Chapeau du Jour

Figure 8 Easy 2* & My Beautiful Poupée

2012-01-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

She's cute OK.

This is my beautiful poupée! I haven't named her yet. Cristina de Prada who writes the fantastic blog "The Rantings of a Mad Hatter Wannabe" sent her to me along with her brother Joaquin. I love both of them!! What a treat a beautiful poupée and a dude with swag. Who could ask for more? Oh yeah, I could ask for more.. Cristina and Peter here too. Luv!!!

Here's how to make a fast and simple Figure 8 clamp style hat. The Photos are what they are I used my iPhone.

List of supplies:
32" of spring wire, 1 wire joiner, 32 1/2" of Fabric Tubing ( or I made felt tubing from a felt rounding), Trim.


I measured 32"spring wire and attached the joiner on one end

I sewed a tube from an old felt rounding using the guide.


The wire was threaded through the felt tubing. The wire was joined with the joiner and the ends sewn together.

Twist the round covered wire into an 8 shape. It will make a clicking noise. Pin where you want the Hinge to the clamp to be.

Sew the connection together

I added a 1 1/2"x 1" piece of felt to cover the connection

Bad Photo..Deal

Finished and........

clamped on my Beautiful Poupée

I trimmed it with a vintage berry vine

Done.

Yeah, She's Cute.

Figure 8 Out

2011-11-27T20:28:00.001-08:00


Souped Up Figure 8 with a Little Bowl of Flowers

This is a Figure 8 clamp style Hat from the 30's/40's. I bought this original years ago and it still had the paper 10 cent price tag on it from Woolworths. Trust. The tag disintegrated BOO! Its a sweet little black number. I styled my leather flowers after the little vintage bouquet pinned to the side of the skull block.

I started with a length of steel spring wire, felt tubing I made and a felt round I cut from left overs from a hat.

I sewed the wire to the edge of the round with a wide zigzag stitch, it can also be sewn by hand. I overlapped the wire 1 1/2 inches.

Soft Metallic Leather

I cut a 1 inch wide strip of leather instead of using the felt to bind and cover the edge of the round. The binding strip is started where the last of the zigzag stitches are and the wire is just a tail hanging alone.

Sewing the Binding Strip

After the binding strip is sewn onto the round I threaded the felt tubing onto the wire tail and connected the felt tube ends together and I bent the tail wire with a pair of pliers at a right angle close as I could get to the zigzag stitching. Then I turned the binding and glued the edge of leather with some crazy glue called "Tiger __?__ Glue for Leather. Its nice, it has no smell. I'll post the name later.

I sewed the leather edges at the center back and added a small piece of the leather to cover the seam. Looking back I should have used the felt.

I cut flower shapes from felt and the leather, added stamens,wire and brown floral tape and made a little bouquet to sit in the tiny soup bowl on the very top.

Top and Back .... Peace Out

BTW...

Sunday, November 20, 2011

NBC "The Feast" Thanks to Hannah Snavely and Marco Villalobos

Anything and Everything Passes as Headwear at The Millinery Guild, Beverly's New Haberdashery

Los Angeles' newest haberdashery, The Millinery Guild, opened this fall on Beverly, bringing quirky hatter Susan "Montez" Murphy’s avante-garde, handcrafted creations to the Westside.
The light, bright and airy space stocks Murphy's own vintage-inspired in-house line, Montez, which she crafts using wooden hat blocks circa the '30s and '40s, plus toppers by Cristina de Prada, Su WeHa, Bijou Van Ness and Carpe Diem.
And, while most folks come by the shop looking to replicate the adorned look of a certain sapphire-bedazzled newly-crowned princess, according to Murphy, anything goes when it comes to headwear, just as long as you're not headed to the movies.

Video by Marco Villalobos .

I'm Gobsmacked!

Daily Candy!!

2011-09-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

Daily Candy did a Feature on My Shop "The Millinery Guild"!

