Large Brim Panama Hat Repair

I recently had a client distraught over the state of her large brim panama straw hat. I managed to repair it for her, as the breakage was near the edge of the brim I ended up having to take the smallest amount off the the very edge and by  binding the edge gave her hat a new lease of life, ONE VERY happy customer.

New Styles for Spring Racing...........

Spring Racing 2012

Fine Straw Hat : making

the finished hat !! I have taken lots of photo's of me making this hat so you (hopefully) can follow the steps required to get such a finish. I started with a beautiful fine straw in a sensational dark cream colour which helps with the whole effect. I'll often hang onto a hood for years before I take the plunge and make a hat out of it as you need all the elements around you that you know will work well together.....as I am moving studio and shop I have uncovered some lovely materials and came across the soft tulle that I draped around the crown of this hat....and so it all began !

below the desk so often so full of 'stuff' you can't see the actual desk but then out of this mess a hat emerges. You can see the hat shape taking place I have just finished wiring the brim and softly letting the edge wave.....I also decided that the edge should have a tiny, tiny edge so as to not distract from the straw and so I chose a satin bias which took me a couple of months to find the exact colour I wanted (an ecru colour)....

 

Spring Racing 2012

very excited about my new designs for Spring Racing ! 

we have just finished a lovely photo shoot - so more

photo's to follow !

The Most Dedicated Hat Wearer

For all the milliners, a true inspiration. The Queen celebrates her Diamond Jubilee and here we celebrate her undying dedication to the hat. That is 60 years of hats !

 

These images are a testament to the perfect colour balance that is 

achieved by the many working on her wardrobe.

My Latest Hat

to see more photo's check out the website

Making Tiny Straw Bow

I am making tiny little bow out of straw this is a trim on a summer straw I am just finishing. I love this sort of understated small trim as it sets the hat apart from the ordinary. This is a pari sisol straw in palest mint and I have trimmed with Italian straw off cuts in natural on the edge and around the crown.

100% Hand made

Latest Spring Racing Styles 100% handmade by Me for You !
call +61 3 9525 2456 for an appointment

Dresses by State of Georgia

Spring Racing 2010

A hat for the new season.

I love the way it curves around the head.

The texture of the vintage cherry coloured straw
and the bright pink feathers adds a dimension that I adore.

Sewing the head fitting in place .

Some hefty hand sewing through several layers to keep
all nicely tucked under the head fitting..

Deciding where the support detail will go as I don't
really want it seen from the front or back - tricky. Can't see it from front (above)
and will live with the small amount I can see from the back.

Curving the piece of straw I have decided to use as a
support for the feathers.

I ran a gather thread through the straw to pull the inner side
in tight so it would curve to fit the feathers and hopefully not
be seen from the front or back.
I then hit the curved straw with the iron and wet rag
to make it a permanent curve. Magic.

Just realizing that the feather will need some
support.....although I had backed it in some pale pink felt.
Here I am assessing how wide and how long the curved
piece of straw needs to be.

Woo hoo new season is here ! although it is still freezing outside! Just adding the finishing touches to a design for the shop and available here. Complex little hat in the end which started out when I found a cherry coloured a piece of vintage strip straw and just adored the bright cherry colour . The shape grew, then the silk flowers, then the feather trim, then that needed support and it seemed to go on and on, but finally here is the result.