Thrifty Thursday/Super Cute Slouchy Hat

I have done a LOT of dumb things in my life ;) When I was in the 8th grade, I remember one particular day when it was so cold that I thought my ears would literally fall off of my head. Truth be told, had that happened, it would have been my own fault as I was just too vain to wear a hat on my head while walking to school. That day was a game changer though. As I walked, and my ears grew colder and colder, I vowed that I would never be this cold again, and yes, I would wear a hat. 

At the time, hats were just not the thing to wear, but after my experience, fashion or not, I was going to be warm. And so it has been ever since. I LOVE hats!!! If you were to look into my drawer, you would probably think I have more than 1 head since I have as many as I do. I have changed a lot since those days when I thought hats were horribly hideous. Having a hat for whatever the occasion may be is now just absolute fun! And soft hats fold down to nothing, so having a bunch is really not an issue. 

I recently saw a post from On The Cutting Room Floor for a free slouchy hat pattern and thought it was especially cute. A great little hat to wear, and when off, easily folded and stored in a coat pocket. It's intended for knit fabric, be it fleece, wool, or just a knit that you have left over from a t-shirt project. 

 

There are only 6 pages to print out, so quick and easy.

The pattern looks a little like church steeples to me ;)

I had a sweater that I had felted. I love the color and thought it would make into a fun hat. 

The sweater had side seams, so I couldn't cut the hat in one continuous piece, 

So I just cut it down the center and then added seam allowances to each side. 

I used the hem of the sweater for the bottom band. The instructions say to fold up the bottom 1 1/2". In the above picture, you can see that I placed the pattern right on the edge of the sweater, making it actually an 1 1/2" longer since I would not be turning up the bottom.If you aren't using a sweater with a finished edge, I would add at least 1" to the bottom of the pattern. You can always cut it off if you feel the hat is a little too long. But, it is supposed to be a slouchy hat, so a little more slouch is not such a bad thing :)  

I decided to have a little fun with the hat and add a tassel. All I did was take a piece of my sweater knit and cut it into fringe, leaving about 1 " at the top uncut. I then rolled the fringe around to make a tassel and stitched it securely together at the top. Once it was stitched together so that it would not open up, I then stitched it to the top of the hat.  

This is a very fast project, and something that would make a great, quick gift for just about everyone on your gift list. I made one for my husband, but shortened it so that there was no slouch. He loved it!

You can find the free pattern HERE. 

I plan on making a few more. A trip to the resale shop is on my agenda. Hopefully I'll find some fun sweaters that I can use. Our church usually has a request for hats, and or gloves at this time of year, so I thought I would use the pattern to make up a bunch. 

Enjoy!
Rhonda    

Fascinator and Fashion Show Fun

The Haute Couture Club of Chicago will host its annual fashion show on Sunday, May 7, 2017. It's always a fun event!

What makes the event especially nice is how so many members pitch in to help. I was given a sneak peak of our table decorations, so I thought I would share, tempt, whatever the case may be :)

Now, this is just a small sampling. Each is a full size hat/fascinator. There will be 22 in all. And...even better, everyone who attends the show will have the opportunity to win one, or more!

The hats will be raffled off. Tickets are a steal!!!
$2.00 per ticket
$8.00 for 10 tickets
$15.00 for 20 tickets

So for just a mere $2.00, you could actually take home a custom made piece.  

We are especially excited as we will also showcase the designs of 3 specially chosen fashion design students from The Illinois Institute of Art who will be the recipients of our scholarship awards. 

If you would like to attend the show, ticket information can be found HERE. It's always fun to be around others who sew :)  

Monday Morning Inspiration/The Beret

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine and I were shopping, not for anything in particular, just going in and out of some fun shops. We popped into a store that sold shoes (I can't walk past a shoe store without going in!!!), tights and hats. We both spotted the cutest little hat, more of a cloche style. She pulled it on, and it looked so cute. About that time, her husband walked in and said, "you aren't going to wear that hat." I felt like telling him to walk right back to where he came from. Rather than reply to him, she handed the hat to me and told me to try it on. Now, I love hats, and maybe it's because I love hats that they always seem to look as though they were made for me. As she looked at me in the hat, she said, "Oh, I love that hat, but I guess I don't need it." Since I too loved the hat, I decided to take a gamble and purchase the hat as I thought she would change her mind, and if she didn't, I had a super cute new hat. When we got back to my house, she walked into the bedroom and then came back out with the money for the hat. My gamble paid off :) And...she wore the hat a number of times before while they were with us. 

What is it about hats that draws us in, but then makes us hesitate? There was a time that we wouldn't leave the house without a hat on our head. 

