Sun!

Winter got to a late start, and really didn't make much of an appearance this year.  Spring has been even slower.  So much so that even on May 1 we were still wearing winter coats in the middle of the day!  I finished this hat a week or more ago, and haven't even had a chance to try it out until yesterday!

If you want to check out a picture of me in it, see either my facebook page or Instagram page.  And while you're there, maybe hit the "like" or "follow" button?

I got the pattern from Craftsy.  I don't remember if it was one of their emails or on Facebook.  The actual pattern can be found at http://blog.lorennabuck.com/p/patterns-and-tutorials.html.  The pattern is very good, though myself, and others on line did find the brim was a tad big when sewing onto the crown.  In my own case, it could be because there were no grain lines on the pieces, so I didn't pay much attention to that when laying out the pieces, and I might have had some stretching.

Also, I didn't have heavy fusible interfacing.  I figured I could use the sewn in stuff I had.  Then I had an idea to use the lightweight stuff on the other side of the brim, and for some odd reason thought I'd be able to iron it to the sewn in stuff.  Well, yeah, I could fuse them together...but then it still needs to be sewn in.  I had some fusible webbing but not enough to do the whole brim.  In retrospect, I could have used the light stuff on each brim piece.

I used a 50-50 poly/cotton sheet I had bought at Value Village a while ago.  For $5, it's a LOT of fabric and although not as heavy as what Lorenna recommends for one layer, it's still good choice.  The inside is a quilting cotton.  I chose it so the soft pink would reflect onto my face and make me look good :)

I read a blog after I finished mine, that suggested topstitching each time you sew top pieces together, rather than after.  I'll try that next time.

I was really impressed with myself, until time to sew the brim on.  The first time, it was much too big.  So I folded it in quarters and did that method, and the first three quarters worked well, but the last one was still giving me troubles.  I eased it in as best as I could.  And then topstitching.  I was going to do more rounds along the outer brim, but it was starting to wrinkle.  But I'm okay with it, for my FIRST sewn hat!!  The ribbon and the slider lock were in my sewing desk.  I keep all those little notions when taking apart wrecked backpacks!  It's been so nice making things entirely from my stash of fabric and supplies.  However....a certain young girl is having a birthday soon and that required a fabric shopping trip!!