2021 HATalk Hat Making Competition Winners

HATalk turned 15 this year and, to celebrate, we challenged hat makers everywhere to create an original hat or headpiece inspired by a HATalk article or project for the 2021 HATalk Competition.

Since the first issue of HATalk was published in 2006, we have highlighted the work of hundreds of hat makers and featured tutorials by some of the world’s top millinery tutors. For this year’s HATalk Competition, we wanted you to take a dive into our archives.

After much discussion and debate, our expert judges – Denise Innes-Spencer, Judy Bentinck and HATalk Editor Becky Weaver – chose the First, Second, Third and Fourth Place Winners. The Public Prize Winner was decided by an online vote which ended on 2 June 2021.

First Place

Name of Hat/Headpiece

Theia

Name of Maker

Anel Heyman

Country

New Zealand

HATalk Archive Inspiration

• Vegan Fabric Feather Project by Rachel Warrillow

Prizes

• £1000 (GBP) Guy Morse-Brown Hat Blocks Voucher
• 1-year HATalk Subscription

Photography: Courtney Martin
Make-up: Pania Ryan
Model: Krystal Leigh

VIEW ENTRY

Second Place

Name of Hat/Headpiece

Meadow

Name of Maker

Rafael Peinador Perez

Country

United Kingdom

HATalk Archive Inspiration

• Bonnet Frame Project by Ani Stafford-Townsend
• Poke Bonnet Project by Ani-Stafford-Townsend
• Crin Daisy Project by Sharon Panozzo

Prize

• 300€ (EUR)  Plooij Hats and Materials Voucher
• $250 (USD) Ribbon Connections, Inc. Voucher
• £150 (GBP) The Trimming Company  Voucher
• 1-year HATalk Subscription

VIEW ENTRY

Third Place

Name of Hat/Headpiece

Kimono

Name of Maker

Sarah Gross

Country

United Kingdom

HATalk Archive Inspiration

• Jinsin Saucer Hat Project by Catherine Ellen
• Windowpane Sinamay Hat Brim Project by Laura Del Villaggio

Prize

• $250 (USD) Sun Yorkos Voucher
• 165€ (EUR) The Craft House Voucher
• $100 (AUD) Hatters Millinery Supplies Voucher
• 1-year HATalk Subscription

VIEW ENTRY

Fourth Place

Name of Hat/Headpiece

‘At the Drop of a Hat’

Name of Maker

Lauren Thompson

Country

United Kingdom

HATalk Archive Inspiration

• HATalk Issue 1: The Back Page: At the Drop of a Hat
• HATalk Issue 17: Tiara Making by Janet Ricketts
• HATalk Issue 23: Rouleau Magic 2 by Pat Phillpott
• HATalk Issue 40: A metal drinks can…becomes a hat decoration
• HATalk Issue 49: Make Your Own Bling Felt Hat by Wendy White
• HATalk Issue 63: Using a Fascinator Block with Heidi Lawton Part 2- Creating Machine Embroidered Flowers
• HATalk Issue 76: Make Sinamay Feathers with Bridget Bailey
• HATalk Issue 93: Make a Sinamay Bow with Judy Bentinck
• HATalk Issue 94: Feather Curling By Georgina Abbott
• HATalk Issue 110: Make a Leather Rose by Svetlana Faulkner
• HATalk Issue 127: The 1-Hour Biot Flower- A tutorial by Michelle Osbourne
• HATalk Issue 135: Make an EVA Foam Orchid by Galina Kofod
• HATalk Issue 152: Double Diagonal Headband Trim by Jan Wutkowski
• HATalk Issue 154: Make a Biot Bird by Lynn McMasters
• HATalk Issue 175: Goose Nagoire Feather Mount Tutorial by Rachel Nixon
• HATalk Issue 179: Textured PomPom Tutorial by Elena Shvab

Prize

• Custom Fabric Flowers from M&S Schmalberg
• $100 (AUD) Hatters Millinery Supplies Voucher
• 1-year HATalk Subscription

VIEW ENTRY

Public Prize

This entry received 1691 votes in our online public vote.

Name of Hat/Headpiece

［SPEED ]

Name of Maker

Wen-Ting Kuo

Country

Taiwan

HATalk Archive Inspiration

• Issue 172: Royal Ascot 2020 Millinery Auction

Prize

• $200 (USD) Judith M Voucher
• 1-year HATalk Subscription

VIEW ENTRY

Special Mentions

The following entries were shortlisted by the judges and received special mentions:

Anita Marshall

Fleur Curtis

Leanne Cairns

Megan Hughes

Sarah O’Rourke

Stephanie Smith

Wen-Ting Kuo

Tina Williams