A few weeks ago, I saw a delightful piece on a Sunday morning program that I enjoy. It was all about the French beret, and not just any, the Laulhere Beret. I've attached the video below. Take note of how the employees banded together to save the company. Just such an incredible story.



For most Americans, when we think of a beret, we visualize something like the picture below, a svelte Parisian woman in a striped top with a red beret.

Another lovely look, a sweet blouse, tweed trousers, and a plaid wool beret. The hat just seems to pull it all together.

Another lovely, polished look. This beret, if not from Laulhere, it's the type that they make. If you think you might like to have one for yourself, I found THIS SITE that carries the Laulhere label.  

Berets can be made in any type of fabric, even hand knitted.

They can be customized with a wide trim. You can find this hat HERE on Etsy.

If you enjoy needle felting, a beret will lend itself to anything the mind can imagine! 

The above hats came from a cute shop called Elves In Glass. Click on the link to see other delight concoctions.

And how cute is this?!! Is she a fox or not?!!! :) I found this hat HERE. Just so whimsical!

After watching the video, I too want a Laulhere beret. A hat company with that type of history is well worth owning at least one for myself. But...if you would like something a little more customized, you can find my free beret pattern HERE.  

I think berets are the perfect hat. They help keep your head warm when it's cold or chilly out. They look great with everything. And they can easily be popped off and thrown in your bag if you would rather not wear them all day. 

Oh, and one last thing...whenever I wear my berets, I get so many compliments. Nothing can turn a day around like a lovely compliment :)

Sewing For The Holidays/Christmas Gifts

I have never been one who enjoys fighting the crowds during the holidays. I'm fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood where there are quite a few shops within walking distance, so I can leisurely walk over and not be bothered by the crowds. But, I also enjoy making gifts for Christmas, and I am VERY blessed to have a husband who would rather one of my homemade shirts any day over a store bought shirt. I have 2 in the works for him, so he is going to be quite pleased this Christmas :)

For today's post, I thought I would just remind you of a few things that I have done for our Thrifty Thursday posts. The patterns are free, so a simple download. They have all been a blast to put together, and they are all things that if I didn't sew, I would be thrilled to receive. Even though I do sew, I would still be thrilled to receive any of these items :)

First up is one of my most used Thrifty Thursday makes. This little I-Pad holder has a permanent home in my studio. I love listening to podcasts while I'm working, and this holds my I-Pad beautifully. You can find my post and all the info HERE. 

I absolutely fell in love with Yuki, the designer of Waffle Patterns, while I was doing the Pepernoot Coat sew along for Sew News. Her patterns are well designed and go together easily. This Newsboy Hat is a free download and can be made as I did in cotton, or wool for winter. Great for guys and girls alike!

This faux fur collar will dress up a plain coat, and it also looks great over a sweater or jacket. 

I have 2 favorite evening bags, the Clam Shell Wristlet that I shared with you yesterday, and this fabulous little bag from Sew Vera Venus. I made the bag out of a piece of gold leather and it works with almost every evening garment that I have. You can find my post and a link to the pattern download HERE.

What a fun hat this was to make. It can be made out of a sweater knit, or a recycled sweater. You can find the info on this pattern, along with a link to the flower pattern HERE. I really liked the mitten pattern too. You can find the info on those HERE.

This bag is quick and easy to make and would work for just about any woman on your list. You can find the free downloadable pattern HERE.  You can find my post on the bag HERE.

I have not made these patterns up yet, but I feel safe in recommending them to you. 

The apron is from Sew4Home. I really like that the top is buttoned to the bottom. 

I really like the shape of the oven mitt. This pattern is from Skip To My Lou. 

The heart shaped potholder is adorable. You can find the pattern at A Spoonful Of Sugar. 

To round out the gift, a casserole carrier that conforms to a number of pan sizes. It's basically just a rectangle, so super easy to make. You can find all of the instructions at How Does She?

Another super simple hotpad gift idea would be a set of these egg shaped pot holders. They can easily be customized to whatever a friend might enjoy. 

Great for stocking stuffers, this is a gift that will help to ensure a great night's sleep. Something most all of us could use. You can find the pattern for the sleep masks HERE.

And finally, I love this pattern. Who wouldn't love a customized accessory pouch? 

With all of these ideas, your holiday sewing should be off to a great start!

Have fun!!!

Rhonda

Monday Morning Inspiration/Making The Bucket Hat

Whew, my posting has been kind of a nonexistent thing the past few days. But the break was good :)

I had promised last week to do a quick tutorial on how I put together the bucket hat from Lost In Paris. Super cute hat, great for throwing in your bag to have on hand for when you find yourself out in the sun and needing a little extra protection. As I said last week, I liked the pattern so much that I made up 2 hats. I especially like the reversible aspect of the hat.

Below is my basic denim hat.

