Recycle/Re-purpose

Michelle Campbell

United Kingdom

• Upcycled Denim Hat Project by Jane Fryers

I read article Issue 83 Feb 2013, "How to turn a pair of jeans into a glamorous hat with Jane Fryers."

My first thought was to create a different style of hat using a pair of jeans. I started by blocking with buckram onto a 22" crown block. I do not have a brim block so I used a round board. I added a piece of denim to the crown. I changed my mind and decided to follow the principles of the article but changed the recycled material I was going to use. I chose an old top and an offcut of gabardine. I kept the first denim layer on the crown and used as a base layer. I covered the crown and underside of the brim using in the same material and used the gabardine for the topside of the brim. I added wire to the brim after the underside fabric was attached so the material would not come away at the ridge. I had some grey elastic that I used around the crown instead of using a ribbon. This was all stitched by hand into place. I used blue sinamay to edge the brim and trimmed the hat with a piece of crinoline and flowers. I hand stitched the elastic into the underside and added a lining in turquoise sateen to compliment the turquoise flower on top. I then added Petersham ribbon inside.

• Buckram
• Straw Stiffener
• Wire for the brim
• Denim scrap
• Gabardine offcut
• Old blue top
• Grey thick elastic
• White elastic
• Flowers to trim
• Flower tape for stems
• Turquoise sateen for lining
• Bondaweb to secure underside of brim
• Black Petersham ribbon
• Strip of sinamay for edging
• Needle
• Thread
• Scissors
• Crown block, wet cotton towel and iron
• Flat board for blocking the brim
• Blocking pins
• Wire cutters

• Blocking buckram on crown block
• Blocking buckram on flat surface
• Attaching and securing crown and brim together with needle and thread
• Stiffening buckram
• Adding layer to crown
• Bonding fabric to underside of brim
• Hand stitching to secure fabric on both side
• Hand stitching wire onto underside of brim
• Edging brim with sinamay
• Securing trimmings to topside
• Hand stitching lining
• Hand stitching Petersham ribbon