HATalk Competition Entry 2023

Meagan Feeder

Maker
Meagan Feeder

Country
United States

Name of Hat
Tiger Butterfly

Description

When I saw that the theme for this year is ‘EARTH’, I knew I was going to create a hat inspired by a certain picture. My favorite thing to do is spend time with my grandson and watch as he discovers new things; especially in nature. He was amazed to see a huge butterfly make a landing on the flowers right in front of him. The vivid yellow and black Tiger Butterfly is such a contrast against the grass, dirt, and pink blooms. I tried to create a hat that captured this photo. I’ve had a stash of the DMC Memory Thread for years and turns out it was perfect for this project.

Just as the earth is versatile, my hat/fascinator can be worn several different ways. Usually worn off to the right side, it can be positioned on top of the head or centered over the forehead. An elastic band and hair comb inside for secure fastening.

Materials:

Sinamay
DMC Memory Thread
Acrylic paint
Swarovski Crystals and Diamond Dots
Hat elastic and a hair comb
Thread and glue

Techniques:

Hand formed sinamay base
Inserted Memory Thread Stems through the top layer of my base, bent the edges flatly and glued in place.
An awl was used to wrap the memory thread around in a spiral pattern. 1/4″ ends were left straight to glue onto stems.
The butterfly was custom painted and embellished to resemble a Tiger Butterfly. This was lightly glued onto the flowers.
Simple binding finished the edges and two rows of yellow memory thread as an added touch.
Hat elastic and a hair comb attached to the inside.

Note: Entries have been not been edited or proofread to protect the integrity of the maker's original meaning.