Dragon Eye

Sue Ranbarger

United States

• HATalk Issue 144: Uncharted – Don’t Give Up the Ship 

My hats or any creation has to really move me. It needs to tell a story or make people feel something. I liked the Don't give up the ship article because they are also an American hatter and feel the same way I do. They wanted something inspiring, mysterious and attached to folklore. The lining for one of their hats was done by a tattoo artist named Lango and it featured a dragon. This was my inspiration for this hat. Its only my second millinery hat and the second hat I've made using a capeline rather than wet felting.

I made a dragon eye purse and wanted to try my hand at making a matching set. I wanted a really contrasting color scheme, hence the red eye on the teal felt. I still felt it needed something and the lovely peacock feather complimented the dragon theme well.

I blocked the capeline first then cut out the section for the eye. The eye shape insert was done using needle felting then attached into the cutout.

• A capeline in teal
• Glass eye attached to a metal base
• Peacock feather
• Velvet headband
• Assorted feathers
• Satin liner
• Grosgrain
• Corriedale wool
• Stiffener

• Blocking
• Stiffening
• Needle felting
• Making a lining
• Stripping and shaping a feather
• Hand sewing