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Los Angeles | September 7, 2011

The Rad Hatter The Millinery Guild Opens on Beverly


			\|		\|

There are many words to describe Susan Murphy’s hats, but
“dull” is not one of them.
Her new Beverly Boulevard boutique, The Millinery Guild,
specializes in eccentric, over-the-top headwear (an all-too-
raresight outside British aristocracy and Munchkinland).
Inside the all-white jewel box space, you’ll find handcrafted
toppers that range from whimsical (felt fedoras with bird
appliques) to WTF? (a mousetrap headband with a wedge of
rhinestoned cheese) by established labels such as
Cristina de Prada, Su WeHa, and Carpe Diem.
Then there’s Murphy’s own line, Montez, with
avant-garde creations like a mouth-shaped straw beret dangling a cigarette. She often uses wooden
hat blocks from the 1930s and 1940s, so even custom orders have a vintage twist.
Want to flex your own millinery muscle? Murphy plans to teach beginners’ workshops at
Hands-On 3rd.
We’re brimming with excitement.
The Millinery Guild, 7767 Beverly Boulevard, between North Ogden Drive and
North Genesee Avenue, Fairfax District (213-985-4784 or themillineryguild.com), $65 and up.
Photo: Courtesy of The Millinery Guild

How YaLike me nao?

My Shop "Inside" and Mondo Guerra Wearing My Hat..WHAT? Umh Huh

2011-08-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

I haven't had much time to do a tutorial or block on some nutty blocks I will now and I'll post really soon. I had some really good news Mondo Guerra Project Runway Alum season 8 and now an Allstar is wearing a boater I made http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-runway-all-stars

Guess which one he is...

Something New

2011-08-20T21:51:00.000-07:00


My Shop on Beverly Boulevard LA CA 90036

Here it is, I'll post pictures of the interior next.

Argus Eyes and Swords

2011-03-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

I'm back curling and doing unnatural things to Feathers. This time... Peacock. Eyes and Swords. Curled, heated, bent, squeezed, smashed.. Its starting to sound like a Steinbeck Novel.

I bought them like this

Curled Swords

Trimmed Eyes + Curled Swords

1.I stripped all the barb feathers from the vein.

2. Straighten out the eye a bit and hit it flat with the iron for a second or two. Watch it, they burn pretty fierce and fast.

3. I trim the eye. just because I like to.


4 Hit it with the iron again. It's ready

The Swords

1 Clean up the all ready stripped side of all the straggly barbs

2 Be careful when you do it by hand, scissors come in handy for this part.

3 Ready

4 Hold the feather with your left hand and use the knife along the vein just like curling ribbon for gift wrapping

5 Curl until you get the right curl for you

6 All curled up

7 Hit it with the iron. Wrap them with some floral tape. Done

In Barcelona.. May 8th

2011-02-14T23:02:00.000-08:00

Come to Barcelona and wear your hat!

Next May 8th 2011 (Sunday) at noon we will wear our hats and take a stroll down Barcelona’s emblematic street, Rambla Catalunya. This will be the seventh edition of the “Passejada amb Barret” (Hat Stroll), our version of the Easter Parade that takes place every year on the Sunday after Easter (although this year it will be delayed one week to avoid clashing with any 1st of May events). We will be meeting in Rambla Catalunya / Diagonal (where the sculpture of the giraffe is). This year we will have people coming from far and wide, so why not plan your trip and join us on this wonderful event. It’s the excuse you need to get (or make) a new hat, and visit Barcelona ¡See you!

Two Crowns One Brim Fedoras + Turbans

2011-02-09T21:44:00.000-08:00

Two Fedoras for Ozzie, My favorite Hats from a fashion show and a commission of 3 Turbans for "Hats By Leko".. My most excellent friend Cristina de Prada ( you know her as The Rantings of a Madhatter Wannabe) and Nina Palowsky (Milliner Extraordinaire) in Barcelona are having the annual Passejada amb barret 2011
B There or B Square

Brown Fedora

Black Fedora


The Blocks

My Hands Turban

Do I need to Explain?

Fringe Flower

Crazy Turban

Big Knot Turban

Not Much to say about these other than I had fun making all of them..

Question to Jens

2010-11-13T20:44:00.000-08:00

This is a post to Jens..

Happy 4th Birthday To Me. No Hats, No Blocks, Just Me.

2010-10-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my my new Heart Birthday.

Happy new body Heart.

This is one of my most cherished things ever. A ceramic shaped heart box made by Karen "Poodle" Lembke. She made it for me when she found out I needed a new one. Two years after she made it I got a new real one. Love Forever to Karen..

