Fun way to waste 5 minutes and $1

[Flatch]

I'm still very impressed by the recent thread on transgendering hats. So on a whim, I picked up a woman's wool hat today at a resale shop. Didn't think to take before pics - it was just a wide brimmed, flat topped, low crowned woman's hat with a really bad ribbon (pretty thick feeling wool, though). After soaking for a few minutes, shaking until damp, rounding out the flat top on a styrofoam head, then ironing the brim as evenly as I could around the crown, I came up with a crappy fedora!

(flash glare is bad and hat is still damp; light spots are flash hitting water droplets)

If you know a kid who likes hats, this would be an easy way to make a present for them...you could even tell them you made it especially for them, because you did! These hats are everywhere, and cheap.

Like I said, a five minute time waster. Thanks for looking.

 

[RBH]

Not wasted.. looks decent.

Just think what you could do with some good beaver felt!

 

[J.T.Marcus]

If you can find a cotton/rayon grosgrain ribbon for it, you'll be amazed at what your hands have done!!!

 

[Flatch]

Thank you both very much! Naturally I had to try it on, and sure enough, it DOES fit (w/o sweatband, of course). And it IS a really nice deep blue...hmm...

But I once tried and failed miserably to attach a ribbon to a fedora. I know there's a trick to keeping it from puckering as you tack it down around the curve of the crown but I have been unable to do it.

Also, it's already starting to flare out where brim meets crown, due to (I guess) the lack of a sweatband to hold in place the angle I ironed in. Even if I had a sweat there's no way I could attach it - I assume it takes a machine. Any way to avoid this flare on a fedora w/o adding a sweat?

Thank you again for the compliments!

 

[bendingoak]

Thank you both very much! Naturally I had to try it on, and sure enough, it DOES fit (w/o sweatband, of course). And it IS a really nice deep blue...hmm...

But I once tried and failed miserably to attach a ribbon to a fedora. I know there's a trick to keeping it from puckering as you tack it down around the curve of the crown but I have been unable to do it.

Also, it's already starting to flare out where brim meets crown, due to (I guess) the lack of a sweatband to hold in place the angle I ironed in. Even if I had a sweat there's no way I could attach it - I assume it takes a machine. Any way to avoid this flare on a fedora w/o adding a sweat?

Thank you again for the compliments!

I don't think I could talk you though tacking down a ribbon like I do it, in a thread. As for the sweatband , I hand sew my sweatbands in. A machine can't completely copy what on can do by hand. Faster but not better.
I'm not sure what you mean by flare?do you mean brim curl? If so one would need a brim flange.

 

[Flatch]

I don't think I could talk you though tacking down a ribbon like I do it, in a thread. As for the sweatband , I hand sew my sweatbands in. A machine can't completely copy what on can do by hand. Faster but not better.
I'm not sure what you mean by flare?do you mean brim curl? If so one would need a brim flange.

Not brim curl; it didn't have any to begin with. No, the hat seems to be slowly stretching itself out at the opening, where the brim meets the crown. All I knew to do was judge by eye how even the brim should be all around, then while it was wet I squeezed with fingers and ironed in a "crease" around the circumference. I know it wasn't perfect but it was more or less even, and held shape for awhile last night. Now seems to fit bigger at the opening. I assume it has to do with not having a sweatband inside to hold the shape where it originally was, and as it dried the wool felt started to stretch or collapse under its own weight. I dunno. [huh] But if it's going to be worn by anyone (me) other than a kid (who wouldn't care) it definitely needs a sweatband.

And even though it's fairly thick material, it's pretty floppy and would need to be stiffened up a lot. I wouldn't have a clue how to do that, either (I can just manage to sew on a button).