The hat quest: final results

Here is my dad wearing all of the hats I made for him for Xmas. I had to draft my own pattern and it took a lot of time and a lot of failures to get anything resembling a golfing/driving/ Irish tweed cap. They are still not exactly like a store-bought one, so maybe I can perfect my pattern in the future. 

Failure 1- not exactly a hat.

Failure 2: Tiny train conductor hat

Failure 3: A slightly too floppy and large driving cap!

A nice "final version" in plaid flannel.

 

 The second "final version" in a thin wool. I think the color was called dill.

So, they are really easy to make when you have a pattern already made... but making the pattern was really hard. At least now I know hats are not that difficult to make!

I just got a huge box of patterns from Lisette, I'll post pictures of those this weekend!

Irish Cap Version 3: Progress

Alright, the pictures are awful (taken with the iphone) because I just wanted to text them to my mom to show her I made a damn hat! I did it! 

Now, it is not perfect and has more of a Newsie/ Dickensian chimney sweep/ train conductor yet I have made a hat. 

 It needs to be a little deeper to get the slouch on the front and it is too snug.

On to version 4, which will be part of dad's present even if it is not flawless...

Two wins and a FAIL

Let's start with a win:

Look at my awesome tarte aux poires, aka pear pie. I complete stole the decorating idea from Meg and it turned out great! 

 Win 2: Emma is going to go with me on Thursday to the sketchy estate sale. The rest of you (Meg) should skip work and come too! Email me at mollysewsblog [at] gmail [dot] com if you want to...

Win 3: Adorable Andrew and his trench coat got chosen for Burdastyle's Best of November! I am super excited!

and now....

for the EPIC fail...

I present to you...

Dad's Irish tweed cap version 2...

Yeah, I know. WTF. Who even knows what is going on up in here. So frightening. When (and if) I ever sort this out I am going to make my first tutorial so that no one has to suffer like me (and your eyes). I even drew sketches and discussed it with Andrew...he is good at the logic puzzles of sewing.

I'm going to start version 3 this afternoon before work. Wish me luck, it seems I desperately need it!

Winterized!

Ok, so my dad told me he wants an "Irish cap" made by me for Christmas. I bought this wool that I had been eyeing at Jo-Anns to make a practice version. 

Did I go online and look at pictures to study them and make my own pattern? No, of course not. I decided I knew EXACTLY how it would be made and then drew and cut out 6 triangles. I cut them out and sewed them together and then put it on. 

Result: 

 LOL, I am an idiot. This looks NOTHING like a tweed cap. So I added a band and decided I will wear it until it falls apart. This will happen soon because the weave is really loose.

I made a thin scarf out of the leftover fabric. I did manage to match up the plaid on the scarf, but not the hat.

Don't worry, I have since looked at some pictures and am going to attempt version 2 tonight. Or make a tarte aux poires. We shall see.

Thinking ahead to Halloween

Wow, I can't believe September is almost over! I promised myself I would finish the beige dress and refinish one of my many furniture projects this month. So, I guess I will be busy tomorrow, between grading papers and doing lesson plans. But it will be satisfying to finish some of these projects!

Now I need to start planning ahead to Halloween. The dog will wear his banana costume from last year- I just saw a cheap rip-off at target! Idea thieves! Lol.

I have this hat, which I bought at an estate sale. I know I will never wear it seriously, but it is beautiful. It's velvet, fits perfectly and the feathers are intact. It had the original tag when I bought it (for 6$!!!).

The color is off in the picture. It is an emerald green, and the feather are a rich brown.

Point being, I want my costume to be based on this hat. It makes me think 20s flapper, so I will probably head in that direction....

Any suggestions or patterns to recommend? I love comments!!! and right now I don't feel very inspired....