Here it is open with a chicken heart in it. The Chicken Heart is for U Know WHO.

Hollywood Legacy Fashion Show

2010-10-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hat Fashion Show

2010-10-01T15:32:00.000-07:00

The Millinery Guild of Southern California

Project Runway Contestant Mondo Guerra to headlineThe Millinery Guild’s Spring 2011 Fashion Show “Hollywood Legacy” sponsored by Subaru

PRESS RELEASE                         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Colleen Stanton, Austin Gray
Email: millineryguildsocal@gmail.com
Site: http://millineryguildsocal.com

LOS ANGELES, CA/September 14, 2010. On October 15, 2010 The Millinery Guild of Southern California will present their Spring 2011 millinery collections titled “Hollywood Legacy” in conjunction with LA’s Fashion Week. The event will take place in the Millennium Biltmore’s Crystal Ballroom, site of the 1942 Oscars, starting at 7:00 PM.

“Hollywood Legacy” will feature members of the guild including Mondo Guerra who is a current contestant on Project Runway. In addition to the Millinery Guilds members showing will include established Millinery designers Anita Hopkins, Louise Green, Ignatius Creegan, Rehn Dudugkian and up and coming designer Gladys Tamez. In addition, a tribute is planned for Mrs.Eloise King – a master milliner who has been teaching designers the art of Couture Millinery for over 40 years in and around Los Angeles. She is also a valued teacher within the Los Angeles School District.

There will be a Silent Auction of Designer Gold Jewelry Piece by Antonella Pellegrini to support The Diva Foundation.

The Millinery Guild of Southern California (http://millineryguildsocal.com) was founded in January of 2010 by S. "Montez" Murphy, who has designed hats for 20 years. The mission of the guild is to foster interest in hats, millinery and hat wearing. This is achieved through lectures, instructional workshops and a variety of classes in all aspects of traditional and contemporary millinery. The guild also sponsors charity events, sales and demonstrations that enable our members to enhance their skills and share their expertise through public sales and exhibits.

The Millinery Guild is proud to have Subaru as the presenting sponsor for this season’s show. Subaru has a commitment to fostering strong relationships with local communities by recognizing non-profit organizations working to better their communities. The guild is honored to have Subaru as a partner as we look forward to featuring the 2011 Legacy during the show. The Legacy holds the highest crash test rating from the NHTSA (five out of five stars).

Reservations are required at http://millineryguildsocal.com. There will be a Cash Bar. Parking is available at the hotel or across the street at Pershing Square
For more information contact: Colleen Stanton, Austin Gray
Email: millineryguildsocal@gmail.com
Site: http://millineryguildsocal.com
Blog: http://themillineryguild.blogspot.com

Two Is Better Than One and News Flash! Project Runway

2010-07-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

Freshly Carved Original

The quest is over looking for a block maker. Check it, It's true, there is a person that's not a block maker by profession that can carve and make BEAUTIFUL blocks and does them perfectly. Amazed? I am. Genius or artist? Both apply. If you want info about him.. email

If any of you have been wondering who Armando is NEWS FLASH

I've known Mondo since he was a wee teen. Now he is a wee Designer Extraordinaire. OH! There's that word again.. DEAL. PS The "Y" is Spanish for "and or plus" not the middle initial of Armando y Montez. Just to clarify that. Anyway watch "Project Runway" on the Lifetime Channel..PSSS He doesn't have anything to do with this blog. That is an other long story.

Re-Did

2010-02-19T10:33:00.000-08:00

           The Re-Did
           The Did Here

Argus Schmargus Bring on the Curls

2009-11-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

I finally got the nerve to curl one of the Argus Feathers. I experimented on the most chewed one. I couldn't get the splits in the flues back together so instead I pinched the spine between my thumb nail and index finger on the under side until it gave way. I did this pinching about every 1/8 inch. I could have used my Palette Knife that I use to curl feathers but, I felt I had a little more control doing without the knife. After all I have been known to ruin a good feather.

Heady Little Things

2009-11-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

I don't know how to describe these. Not really. The middle one is a Milliner friends find.
She suggested turning it into a 40's Turban. I can see it draped in silk chiffon.

