovely top hat/riding style hat and it looked just so right.

It got me thinking about re-doing this hat that I made last spring:



As much as I think the ruffled brim is adorable, I have yet to wear the hat to hack around town in. The ruffle just made it look too fussy.
So I put the kettle on and changed the brim shape with a little steam.




Hack around outfit: Off to buy new plants for the front door planters, a new pillow and the usual grocery run for milk and juice.

It's close enough to Halloween that if anyone is easily alarmed by the sight of a woman in a hat, I can always up the ante and shout out a hearty "Boo!"

(The hat's veil can still be lowered when I'm wearing contacts, especially now that I have trifocal contacts and won't be needing to hoist reading glasses up in addition to my regular contacts.)

7 comments:

Lovella ♥ said...

Jill, the links to the other hat ladies were great. It's always fun to see where other bloggers visit everyday.
Your top hat redod is great, I'd think hacking around town in your outfit will be perfect for this time of year.
Going to buy plants? I'm the same color as your hat. . ..with envy.

Marie said...

Lovely remake of that hat!!!! You're so clever.

Anonymous said...

Jill, YOU are the reason I keep on blogging. YOU always have a kind word and never give up (on the rest of the world). I wish you were my next door neighbour... the hours we would spend making hats!
Your hat, as it was, was wonderful, but it's as wonderful now and perhaps you're right, now it's more wearable and sporty. Did you shape the brim by hand and steam alone? I have to learn to work straw from you, I haven't made many straw hats in my life.
Thanks for being there, you're wonderful!

Thoughts on Life and Millinery. said...

Cristina~yup, just steam and hands. Parasisol straw is soft as tissue paper, and very easy to work with, and to re-work as well. Great for creative adventures. I'd think in hot Spain you'd been wanting to mess around more in straw, but please don't hold back on your fabulous felts!

Kate said...

Love your topper and YEP they're baaaaaaaaack! Saw a gent in the BWI airport yesterday wearing jeans, jeans jacket, a black T-shirt and a black top hat. No one arrested him either (tee hee hee). He looked great! K Q:-)

P.S. Just got back this morning, jet lagged but catching up on blogs.

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

You look great in your top hat!

Jane Carlstrom said...

Oh Jill, Thank you so very much for the kind words. You inspire me to keep blogging and to work faster on millinery.

Your straw is great with both brims. What a fabulous touch you have for shaping and for trimming.

Love how the remake looks on you and it does look comfortably wearable for a local day in town.

Hah! are you serious about the room? Two beds, quilt festival, who counts as friends? gee do you think Cristina and I could make it one year and we could work together on sharing our techniques - you straw, Cristina felt blocking, me hand felting from roving? Oh what a dream.

Hugs,
Jane