Claret cashmere

This lovely rich claret cashmere has been used to make several hats. Here is a simple pork pie hat with a turned back brim and a beret.I have also made several cloche hats.

Cashmere is so very soft, warm and luxurious which is why most people just love it.

The beret has a petersham ribbon trim and the hat a toggle button. I wanted the fabric to take all the glory so kept the trims simple.

The roomy shoulder bag is made from a wool tweed and has a linen lining.

Lots of colours can be teamed with claret, I think a pair of magenta leather gloves would look

great.What would you choose.?

Softly Felted

Winter is just around the corner so we are all starting to think about warmer clothing and accessories. Here is a hand knitted wool bag that I felted. {washed in very hot water}
The bag shrinks drastically when washed so remember to make your bag much bigger than you intend it to be.
I searched thought my materials for something to make the handles from and decided that this lovely pink leather/ suede would be just perfect, strong, soft and striking.
I added the large vintage buttons and a hard card base that I covered in a matching pink silk.
Overall it's very soft and the leather adds a touch of luxury, a great winter bag.

Classic Navy

Classic Navy never seems to be out of style for very long.Here I have made a pill box hat with a pearl trim and soft veiling and a blocked beret that has a smart chequered quill and slightly heavier veiling
The pill box is made of sinamay while the beret is fine straw so both are very light and make them a good choice for an indoor event.
Team either of these hats with a vintage suit or classic dress for a touch of that Jackie O killer style.

Something to shout about

Here are two hats that were made with one thing in mind 'PHOTOGRAPH ME'.
The one worn by a former Miss England at Ascot a couple of years ago, found it's way into lots of newspapers, the second is still awaiting it's debut.
It's great fun when you are commissioned to make these P.R. hats but they do cause a few headaches like making sure the plane will stay in place or your pork pie won't slide off the side of the hat.
In the middle photograph the cream hat is made from felt and has two wings with central cuts supported by black wire.Once that stage was complete the very elaborate trimming began.
The pork pie was made from washing up sponges and lots of small pieces of tissue paper,one lady actually thought it was a real pork pie.No smell should have given it away.!
I don't have any other hats like these in the pipeline at the moment but as both of these came completely out of the blue you just never know what you might be asked to make next.

Thanks to Ed Chadwick photography for picture of felt/plane hat, great to have a photographer next door at Snug Gallery.