And we have hat!

I'll post a more detailed entry following the construction process later; I need to figure out which of the approximately billion pics to use.

( Three pictures )

There are some more of the process in the gallery, though I still have to upload about ten. Most of them have notes, but not enough to explain how I put it together. If anyone has the burning need to see the huge original photos, let me know. I'll e-mail them to you or try to upload them.

The Making of the Hat: Phase Two (Construction)

This post will take us from buckram to covering the hat in velvet. The as yet unwritten Phase One (Patterning) will appear when I get around to taking pictures of myself with a grocery bag on my head, which I'm sure won't take too long, since I love to put ridiculous things on my head. I've never been to a party with lampshades, but rest assured that if I do go, there will be one on my noggin in short order.

I am proud to say that there is not a drop of glue on this hat and it is entirely handsewn. Additionally, all materials came out of my stash, but the final cost would probably be less than $25.

Materials used

• heavyweight buckram
• 14 gauge electric fencing wire (in place of millinery wire; less than 2 yds)
• thread (button, regular sewing, and silk)
• fabric (less than a quarter-yard of cotton muslin, flannel, and black velvet)
• double-fold bias binding
• 1/2" wide ribbon

Tools

• darning needle (curved needle recommended)
• pliers
• thimble
• scissors

There are a lot of pictures under the cut, but they're small.

( Next week [I] shall begin my operations on my hat, on which you know my principal hopes of happiness depend. )

Next comes trimming. Which I don't actually have any pictures of (the process), so just see my last journal entry.

_{The quote in the cut is from a letter Jane Austen wrote in 1798. I highly recommend you read the quotes from her letters if you need some amusement. My favorites: "I give you joy of our new nephew, and hope if he ever comes to be hanged it will not be till we are too old to care about it." and "At the bottom of Kingsdown Hill we met a gentleman in a buggy, who, on minute examination, turned out to be Dr. Hall -- and Dr. Hall in such very deep mourning that either his mother, his wife, or himself must be dead."}