Check Out My New Website!

Hi Everyone,

I have been working diligently on a new website that gives me more flexibility and allows me to procrastinate without putting other people up against my last minute deadlines :o)

Here’s a link to the new site. The URL is the same – www.whatagreathat.com

I would sincerely like to hear any comments you may have, negative or positive. I will be adding items to the online store daily so rest assured that there’s much more to come on that front. But otherwise the site is more or less finished with the exception of some minor tweaks.

I value your input!

Cheers,

Paula

Photo Credit: Black Box Photography; Hats: What a Great Hat!; Makeup and Hair: Beauty Therapy; Flowers: The Budding Tree

 

 

Blocking a Wool Felt Hat Workshop

Creating a hat with two hands and your imagination is rewarding and fun. Three students recently completed the Basic Wool Felt Hat Blocking workshop at What a Great Hat! Each completed a hat from start to finish in the two-day class. The hats were completely hand blocked and hands sewn for a true couture experience. Well done everyone!

2016 kicks off a workshop a month at the What a Great Hat studio. Next up is how to make a Valentine’s Day fascinator on February 6 and then How to Embellish a Kentucky Derby Hat on April 2. Please email Paula at whatagreathat@gmail.com for details or to sign up. Happy hat-making!

Hat of the Week

The hat of the week is inspired by fashion from the 1920s. I’m currently creating a hat for a historical costume from the 1920s and wanted to try this shape, since both the crown(top) and brim are traditional 1920s shapes. The costume hat will be made of felt to go with the outfit but I made a prototype in straw to take it for a “test drive.”

Will bring you photos of the final hat when I’m finished with it. In the meantime, enjoy this pretty summer hat and learn more about it in my Etsy Store.

 

Hat of the Week

Hello hat lovers!

I just finished this dramatic hat for a fashion show in Alliance this coming Sunday. The free-form brim makes a unique style statement. Coupled with the fabulous feathers and handmade silk flower, it’s a real show-stopper. Is this your next Kentucky Derby hat?

Left side

Front

Left front

Vintage Hat Friday

Good morning!

Today’s vintage hat is all about summer. Such pretty, delicate roses and violets are perched on the wavy brim of this garden-inspired beauty. It does not have a designer label and it’s completely stitched by hand, including the grosgrain ribbon edge. I’m guessing 1950s or early ’60s. It’s available in my Etsy store.

Vintage Hat Friday

Good morning!

This is a funky 1940s hat from my collection. No designer label, but definitely a different shape. It was purchased at Engel-Fetzer, a Cleveland department store of yesteryear. Check out the close-up photo of the embellishment…some sort of unusual comb? Not sure if it’s just decorative or if it has a function. It never ceases to amaze me what women will perch on their heads in the name of fashion!

 

Hat of the Week

Good morning friends,

I’m changing things up a bit and will feature a hat of the week on Mondays, at least for a while. Today’s offering is a hat that I made for “One Hat, Many Milliners,” a project that showcased the diverse interpretations of how milliners approach making their hats. It was organized by The Milliners Guild of New York, which I belong to.

This hat is blocked in two pieces; the crown (top) is black wool velour felt, and the brim is a deep purple aubergine felt. The band is hand smocked and topped with a loose bow, vintage flowers and feathers. I cut away the right side of the brim to make it asymmetrical. Overall, a pretty and unique look. More photos and details may be found in my Etsy store.

Vintage Hat Friday

Happy Friday!

Today’s hat is a sweet little toque that reminds me of a layer cake. Or a fancy energy dome if you’re a Devo fan :o)

It’s completely hand sewn with layers of vintage straw and netting. There are some holes in the netting but they don’t distract from the hat at all. An interesting pyramid-shaped Aurora Borealis rhinestone embellishment sits at the front. The maker is Helen Brounet, California. I’m guessing early 1960s. It’s for sale in my Etsy shop.

Have a wonderful weekend and stay cool under a wide-brimmed hat!

In-Studio Perspectives

One of my customers loved the two peach cloches I recently created, but peach just isn’t her color. So we took the basic idea and tweaked it. She has been wanting a black cloche with a simple embellishment – something that can be worn every day that also has an understated elegance. We came up with this design – another vintage straw, hand sculpted into a shape that flatters her and embellished with a crinoline (millinery horsehair) bow and band. A pretty vintage button finishes the look. Everyday chic!

In-Studio Perspectives

It took me all week, but I finally got on a roll last Friday. I just ordered these straw hoods and love the black and tan weave. They’re fun to block and so I went to town using my hat blocks and also some free-form sculpting. These are still in progress so you can’t really tell what they’ll end up looking like but stay tuned to my Facebook page (click here to “like” What a Great Hat if you haven’t already!) to see the results. A sneak peek at one of the cloches is found below. Fun, fun, fun.

Straw hats in progress by What a Great Hat

Straw cloche with rolled band by What a Great Hat