Beach Clothes

So the Christmas presents are finished and it's time to go on vacation.

In a fit of idiocy on the day before we left for Hawaii, I decided to see if I could finish the sun hat I had cut early.  (I copied a hat I had to return because it was too small.)

I hated the one we made in class because it felt like a ton of bricks on my head and the fit was not perfect either.  I was determined to make a light weight, packable, sun hat.  I had this fabric left from something I made for my mother-in-law back in the 1970's. 

It turned out really well.  I used very light weight, very stiff, fusible-on-both sides stuff for the the brim.  Attaching it to the band was really tricky!  

The whole crown flattens down (it is unlined for coolness), I roll the brim slightly at the edges to close my suitcase, and wow!   I have a travelling sun hat!

After that 4-hour bit of insanity, I decided to try to copy my friend's dress from Mexico.  I just used what I had in the house, and I can't get the proper knitted fabric for the yoke like the original had.  That makes all the difference in how it hangs, but it turned out pretty well.

Miles and miles of ribbon and lace...

It's a comfy flowing cover-up sort of thing, although her's could be worn as a dress.  I just don't think I would do that with this one, unless maybe it was a luau...  Great for a family dinner by the pool though!

Amy Butler Hat - Class Project

I knew this class project was doomed before it began, but I did it anyway because I wanted to learn how to do it.  

The pattern pieces make a very nice hat and the instructions work well.  I learned how to do a better job of attaching the brim.  HOWEVER, they wanted us to use Amy Butler fabric (heavy) and follow their recommendations for heavy duckcloth for the interlining (to make it strong).  I knew I would detest a heavy hat, and I do.  (After a year of stewing over it I put it in the fundraiser yard sale my daughter had to raise money for their pre-school.)

It was TERRIBLY heavy, and the silly thing is that one can do it just as effectively WITHOUT making it heavy.  (Please see the one I made in December 2010, which I love:  http://nanabs-sewing-fun.blogspot.com/2011/02/beach-clothes.html )

I won't go into any more detail because I do not like to wear the hat, and I don't believe anyone should issue instructions to make such a wretched item. 

Inside (my lining was not at all tidy, but by then I didn't care; it was all too wretched)

Lovely, but HEAVY

It actually looked nice on, because it is a good design.  It looked even better on my little granddaughter.  It's STILL heavy.

(from sometime in summer of 2010)

2008 Christmas Sewing #3 - Hats and Things

Mr. Precious gets a bomber hat. I designed it from scratch and it was somewhat successful. He still wears it.

I used drapery pleating stiffener (2 layers) for the bill. (I need a source of proper hat brims.)

The flaps come down and velcro attaches them under the chin.

A pink bonnet for our Princess. I used the dolly hat/hood pattern, expanded it, and added the band across the top which velcros under the chin.

Tucks at the back of the net to fit.

And her dolly needed a matching one. This dolly is too small for the hat, but it fits her own dolly better.

Side view

There were also several pairs of diapers and panties, by request of the Princess.

Just for fun, I'm throwing in this Christmas present decoration. It contained woodblock calendars for each of my daughters, so I put them both on the present! (Their Dad drew the holding hands part.)

As you can see I'm NOT an artist... But my girls were quite amused!