Top Hat Crazy

Having two art shows back to back was probably not the best idea, but one does not pass up an opportunity no matter how stressful it might be. I survived the first show by hiring an art coach, keeping a calendar of my work in progress, and doing my best to stay on target each month. I managed 23 new hats without a short deadline and I spent my last month basically tidying up the loose ends of each head piece. I was surprised at how many imperfections I found on hats that I thought were complete. A fresh pair of eyes after a few weeks were a priceless lesson about perfectionism.

The second show is not easier. With a much smaller and limited space makes for tricky placement and themes. I have three plexiglass cases for my work, which means logically it could be one or three different themes. I admit to not being very good about sticking to designs that look like a collection. They are hats after all, and not pieces of clothing. I do not think I need to live by those fashion rules. So here I go again, making what inspires me. Let’s just throw marketing 101 out the window shall we?

The hat de jour for August has been my mini Top Hat. I cannot seem to get enough of all the ways I can over design this little gal. Leaning into the extravagance of lace, brocade, beading, velvets, and “topping” it off with feathers. I pause to have just a short rethink. Is it top hats or is it really a small obsession with feathers? I just did a quick milliner’s psychoanalysis, and realized it’s the feathers all along, and ostrich to be exact. I am probably more obsessed with pom poms first, then feathers next. Culminating in pom pom feathers. Hilarious how my brain doesn’t but does work.

I like top hats with feathers. It is my elevator pitch for the scorching Texas August. In order to create for this next show, my brain has fast forwarded into the holidays and Winter wonderland dreaming. So while I am downing ice water, dressed skimpily in shorts and a tank, my brain is dancing at some masquerade ball in Paris.

What was I reminded this month skills-wise? When working with fabric, it is crucial to always work on the bias. A rookies mistake every time I make it. However, fabric is forgiving if it has a natural stretch, but the bias is still better. The feather work—that is all rather touch and go, like a person’s unruly hair. Feathers have quirks for sure, and it requires testing a myriad of tools to curl, shape, and coerce into position.

My second wired top hat base this month was designed for a beautiful piece of lace I acquired on my latest trip to NYC. My only regret is not having more. Getting a balanced skeleton seemed like it would be easy, but the whole process requires some math. I am not great at math. But I managed a very acceptable frame, and then covered it with the lace without wrapping the wires. It is not that I did not know this was a necessary step. I just forgot. The upside however, while I was rectifying my error, I came up with this great idea to use strips of the lace to wrap the wire so I don’t have to match that piece.

Wire frame before wrapping with the corresponding lace.

I had to add one more wire on the left side of the hat, because the imbalance made me crazy. But look how nice the wrapping turned out from the start.

I encourage you to try this at home. When using lace, the covered frame usually looks messy. More lace placements are required to basically “fatten” the hat. I decided to also bead the extra appliqués.

When I think of a hat, I think of smooth lines. When I see pleats, I think "skirt."

Here is my finished mini top wired hat after endlessly fiddling into wee hours of the night, and deciding that this feather pompom did not belong anywhere else except at the front. Others might disagree.

Excuse the darkness. This was taken right on my studio table about two in the morning.

I decided that extravagance means I could go over the “top” with proportions. Stay tuned for my second mini top hat blocked traditionally and covered in brocade.