DECORATING YOUR HAT

Some of us are better at finding things than making them. If you are one of those talented Ladies who can create your own original designs from a basic hat, this section's for you!

There are few crises tHAT can't be completely forgotten, at least for a little while, while you're trimming a hat.

Working with different types of hats:

  • Natural straw hats: tend to be fairly stiff and tend to shed.  They don't easily reshape.
  • Mixed fiber hats have more "give" in the crown, allowing for changing the position of the brim and packing

Finding the right color:  (NEW)

If all else fails, find a light/neutral color hat and spray paint it with the paint used for silk flowers (available at craft stores).  The paint comes in dozens of colors, and it's light enough so your hat won't droop.  If your ensemble has more than one color, select a few flowers in the other color(s) and attach with either a glue gun or needle and thread.

Finding the right trim:

  1. Watch for items that might look interesting on a hat, e.g. Christmas garland, broaches, belt buckles, feathers
  2. Utilize all types of hats as your base, e.g. men's hats
  3. Work with unusual materials, e.g. floral wire to hold pieces of material; vials to fill with fresh flowers; oil paint to draw designs; spray paint to change the color of the hat entirely; paper towel rolls to hold hat while decorating it
  4. Know where to go for the best buy, e.g. thrift shops, as well as the more upscale suppliers
  5. Pluck a few silk flowers from those bouquets for the cemetery
  6. Take a smaller hat and fit it over the crown of another. Two hats can be better than one!
  7. Choose a theme to make a memorable hat, e.g. 4th of July; Kentucky Derby
  8. Stiffen flowers by: making a mix of white glue (the kind used for woodworking) and water (one teaspoon  glue to a little bit of water).  Don't thin it out too much;  generously paint it on to the petals and let dry OR use clear matte finish Krylon (available at art stores, craft centers, and paint departments)

REMEMBER

  • A little ingenuity, a glue gun, and a mirror go a long way in stretching the pocketbook and increasing the number of hats in your closet, without sacrificing style. In most cases, it enhances it.
  •  Trimmings must be securely fastened  with either a secret safety pin or two fixed from inside or simple basting with thread.
  • If your hat matches your dress and shoes and purse and gloves (and even your eyes), you are a HEAD of the rest.  Being "coordinated" gives you the most bang for your buck. And you lucky, handy Ladies have the talent to get it.

Contents Brimming with Ideas