Monday 7 January 2013

Hatty New Year!

Word up y'all! Hope you've had great Christmases and New Years! I spent my Christmas hols dogsitting my favourite of my friends' dogs and pretending to anyone listening / watching / facebooking that he was mine - almost certainly the best Christmas ever! He spent a lot of time wearing this Christmas jumper that I crocheted for him in my best impression of an embarrassing Auntie...

Alfie in his element: The reindeer in his paws lasted a whopping two days...
Nonetheless, in between walking / playing tug of war / watching Christmas films on the sofa with Alf, I also finally got myself organised and have invested in lots of very exciting supplies from Baxter Hart & Abraham (the Warehouse of Dreams) and Parkin Fabrics (possibly the most helpful assistants ever - it was a pleasure to order over the phone!).

The Order: From sensible chemical stiffeners to the more glamorous fur and wool felt cones, some gorgeous sinamays and enough buckram to change the world...I've got a feeling in my bones that 2013 is going to be my most creative year yet!
Meanwhile, here's what I've been up to with my new materials over the past couple of weeks...

It takes All Sorts: Black silk taffeta on canvas foundation with painted cotton all sorts


Daisy daisy: White silk and organdie petals mounted on canvas and yellow velvet centre, with nude hackle centre blush (Waiting to be mounted onto a white silk base from the same shaped block as Pearldrop below. When I showed this to my family my mother declared that she would like to be this hat..!)


Bermuda triangle: Deep navy wool felt tricorn with pearl beading

 


Pearldrop: Nude silk dupion on canvas foundation with pearl beading and hackle and guinea fowl feathers
 


Skull block: Buckram block with relief detailing (I can't wait to get a hat blocked on this baby - I thought I might have been too ambitious but it's worked just as I'd hoped!)

 
Handmade Monday
As always, treat yourself to a tea break and check out how Handmade Harbour and Co have spent their Christmases. Top picks for me this week are Handmade Harbour's bird plaque (too cute!); Free Spirit Designs' custom mugs (beautiful!); Highland Monkey's pretty wine labels (and the bottles' contents!); PickleLily's flower pot pin cushions; and CraftLee's gorgeously glamorous apron. I'm off to get a felt on the new skull block - see you next week my dears!

18 comments:

  1. I love the daisy daisy hat it's gorgeous.
    Ali x

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  2. I love the tricorn - came out amazing!
    xo Jess

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    1. Yes I'm really pleased with it! Now to work out which way to wear it... I can't decide! x

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  3. I share your love of dogs in crochet cardigans!

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    1. It's the way forward for sure! We put a bell on the front too, he seemed to love it as much as we did lol!

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  4. Pooh, all so lovely, but the allsorts hat is really scrumptious. Hope you have a good week.

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    1. Ah thank you! When I'm fantasising about having my own shop, that one's in the window :)

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  5. Your hats are amazing. The pearls must take ages to put into place. Looking forward to see what you do with the skull one.

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    1. They do, and I have to wear my Dad's head torch if I'm sewing on the sofa ha!! Worth it though I think! There's a skull update in this week's blog :)

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  6. Wow I thought those allsorts were real! Amazing hats. I bet the skull will turn out brilliantly.

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    1. They're definitely not as tasty as they look ha! Thank you, and there's a skull update in this week's blog :)

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  7. My favourite is definitelly the one with sweets on - they do look so realic and fun. It cheers you up on a rainy day !

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    1. Totally agree; happiness is anything hat-based anyway for me, but you definitely can't have a bad day with a bag of all sorts on your head! ;)

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  8. Such cool hats! I was recently thinking how much I miss the days when all women wore hats (and gloves, I'm sorry to say, since I hate having to mess with my fingernails and then I wouldn't have to ever worry about it!). Women look so elegant with a hat.

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    1. Thank you! I think you can't help but have poise in a hat :)I know what you mean about gloves too (and nails - I'm a nail art fan but millinery doesn't really suit perfect nails, and you can't get a thimble on with talons!)Let's channel Audrey Hepburn and conquer the world! :)

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  9. Oh so gorgeous! I love the licorice allsorts hat

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    1. Thanks Wendy! They're definitely easier to model than the birds! ;)

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