Packing up and dismantling my hat displays felt bittersweet this week. It is a reminder that nothing in life is ever permanent, and one needs to take in moments without hesitation. I do not know what my hat reach was locally, but I can attest to meeting some pretty kind and enthusiastic folks. I was invited to go back to the gallery to speak about hat making to interested attendees at the museum’s MidSummer Festival event, which I think was also successful. This gave me an opportunity to evangelize millinery at a deeper level. There were discussions about sustainability in the hat making world, and not the kind that we think. But how the supplies I need to make quality hats are diminishing, and the new products are actually not as sustainable in the modern world where fast fashion still reigns, and materials are becoming interweaved with plastics. On a side note, hats used to be an everyday accessory, and it meant something in society. As that culture diminished, it is now more of a luxury item.

Thinking about how I like to DIY much of my life, what is the one thing I could do to keep millinery alive? Teaching it to potential milliners isn’t enough. It is not yet popular enough in my opinion to earn a living unless a person becomes discovered and is a milliner for the rich and famous. It is about as difficult as breaking into the entertainment business. But what if, we could increase awareness by making millinery a popular craft in the DIY world? What if a person could make their own simple hat to match an ensemble they also spent time crafting at home? Couldn’t this DIY possibility help with keeping materials alive as more DIYers start making their own hats?

Does this idea put other milliners out of business? I am not sure. I want to say no, because the real milliners have some amazing skills and ability that a hobbyist could not rival. There will always be a need for dedicated millinery artisans, similar to professional designers. By increasing the popularity of millinery, perhaps this will elevate the craft itself and influence more people to actually wear hats. This is what we need to really survive as an industry. I have this feeling that the new generation of people are looking for rewarding things to do with their hands besides typing and swiping. Milliners today supplement their income with teaching, but their newest secrets are still tucked close and not revealed. So basic millinery can be had, even if everyone is learning the same thing, people will ultimately learn how to make unique pieces with practice.

So 2025 is looking like a year for my own self discovery, but before I begin to tackle my new year’s goals, I have one more exhibition to complete in November. I still wish I could work faster, and coupled with this heat and some family travel plans, my time in the studio is getting extremely tight. Stay connected if you want to know what I am up to. Follow me on Instagram!

Here is a video of my exhibition Opening Day Art Show. It is a nice overview especially if you were not able to make it out for the event. I had this video up during my exhibition, but now that I have taken down that page, I am memorializing it in today’s blog.

The Mad Diary

The End of the Show