CRAZY FOR HATS SNEAK PEEK FOR FALL '09!!

    

           I WAS GOING TO SAVE THIS NEW BLOG FOR MY BI-WEEKLY ENTRY, BUT JUST GOT SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW CREATION, THAT I'M SENDING IT OUT A BIT EARLY. HERE ON THE EAST COAST IN THE USA, WE ARE CHEERING ON THE SUMMER SOLSTICE TOMORROW! DOESN'T FEEL MUCH LIKE SUMMER WITH ALL THE RAIN WE'VE HAD! BUT, I'M IN FALL '09 MODE, AND REVING UP MY LINE FOR THE SCITUATE ART FESTIVAL IN OCTOBER, AND FOR MY AUSTRALIAN AUDIENCE, WHO ABOUT NOW, ARE PULLING OUT THEIR WINTER CLOTHES. 

I WILL BE DOING A PLANNED ENTRY SHORTLY AFTER THIS ONE ON 

THE "HISTORY OF THE CLOCHE", BUT FOR NOW, WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE PROCESS OF MAKING THIS NEW CREATION.  

THIS HAT IS 100% WOOL, WHICH I HAVE WASHED AND DRYED TO MAKE THE WOOL FELT INTO A THICKER , MORE HAT-LIKE FABRIC.  IT ALSO MAKES THE FABRIC DENSER, THUS MAKING THE HAT WARMER.  I'VE USED A FLANNEL BACKED LINING, WHICH ADDS STILL MORE WARMTH. 

YOU WILL ALSO SEE THE MUSLIN CROWN THAT I MADE FROM THE PATTERN, WHICH IS THE WORKING MODEL USED TO PERFECT THE SHAPE AND SIZE OF THE HAT. 

AFTER THE HAT IS MADE AND LINED, THE REST OF THE HAT IS ALL HAND-FINISHED.

MY FAVORITE PART OF MILLINERY IS THE FROSTING OF THE HAT.  

THE DECORATION PART OF THE PROCESS IS LIKE EATING CHOCOLATE TO ME!!

THUS, THE TRIMMING FABRIC IS WHAT INSPIRED THIS HAT, AS DOES MOST OF THE HATS I MAKE.  IT'S THE FABRIC THAT SPEAKS TO ME AND IT TELLS ME WHAT IT WANTS TO BECOME.

THE TRIM FABRIC IS A LOVELY, DRAPEY, WOOL BLEND JERSEY IN A GORGEOUS PURPLE, BLACK, AND GRAY ABSTRACT PATTERN, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN 

DE RIGUER IN THE 1920's. 

THERE WILL BE MANY MORE CLOCHES TO COME WITH COUNTLESS 

VARIATIONS AND FABRICATIONS.  

TO VIEW OR PURCHASE ANY OF THE BEGINNINGS OF MY FALL '09 LINE, PLEASE STOP

 IN TO MY ETSY SHOP  AT WWW.ORSINIMEDICI1951.ETSY.COM

AND DON'T FORGET TO STOP BACK HERE FOR "THE HISTORY OF THE CLOCHE"

WHEN I'LL BE UPLOADING PHOTOS OF MY OWN COLLECTION, AND SOME  REPRINTS OF PICTURES FROM HARPERS BAZAAR FROM THE 1930's!!!

YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THAT!!

HATS OFF TO YOU!!

ELSIE COLLINS/THISTLECOTTAGE

WWW.ORSINIMEDICI1951.ETSY.COM