It's National Fall Hat Month!

It's September again, this year is flying by quickly!  Last year I happened to find out that the fourth week of September is National Hat Week.  People are encouraged to wear felt and clothe hats.  I did say in my last blog I'd post some pictures of hats.  

A very brief history on hats: Hats are worn for protection, as a status symbol, as part of a uniform, and also as an art form.  It's not known when the first hat was made.  Before the 17th century, women's hats were based on men's designs.   With the beginning of the 17th century came a demand for miliners (which means maker of women's hats), most likely to fill the need for hats portraying a woman's status in society.  In the 1960's with the big hairstyles and wigs being all the rage, hats became unpopular.  I remember when Princess Diana was introduced to the world, in 1980, and hats became part of her ensemble; many women started wearing hats again.  Today, the slouch hat, skull cap and baseball cap seem to be most popular.

There are two styles of hats which are brim and brimless.  There are two forms of hats which are the cap and the hat.  Here's a look at some wonderful hat and cap designs:

By Anne Rizzo - Italy
www.sanuelshats.com

By Kathy Jeanne - www.sanuelshatshats.com

                     

by Seeburger - www.samuelshats.com

 by Nigel Rayment -  www.samuelshats.com

                                                                       

www.artfire.com 

www.fashionbean.com

                                                                   

Here are a look at my son's hat designs, improved.  I made the pattern pieces smaller so the hats hug the head alot better. 

                                       

                                                    by SK Clothes

He changed the look by wearing the hat sideways, or so I thought.  He says the design is to be to one side of the head.  That's original.

Well, I hope that some of you who don't normally wear hats will.  I'm going to make myself a slouch hat in clothe and see what happens.  I'll try to get it done to wear for the fourth week of September.  Till next blog!

Not Your Ordinary Ladies' Suits

This month of September is hat month (which I found out accidentally last September).  I was surfing the net to find unique hats and was sidetracked when I found a website containing elaborate hats and beautiful ladies' suits.  Well, the suits do have matching hats, so I fulfilled my purpose today (but I'll fully focus on hats the end of this week).  These suits I typically see worn by women attending certain denomination churches.  They could also be worn for Easter, I guess, and weddings.  Do you think that these suits, minus the hats, could ever be worn for business purposes?   I'm still thinking about that one....

by Terramina, www.catbotsource.net

by Lynda Couture, www.catbotsource.net

                                        

by Champagne Italy, www.catbotsource.net

                                                          
                                                     

by Night Studio, www.catbotsource.net

by Night Studio, www.catbotsource.net

All these beautiful suits were found on the Make Me Over Fashions and Designs website which is www.catbotsource.net.  I can see the pink, the "fourth of July" (it could be if white was included) and the solid purple suits being worn in a business office.   Why shouldn't color be connected to professionalism?  Isn't it time for change?  Lol....  Don't wear the hat to the office, though...

Take notice of the hats.  Big, elaborate, and attention-grabbing.  And here is one more hat to get you ready for hat month. 

                                       by Esclusive Hand Beaded Church Hats
                                                  www.catbotsource.net

Sooooo pretty!  Till next blog!

Designing is a Family Trait

Spring, spring, where are you?  It is officially spring, but the weather is fluctuating a bit too much for my liking.  I can hardly wait for the flip flop weather.  Pedal pushers, t-shirts, sheer blouses, ahh, freedom from restricting coats, hats and gloves.

I have three things to show you.  I've finished another of my daughter's bag design.  My son, who loves to draw, cartoon figures in particular, made some designs last year of the types of hats and hoodies he'd love to wear.  Also, the mock wedding dress I said I would soon be making has been made, although it's a bit more understated than I had planned it to be.  No matter, it's my first attempt, and I'm looking forward to making a more detailed wedding dress sample in the future. 

The hat is made of three colors, two of which are appliqued.  The one seen is a medium size.  It can be made in small and large as well.  I like the originality of it, haven't seen anything like it as yet.  The designer gets an A+! 

There's a blue theme going on I guess.  This bag is made of recycled and new fabric.  The blue fabric was formally a jacket.  Which leaves the floral fabric to be the new.  This design was stiffened with interfacing.  It's lined with the floral fabric as well.  My daughter suggested that I sew a pocket in the lining, so I'll be adding one to the next bag I sew.

My attempt at making a wedding dress,  or, as it looks here, a formal white dress, was enjoyable.  The sheer nylon fabric was actually a curtain, and the slip was made from cotton fabric I found among my fabric stash.  I was nervous with the draping of the fabrics to make the dress.  I didn't make patterns for them, I just used my judgement and cut, and draped, and tried to make an interesting design.  The sleeves and the neckline, which is ruched, are pleasing to me.  Sometimes working organically produces surprising but pleasing results.  The slip should be longer though.  Sometimes what you think of and what it actually looks like are two different things.

I am selling on eBay once again. I used to have an eBay basic store, but due to circumstances, I'm selling designs individually, which is more affordable for me cost wise.  You can find them under SK Clothes plus the name of the item you may be interested in.

Till next blog!

Hats, Hats, Hats!

I have to talk briefly about hats this week.  Hats are one of those accessories I love to see on others but hardly wore myself.   I just started wearing hats more often during the winter of 2008 - 2009.  Why was that?  Because I had started making my own fabric hats out of need.  

My head seems to be a little bit larger than the average woman (or so the department stores want me to think).  Any time I shopped for a hat, my size was never found.  What I ended up with was a hat that would attempt to cut off my circulation and had to be forcibly stretched to fit my head.  And so I decided not to wear a hat unless it was absolutley necessary.  Well, I need to wear more hats this 2009 - 2010 winter season, for my bad hair days and to add more style to my look.

Did you know that September is National Fall Hat Month?   I've never heard of this before so it must be quite new (as in just began a year or two ago).  The fourth week of September is National Fall Hat Week.  People are encouraged to wear felt or fabric hats as fall begins.  No doubt this is to promote the hat industry.  I'm sorry I was ignorant of the celebration.  Won't miss it next year.

The styles of hats that are favorites for fall/winter 2009 - 2010 are the fedora, the cloche and the military hat.   These are simple styles, as seen above, that many women can wear.  Simplicity, overall, seems to win every time when it comes to regular lifestyles.  For me, originality combined with simple lines is a plus.

While looking at hat websites, I viewed some very elaborate hat designs that look like art work, and the costs reflect this.   A very confident woman who loves attention and excellent craftmanship would be the ideal customer to purchase such hats.  I would love to buy one, and display it in a glass case proudly for my guests to admire.   

Till next blog!

golden elaborate straw hat - www.ransomsboutique.com

lilac military hat - www.nextag.com

black fedora hat - www.nextag.com

grey cloche hat - www.harlemsheaven.com