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