I started this project last June, and just now got around to finishing it.  It'll be needed this weekend, so the deadline helped.  ;)  Initially this was going to be for me, but it ended up sized more for my friend Chris.  So she's the lucky recipient of this Vanity Fair-esque hat!


( Read more... )We still need to sew some faux hair curls to the front, but otherwise it's done.  She wanted something that made doing her hair easy, and this will definitely be that!  It doesn't get a whole lot easier than throwing on a hat that already has hair sewn to it.

As for construction, it's an iridescent silk exterior, a fleece mull layer, and a straw hat's crown for the base.  jenthompson was kind enough to lead a group of us in how to make Regency turban-style hats that are permanently attached to a hat base.  If I recall correctly, the straw hat started life at Party City.  After mulling the hat, I just pinned and tacked the silk until I had something I liked.  I sewed a straight-grain band around the bottom to hide the raw edges of the crown silk, then covered the seam with the gold trim.  I curled the peacock feathers using a plastic knife (yes, that really works!) and tucked all the feather ends into a filigree cone bead.

It's nice to be making progress!  Tonight I'll be fixing some small errors on my own regency hat, and tomorrow I'll work on a chemisette and some sleeves for my dress.  I've gotta look spiffy for tea this weekend!

Yesterday was the DFWCG's Mourning Tea.  There was a spectacular turnout!  One of our members extended the invitation to the local Lolita group as well as a local heritage museum.  Many of them accepted, and there must have been 50 attendees.  Wow!

We had a choice of hot black tea with orange and cranberry or iced mango tea.  I chose the hot tea, even though it was almost 90 degrees outside.  It's still fall, and I want those seasonal flavors!


( More pictures! )

My latest millinery creation was made with mostly thrifted and repurposed materials.  I did buy the ribbon decorations, but all said and done I think this hat cost me about $25. 


( Pics here! )