Cartoon Hat?

This one began as a quickie project. I wanted a brimmed summer hat that would jazz up my black and/or white traveling wardrobe as well as denim and perhaps other colors. When I spotted this poppy print while shopping with my sister-in-law in Annapolis I thought it was fun and fulfilled the need. Quickly I whipped up the hat from my Terri pattern but I just wasn’t happy with it. Because it is made of light cotton it looked flimsy and cheap. Day after day it hung on my bedroom wall. Day after day I decided NOT to wear it.

Finally, one morning while staring at the hat on my wall I knew what I had to do. I ripped it apart. The fabric was too lightweight to keep the brim from buckling so quilting it would add stiffness and heft. I layered each (already interfaced) piece onto a heavier muslin, wound bobbins in red, black and blue, lowered the feed dogs, installed the darning foot and a fresh needle on my Nähmaschine and got to work. It took me three days off and on to freeform stitch around and in each of the flowers in the print (as I do on collage hats) but I knew that all that stitching with the extra layer would stiffen the pieces. I cussed at my newish Bernette 90e as the darning foot bounced up and down blurring my already less than perfect vision. Precision I was not going to get with this equipment. My old Singer Slant-0-Matic did a much better job. (Note: next sewing machine purchase will involve a lot of test driving - including dismantling and cleaning machine parts to check for ease of use and ergonomics.)

All this stitching gave me time to think tho’ and I resolved a brim issue that had bugged me on previous freeform stitched hats. Each brim piece must be quilted separately according to their motifs and then stitched together after the quilting is finished. Simple solution. Don’t know why it took several hats for me to "get it." In the end, my hands, forearms and elbows ached but I was happy with my hat. I tried it on to show my husband and my Sweetie grimaced. "Why don’t you like it?" I asked him. "Cartoon hat," he said. I’m sure it’s the print. (This from a guy who wears Hawaiian shirts in Switzerland?)

Still, I like it and plan to wear it next summer with white or my new red linen dress, denim or black which always needs jazzing up near my pale face. What do you think? Cartoon hat or fun summer chapeau? Would you wear it?

K Q:-)

Comments

[Jill]

I think the fabric is a HAPPY and FRESH look, perfect for summer, whether the temperatures are hot or cold (as summer seems to be these days...)
Kudos for being a good Bluebird girl, remembering to finish what you begin, and conquering a toughie. Sewing with aging eyes is such a pain in the patootie. I feel for you, I totally relate to the physical efforts needed to do the project.
I also relate to the idea that what should have been a forehead slapping moment early on hides itself until as much pain as possible has been develivered. I will carefully note: Do all work on brim before each section is pieced together.
As to Sherm's fashion commentary: Sherm: Keep your day job buddy. Hawaaian shirts in Switzerland may be ballsy, probably is comfortable, but definitely not stylish.
Even on a guy with "islander" blood...wrong island me thinks!
Miss you!

[Marie Christopher]

Loving these millinery (and life) lessons you are sharing. Hugs!

[Beth H]

I love it! You're gonna make me buy another pattern, aren't you?? (and I've only just found the other two!)

Thanks for sharing such great photos of the work you do.