Any suggestions??

Take Two...... Black and Blue Pills

2009-11-17T13:50:00.000-08:00

This is the Re-Deux of the Green Pills in Felt.. The Mannequin looks like she has Orphan Annie eyes..

Green Pills And Some Rockin' Feathers

2009-09-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

These have been on the block for a few months.

These Pills were blocked from parisisal cones. One I dyed shibori, I did it with clamps and string. Result "Just OK" The other is one I bought all ready dyed. I'm using Bungee balls for blocking ties now. I found them at the hardware store. Love hardware stores too. They're so much easier to use. I love'em.

Here's something else I love, More Crazy Feathers. These really look prehistoric to me, all lizardy n' stuff. They're from an Argus, the feathers say it all.. to me anyway. They're around 28" or 71cm . I'm in the process of getting the separations back together. I'll post them again when I figure out what to do with them. I don't think I can cut them..

Shop

2009-07-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Diego at California Millinery

We made it to Downtown Los Angeles, not that it's that far since we live in the Hills of Hollywood. But I made it broken ankle and all. My Guy toted, coddled, and wheeled me the whole way. What a guy! Any Hoots we visited California Millinery and of course I bought some "This's and That's" not much just enough it make me do something. Diego the Shop keeper is very gracious and let us have our way through the shop, He even let me take a picture of him outside the Art Deco entrance. If you're ever in Los Angeles go there, you won't be sorry as a matter of fact you won't be sorry to be in Los Angeles either. PS It's been so long I've forgotten how to navigate this screwy Bloggy thing. Forgive.....

Just Hi! Flora, Fauna and a New Hair Did

2009-03-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

Spring..... These Lil' 50's Clam Shell hats are from this nutty 2-4-1 block.

The Mannequins are bathing cap models so I made a couple of "Hair Dids" for them in black felt, just to doll them up a little. The did block was another impulse buy from eBay. My bad.

The fauna part is inspired by Dali and the ant hill of a city(?) Portland Oregon.

Red Cloche

2009-03-05T15:23:00.000-08:00

Don't have much to say about this one. The block is more interesting on it's own?

Feather Picks .... Those Crazy Biots

2009-01-19T15:44:00.000-08:00

These colors remind me of Bird of Paradise
Flowers. These two picks are my favs. I tried to make them uniform and alike but the feathers had their own take on that idea, so I went with the flow.

I didn't use any wire in this one, just glue and floral tape.

I steamed white Biots for 15 minutes to get them soft ,then took a small dropper and dripped the dyes onto the feathers, put the lid back on and steamed for another 10 minutes. I rinsed them and laid them out to dry on the newspaper..
After they dried I grouped them together, glued and wired then wrapped them with floral tape. I had a heap mess of fun making these.. I haven't decided what to put them on yet..

Pac Man or Nam Cap

2009-01-14T16:24:00.000-08:00

This cap is super cute on it's own, I just have to pile stuff on top I can't leave anything alone. It has a really nifty double brim I just love that type brim, it looks so finished before it's finished.

I started out thinking I would do that vine thing again but I got all caught up making pods that look like Ms Pacman.. I sewed 4 leaf shapes together to make one pod. I added some old stamens wrapped black wire with thin strips of the felt and wrapped the three together. I wanted it to stand on it's own but it got too heavy and bounced all over the hat. Very distracting.

I tried the trim a couple of ways one using gravity and ended with it looped together on one side.

Pheasant Tail Feather Experiment

2009-01-14T14:58:00.000-08:00

This is how I started out my day, with a hammer. Just a typical day, I wasn't intending to smash feathers but that's what happens when I'm left alone with a hammer.
I pounded along the spine of a Pheasant Tail feather thinking maybe, just maybe it would make the spine pliable enough to bend easily after steaming. NO, the spine split perfectly down the middle. Hey, I can dig it. I've tried to cut a feather in half with an exacto knife. It was the perfect recipe for disaster, for the feather and my person. In my world those knives aren't so "exact-o.
I cut into the flues just above the black marks on each side of the feather to give it that step look. So far OK.

