Hello Hat Friends- I wanted to share this cocktail hat that my lovely friend Kim ordered for her Mary Kay Cosmetics seminar that took place in Dallas, TX this weekend.
Kim is SO fun- her facebook business page is "The Perfect Party Girl", she's a party planner- and she only requested leopard. Other than that I had free reign, what a fun time!
I have constructed other cocktail hats based on sinamay shapes, but the construction techniques offered in the "cocktail hat" series lesson really helped me add a level of professionalism and dignity to this hat. That may sound silly, dignity in a crazy leopardy, crystally, feathery hat, but it is true. The construction of the hat makes it clear this isn't a costume and isn't a weekend hot glue project.
Base construction: I originally was going to construct from just sinamay, but after the lesson, I blocked a piece of stiffened muslin over the sinamay, then wired the edge. Leopard print scarf remnant and satin ribbon finish the base (all hand stitch). I sewed jewelry set crystals in neat rows on the front half of the base.
Feather bundles: I sewed bundles of tied black biots, "sparklers" I call them. I sewed bundles of curled biots and spray painted them gold. 6 bundles total. Each pair of bundles had a tiny freeform sinamay flower to nestle into and the three flowers were sewn behind the crystal rows. Tear shaped faceted crystals were sewn inside the flowers to cover stitches.
Pouf: I used a length of 6" wide tulle ribbon to create the double pouf and hand sewed tiny crystals into it.
All inside knots were dabbed with fabric glue on a toothpick and the hat was lined with black satin. A comb, hat elastic and of course my label sewn in!
Enjoy the pictures- so happy to have others with whom to share the details!
Marianne