Mini Beret

A friend of mine made me a lovely wooden mini beret block. I've been going crazy using it. This is the second hat I made, nearly finished.

My Cloche

Apparently, cloche means "bell" in french. I studied French for a couple years in high school but, I never remember learning that one. Or maybe I wasn't paying attention. Highly probable. My french teacher had a very high voice combined with a very heavy french accent. At the time I found her more funny than interesting. I'm kicking myself now.

My latest hat is this bell shaped cloche. I made using fur felt and trimmed it with a lovely ribbon that I picked up on etsy.com from Carmelos' shop. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5800916

Paris - La Forme

This is one of the amazing places I visited in Paris. The video is pretty informative so I don't have to do much explaining. I will say however, the palce is called La Forme and they make blocks for hats here.

Hat Cave!

Hat Cave, that's what I decided I wanted to call my shop if I had a hat shop. It would have to be a small place that was fully lined in hats. It doesn't sound that chic though. I'm not sure the ladies that lunch would come by. Do other people than that buy hats?

Anyway, I've not been writing for the last couple of weeks because I've been beavering away on the millinery. The first hat I completed was this sweet pillbox meets turban:

This hat is a made from a lovely greenish-gold velvet, a vintage brooch and feathers! The brooch has made it want to tip forward so, I had to add some extra loops at the back for pinning it into my hair.

I did wear it out and it was appreciated by the people of London. Except one guy, who was a little upset about the peacocks.

Then came the fedora. I'm not sure it can really be called a fedora now. It looks a bit more like a pimp hat. Well, just because it's so big. I guess it would be more of a madame hat because it has a couture sort of look to it where as a pimp hat would be expected to be a bit more naff. This is it:

It doesn't look so massive in the pictures. But, I swear if you saw me walking down the street with it on it would be the first thing you noticed.

Lastly I've got a few finishing touches, mainly feathers to add to this fascinator:

Watch out. I think this thing is going to look pretty sweet when it is done and on.

Lastly, I'm sad to report that I still haven't finished my boots. It may be another 2 more weeks before they are done. However, I'm finishing them up with a lot more help and attention from the teach so they are going to come out much better than expected! Yay!

Crafty Sunday is this coming Sunday with Pil and Galia.

Foxy.

With a bow on top!

Saturday, Rosie and I embarked upon a great trek to deep south east London for our first hat making class. It was such a journey. A bus to the train to another bus and then a 10 minute walk. It was also freezing outside and very early. The was sort of a bonus for the morning journey. It took a lot less time to get there than it did to get home.

The journey is however the only thing I can really moan about though. The day was amazing! I was the first one there. Eager beaver! But by 10 there were 6 of us. 3 beginners and 3 more experienced students. As beginners we worked on the obligatory fascinator.

We each got a wooden head which we covered in plastic wrap. We picked out which color sinamay we wanted to use and we were off. I used black, Rosie went for purple and Loretta used silver. We made the base first which took us a few hours. We blocked out the sinamay and sewed on the wire and edging. I didn't want a tear drop shaped base. They just remind me of 80s weddings, so I made a circular one. All the while there was Albanian music pumping from the floor below.

After we finished the base of the fascinator we went on to the trimming. There were three ideas on offer for decoration, leaves, rolls or a bow. I (obviously) went with the bow, Rosie decided on the feathers and Loretta the rolls.

Check it out.

I'm so pleased with my creation and inspired to make more that I'll definitely be going back, to make a felt fedora!

There wasn't enough time for me to get a photo of my finished piece with the feathers on but, I'm djing this weekend and I'm thinking about wearing it. So stay tuned for that photo.