I then steamed it in a bamboo steamer on top of the stove, my usual, and while that was happening I covered my ironing board with a piece of clean muslin, not my usual, then pulled the feather out of the steam pinned it into curls and steam ironed the heck out of it. I pressed down with pressure and lifted and moved to the next spot shooting steam onto it. I smelled a plastic burn and realized I was melting the supposed glass top straight pins I bought a gajillion years ago. Note to self "Do the burn test on everything first and cover the world with muslin for protection.
After all that pressing back and front the result? Just O.K. The inside of the spine is white so I used a permanent marker in black to cover that up. I added another feather with more or less the same treatment to make it look fuller. I'll look at it for a bit and decide what to do next. Maybe somebody can come up with a better way to curl? I have a palette knife I use for curling. These curls I wanted to go in the opposite direction than if I used the knife.
The End or is it? BTW I just watched an amazing film "Stairway to Heaven" Director Michael Powell. He did The Red Shoes and Black Narcissus. Beautiful..

Hounds Tooth Hula Hopper Beret ..Hey

2009-01-12T17:04:00.000-08:00

Another Beret ..Hey.

I think it's from the 40's but I could be wrong.

I bought the feather Butterflies from Micheals Craft Store. They look like the ones Philip Treacy used a while ago. I doubt they are the same these are very reasonable in price.

I was going to try the vintage glass cherries I've been hoarding somewhere on it but I think I stacked it up with enough stuff "don't ya think?" Uhm K? So I'll save the yummy little bits for another hat..

Asymetrical Half Hat

2008-12-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

This is a sweet little block. I bought it from eBay a few weeks ago. I wasn't going to buy anymore blocks, you know where I'm going with this. But, I just couldn't stop myself from buying it.
The Pheasant Tail Feathers I cut and shaped then wrapped with a thin strip of the felt. I wasn't sure if I liked the way it looked on the hat, so I tried a small curled Ostrich Feather in light gray. If I come up with another feather from the box that was just delivered from eBay I'll post it later. BTW eBay is a really good source for vintage feathers..

40's Surreal-ish

2008-12-17T15:10:00.000-08:00

This block is really insane and I made it more so by blocking it in one of "those" wool felts. It's the one that I worked for days on.. Needless to say it was hard. It reminds me of a barnacle. If I block it again, I'll do it in a straw or in a velour that I'll drape with satin into a Turban. The veiling wa s a flesh tone, I dyed it black and in the process I tore 3 holes in it. I don't like to dye veiling.
I call it surreal, it is isn't it? Or it isn't is it?

Just Hat

2008-12-11T11:18:00.000-08:00

I've been working on another difficult block for 4 days, it's been driving me mad. I decided to take a break from it yesterday and I blocked this Cloche. I just needed to finish something.
I tried to use every last bit of the capeline, and I almost did. There are the few pieces left in front of the mannequin. The last photo is what the leaves look like before they're sewn and the strip is what the vine was cut from.

Josephine and Louise and Michelle and Montez

2008-12-07T13:31:00.000-08:00

I made these when I was into covering everything in felt and making long ropes. I met a neat gal, Michelle Shelton when we were in the last throes of life in Ann Arbor. She had these fantastic Braids, it was a new thing back then and I wanted them too. My hair just wouldn't do it so I made mine out of felt. The other was just a project in Portland Oregon, I covered a copper pipe, left over from ice machine hookup for our Fridge and handmade felt balls. Here's a close up of my first Label.. it's kinda sorry looking.

I updated some photos for "Quills and Spills"

Mad Cap Schiap

2008-11-23T19:43:00.000-08:00

Three of these blocks look like they're 1930's Schiaparelli inspired. It's hard to see the hats themselves, of course I had to do it in black wool and I took pictures at night. . At any rate they're cute. They look like "not knitted" Mad Caps.
I'll trim the caps un-Schiaparelli like and repost.. The fourth block is a 1950's half hat, it looks more like a beret. That one was a little fussy I'll redo that one in velour and wire the edge next time.

Turbo Turban

2008-11-17T14:53:00.001-08:00

This Hat looks like a Sea Shell, a Turbo Argyrostomus, that's what I found when I googled sea shell, sans the snail. I used a printed wool felt hood, next I'm going to block it with fur felt, You are right Cristina! Wool felt, complicated block? International Sign For NO insert here. The last photos are of what I did with the rest of the capeline I used for the Cocktail Hat with Quills. I used my old hand crank pinking machine. I love a good old machine with a hand crank.