Another denim hat, but this time in white with a fun travel print on the flip side. You can also play with the brim and give it a fedora look.

This is a one size hat pattern, so my recommendation is to cut out the side of the hat and slip it on. If it seems comfortable, you're good to go! 

To prepare the pattern, fold the crown in half and mark notches. Fold it in half again and mark notches. You will have notches for center front, center back and the sides.

Be sure to mark notches on the side of the hat as well as the brim.

Sew the crown to the side of the hat. All seam allowances are 1/2". Once the seam has been sewn, press open.

By pressing the seam open, the crown will lay much nicer.

Now sew the lining of the brim to the outside fabric, but only the bottom edge.

Trim the seam allowance to 1/4". Turn and press the edge.

Now sew the brim to the main body of the hat. Note that the lining is not included yet.

Now sew the crown to the side panels of the lining. Be sure to press the crown seam just as the did for the outer fabric. Slip the main body of the hat inside the lining of the top of the hat. Stitch around the hat leaving at least a 4" opening for turning.

Turn the hat right side out and slip stitch the opening closed. 

The hat will be secure when turned from one side to the other. 

This is a great project for anyone who is learning to sew. It makes up quickly and it's a project that insures success. And we all know, a first project really does need to be successful.

Just one last note before I go, I added a link to the Martha Stewart hat in last week's post. PLEASE DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!!!! I once again downloaded the pattern hoping that they had corrected the mistakes. They have not. It's an awful pattern. Here's the link just so you'll know what I'm talking about.

Hope you have a chance to get "Lost In Paris" and have a little fun with a bucket hat. I think you'll love having one....or two or three :) to throw on.

Have a wonderful week!
Rhonda 

Monday Morning Inspiration/Hats For The Sun

On a recent visit to my dermatologist, we talked about the rise in skin cancer. He told me that when he was a student, melanoma was quite rare. He said that he sadly sees it every week now.

I have become vigilant about protecting my skin. Not only do I use sun block, I wear hats. Since we are talking about bathing suits with the current sew along over at Sew News, I thought it might be fun to take a look at a few hats. And even better, the patterns are free!!! 

While not a big brim, this hat that I made for a Thrifty Thursday post is super cute and does offer some shading on the face. You can see my post and find the pattern HERE.

Once again, not a large brim hat that offers a lot of protection, but this Newsboy Cap from Waffle Patterns is fun to wear, stores easily in your bag, and shades the face. You can find the post and a link to the pattern HERE. 

And we can't forget the baby, especially with their very sensitive skin. This little bonnet pattern from Purl Soho is perfect as it is also reversible. Make up a bunch to have on hand for baby showers. You can find a link to the free pattern HERE.

I have not made this pattern, but based on the beautiful results I had with the top pattern that I made about a month ago, I would recommend this Papavero hat pattern. You can find a link to the pattern HERE.  

I gave this pattern from Martha Stewart a try quite some time ago and did not have great results. But, I have read a few reviews that were very positive, so maybe they made some changes to the pattern. It offers a wider brim and is still very packable. I will give it another try later this week and get back to you on my results. Fingers crossed! If you are brave and would like to go ahead and give it a try, you can find the pattern HERE. It comes in adult and children sizes.

Although the hat below is on a child, it was made for an adult. The author of Sugar Cubes and Spice Cakes said that she is much more comfortable behind the camera. Why not when you have such cute models?!! Do pop over to her blog and check out the hat as it is adorable. The pattern is from Hot Patterns and you can find the free download HERE.

So cute for the beach, and offers lots of protection from the sun is this super cute, flower power hat from Very Purple Person. I have not made the hat, but my suggestion would be to do a muslin of the crown prior to cutting the hat out of your fashion fabric. You can try the crown on and decide if it works, or if a few adjustments need to be made. You can download the pattern for free HERE.  

Over the weekend I made up this hat and I loved it so much that I decided to make 2, one in regular denim and the other in white denim. The brim is not too large, but large enough to offer shading without restricting my view.
You can find the pattern HERE. The hat is reversible, so you'll get lots of use out of it. A little later today, I'll be back with pictures of me in the hat as well as a tutorial. The instructions are fine, but I will show you a little better way of making the hat. 

And last but not least, another hat for the baby, or toddler. I included this hat for 2 reasons, first of all I LOVE the stripes!!! I have to give this a try for myself. Second, I think the addition of the grosgrain tie is perfect and a great addition for a small child who would most likely take the hat off without the tie. But hey, I think I want one with a tie too!!! The pattern is from Shwin and Shwin and you can find the pattern HERE.

As you head out today, be sure and use that sun screen. It does no one any good sitting in the cabinet! And grab a hat, not only do they help to protect, they are fun to wear :)