A royal fascination…and then there’s the hats | Week 20 | #52wonderfilledweeks

I’m down to the wire…again…we’re getting ready to watch Westworld and I am frantically watermarking photos and drafting my weekly blog.  This week I had 3 rehearsals, 1 orchestra concert, 2 gigs, a recital and an audition (at which I did quite well and advanced, but that is for another blog).  Busy doesn’t begin to describe what I was this week.  Then throw in a Royal Wedding and it’s no wonder I feel like I haven’t slept in days…because I haven’t, ha!

A few years ago after Wills and Kate sealed the deal I became slightly obsessed with fascinators.  A colleague (who also enjoyed crafting) and I would find any excuse to make the over the top pieces of head wear.  We wore them to concerts, weddings, special events, you name it we made and wore them.  With the festivities this week (as well as my second horn and organ recital) I thought it would be fun to make a new fascinator for myself and special one for P too! The last royal wedding Hubby and I made mimosas and ate monkey bread off crystal plates! This time we dressed the kids up and had fancy lemon cakes (from Costco) and watched the royal “I Do’s” We had a great time and I love that we are creating so many fun memories for our kids. 

People think making things like fascinators are hard, but they are actually very easy (especially if you use hot glue/tacky glue).  Now my preference is to sew everything.  I like the finished look and the security, no worries about glue popping off, but in a pinch I’ve been known to plug in the 'ole glue gun and if you’re interested in making your own hat feel free to do the same.  The truth is no one will ever be close enough to even tell!

I use all sorts of knick knacks and accessories for my hats.  Wire, buttons, beads, different fabric trims, pipe cleaners, crystals, tulle, netting, faux florals, vines, birds(!)…the sky is the limit. You want to think about how you want to wear it. Do you want it to be on a headband? Clipped in? Alligator clip? Then you need to make a base that can be attached to your preferred method of wearing. I often will sew a base with simple cotton and batting or even use felt.  Then start to build.  There is no right or wrong way to make these pieces of art…just sit down and start putting things together and before you know it you too will have your very own one of a kind royally inspired headdress! Twist your ribbons, mix beads and think outside the box.  If you get stuck take a break.  This project is actually a great practice in meditation.  While I prefer much "louder" hats, I was happy with my simple purple mum, peacock and crystal creation for the purpose of wearing to my recital and P loved her pink, pink and more pink hat she wore to celebrate the royal nuptials.

Simple dollar store ribbon with wire edges is folded and the loops set off from each other.

Everything on P's hat is sewn.  I wanted to make sure that it wouldn't come apart should
Bubba somehow get a hold of it.

I cut clear beads from some upholstery trim, picking and choosing the beads I wanted to add to the flowers.

Done but missing something...later I glued a yellow butterfly to the ribbon and it was perfect!

Simple hair clip, again sewn down to withstand the rigors of a four year old.

She loves it!

A tip for working with faux flowers.  TAKE THEM APART!

I attached the peacock feather to the interior structure of the flower.

All out of wire I had to painstakingly pull the "fuzz" out of some pipe cleaner!

Pressed for time and now after midnight I opted to grab the glue gun.

The middle was missing something so I glued several clear beads together to make a
"brooch" for the middle of the flower.

I folded a felt piece in quarters and then trimmed the corners to make the base.

And then did it again...

Take one of the two "bases" and fold it lengthwise and cut some perpendicular slits.

The slits allow for you to mount the hat to a headband (slide it through the different slits),
use a large alligator clip or even use barrettes and/or bobby pins to attach to your hair.

A bit understated for me...but it did the job!

I went thru my old pictures and pulled picts of all the hats and fascinators I have made to date.