Quills and Spills

2008-11-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

I bought some ostrich feathers that were seconds thinking I would dye them. They were just too raggedy and the quills were very thick, so I striped them of all the fluff and boiled them in a 6 quart pot of water to soften them. While they were boiling I made a pattern out of a piece of wire the approximate length of the quills and bent it into the shape I wanted the quills to be. With the wire as a pattern I fashion ed make shift jig with pins on an old message board. When they dried I got out the air brush, spilled paint and made a huge mess. One tip read instructions first, then push button. Eventually I got them painted and dried and sewn on the little cocktail hat. I wanted the edge or head-size of the hat to be rolled so I wired the edge and pulled one end of the wire until it curled under and sewed the grosgrain over the wired edge.
Update on the shoe, I can't get it to stick on my head how did Dali balance his?

Hey I've added some photos of a re-block of this block. The headsize is 22" and the crown-side mid point is 24" the "Small Brim Theory" didn't work.. Sorry Nina! What did work and makes a Sixties-ish pill box is the tip pushed down. I'll use this block only for the tip..

Gone Batt-y

2008-11-11T16:58:00.000-08:00

Today I decided to finish off a project I promised to my friend Jic. These are, sort of, the first steps to hand making felt hoods sans shearing the sheep or taking care of them . I finally c arded the wool I dyed and picked into nice fluffy batts. Whew. 2 pounds worth
I dyed and picked t he wool a few weeks ago so now that he's out of town I've finished the project! I'm sure he'll be glad to know. Now that he won't be home to use them..

I was asked to post the inside and the back of the Crazy 40's Beret check it out Updated Photos Cristina!..
http://chapeaudujour.blogspot.com/2008/10/crazy-1940s-beret-block.html

The shoes are something I'm plotting out. This will be the second round with this idea. The brown shoe was my Moms, She had teeny feet size 2 children. The black shoe is mine and just to show how small her foot was I'm a size 6. My shoe looks like Big Foot or the Yetti's slipper compared. I'll be posting what I did with it in a couple of days..

Big Bonnet

2008-11-09T21:03:00.000-08:00

This is a strange marriage of two 40's blocks. It's a Toque Crown and Asymmetrical Brim. It almost ended in divorce and a whole new hat. It started when I blocked the crown backwar ds, Front is back and Back is front. I wanted it to sit more forward than what the brim was intended for, not a Bonnet so I hand re-blocked the crown into a modified Fedora. The trim is a one piece hand made felt ball cascade. I made a few of those as head bands and gave them away for gifts. I still wonder if they ever wear them..

I Eye ManRay.. I Heart Him Too.

2008-11-03T13:10:00.001-08:00

I've started to experiment with screen print.. I made a screen of ManRays Tears, I'm not sure of the title of the photograph.. Happy to report my screen worked on the paper Toyo Hood. I did a separate screen for the T-shirts. I did three Toyos and this turned out the best. The others are smeary. My next screens will be on felt hats. I also did a baby romper and T-Shirt from H&M.

PincushionTree, Feather Hair Dids and Beaded Felt Beads

2008-10-31T17:55:00.001-07:00

I made this Pincushion Tree when I was recuperating from a really long illness 2006.. These are individual cushions made on golf tee's that fit in the hole of a spool of thread. I stuck them into a Styrofoam ball and stuck that hot mess onto a hat spinner. Someday I'll make something else to pose it on. The Feather Dids are from 2003 I sold these in a cute shop in PDX called Dragon Lilly.

Yeux Ojos Occhi Ogen Googly Eyes

2008-10-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

This is my take on a Hypnotic Eye Hat. I met a super Gal in Portland Oregon 2002 that makes, yeah you guessed it, Prosthetic Eyes!! Rena H is amazing to say the least and looks (no pun intended) at eye making as a Yawn Job. What? Is she nutty or what? I see Artistes Par Excellent. She's given me a bakers dozen + of the precious little googly things over the years. I'm a really lucky gal when it comes to meeting peeps I see eye to eye with.
I made the Giant Fake Mannequin Glass Eye Hat 2002 or 03, for a Millinery Supply House. I was told it got into a newspaper article but as I recall I didn't get credit for it, so I'll give credit to myself. There you go self. Here's looking at me.

