Wire Frame Hat How To...Part 6B

Hat finishing number 2!!!  Yeah! We are almost done.  I wanted to add this last post on the Hat How to, because of the different materials used.  I always love it when people use something not in the way it was originally intended for.  I think it is fun to think outside the box! 

This is the hat from the LACMA "Fashioning Fashion" book that inspired me to start making wire framed hats.  I absolutely love this bonnet and sometimes think of what the dress looked like that was worn with it.  It is so lovely and pretty and happy looking!!!

To start decorating, I took an extra wide antique piece of lace, and pleating it as I went, pinned it to the front of the brim.  After getting it just right, I tacked it in place.

Lovely antique spangled netting that I used for the edge of the brim.

The spangled trim was wide enough to have half of it on the inside...

And half on the outside.

Some more of the lovely wide lace was used on the outside of the bonnet as a filler between the top of the bonnet and the outer edge of the bonnet....I'll explain what I mean by that in a minute.

All of the materials I used for this bonnet I already had at home.  I have a hard time finding things that are "just right" when I want to make something, so a lot of the time, I have to get creative.  Case in point.  I had had this collar for forever and when I was looking in my lace drawer for lace for this bonnet, I spied the collar and had a light bulb moment.  The scalloping around the edge would be perfect for the outside brim of the bonnet!!!!  Huzzah!!!

So, I carefully cut the collar apart....I know.... a most sacrilegious move on my part!  I do apologize!

But, as you can see it is perfect!  The lace that I put on before the collar, filled in the gap between the two pieces as the collar was not big enough to do so.  I trimmed the bonned in black velvet and applied an antique black ostrich plume and jet piece!  I am still on the look out for square buckles.

Finito!!!

I truly enjoy making these wire framed hats and bonnets.  I hope this very long tutorial will inspire you into creating a couple of you own!  Oh and if it does, I want to see pictures!!!