Wicked

2008-10-29T18:58:00.000-07:00

These pictures do not do this hat justice, sorry about the lighting. That's my excuse for me taking crummy photos and I'm sticking to it. Ignatius Creegan made me this hat and it's my most favorite hat ever. Ignatius is a supernova on a Millinery Machine what a guy! He sews straw braid that's 1/4" wide into the most fantastic shapes. If every person in the world owned and wore an Ignatius Creegan and Rod Givens Hat there would be no wars!! We'd all be too busy admiring our reflections and each other. Word.

Shibori Who? What? You Mean Tie Dye? Whatever, GrassHopper

2008-10-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

I did some shibori or tie dye, whatever term shakes your berries and twigs. I first made the hoods out of merino wool batts that I did on my Patrick Green SuperCarder. Then I felted them using the "Hat on the Ball" method invented by the renowned felt artist "Beth Beede". HAZAH BETH! I dyed them using the method that Chad Alice Hagen developed, if you have the chance to take a class from the Hagen don't pass it up. She is a hot mess of fun! But, Surprise! couldn't sell one Shibori Hat in Denver Colorado 1997. I was Shi-Buried... I noticed after I did this weird sale that there were people running around with tie dyed bucket hats made out of cotton duck. It looked liked Micheal's did a "Tie and Dye" workshop close by. Foiled again! I did manage to sell all the blue and white ones someplace at another time, I just don't remember who? where? what!. The first picture has the red/black/white hood turned inside out so If you were thinking I was redundant in photo placement, No.. in everything else, Yes.. The flowers are all made out of the left over roundings from felt I make. See I told you redundant. I'll get around to reblocking the hoods someday.

Portland Fashion Show 2003

2008-10-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

These photos were taken by Portland Photographer Dwon Guvenir that I purchased September 2003 for a Fashion Sho w at the Portland Museum with the now extinct and defunct PDX Fashion Incubator. The Toppers were
made out of Parisisal Hoods for that show.
One of my "Feather Dids" was used for the flier. The shaped and lacquered feathers Cocktail Beanie was paying homage to Miro'. The second to last photo shows one of my Pig Tail Dids, Animae girls loved them and so did some of the designers. The other is a paper twisted toyo Newsboy.. I was paired up with a Bathing suit designer? That question mark is intentional and "that" was Portland for you.. "That" I wasn't in control of.. Life went on.. And so did some of the hats to other fashion shows not made by me, but other people that were given pix and possibly saw the show.. La Vida Continua.

Herring Bone Felt Topper

2008-10-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

These Blocks are from the 40's, I've accumulated a lot of 40's blocks some are pretty nutty to say the least.. I hope to block on all of my crazy blocks and have pictures up sooner or later.
I found these blocks at Jeffery's HUGE Antique Mall in Findley Ohio around 15 years ago. We lived in Ann Arbor MI at the time 1993-1998 and I spent a lot of my time taking Fiberart classes, mostly felt making classes and dyeing classes, antiquing and scouring thiftshops. I used these blocks for a fashion show in Portland Oregon 2003 except in straw I'll post those pictures later.

Crazy 1940's Beret Block

2008-10-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

Beret Umh K? I bought this block a few months ago off eBay. It was pretty tricky to block and the headsize ribbon was wrestling match. The Bird Nest Feathers I made from instructions from a Hat Map from How2Hats http://www.how2hats.com/ "Fantastic Feathers" I won this set of Instructions a year or so ago, Lucky Me!! Lots of good info from this company and they're super nice too. I dyed the feathers with silk dyes from Jacquard I had laying around they worked beautifully.

The Hair Did

2008-10-21T17:05:00.000-07:00

Here's the "Hair Did".
I made this 2004 to cover my chemo bald head. I entered it and a couple of other hats in a contest. All I got for that was a "Sorry" email and not even a "Try Again Next Time"! Oh well.. No Time To Split Hairs---Dids.

Just Hi!

2008-10-16T07:46:00.000-07:00

This is just Hi for now....... We'll be back with a Hat a Day soon....

Kisses N'Stuff