As part of a special series of tutorials on making upcycled hats using hat blocks from the Guy Morse-Brown Vintage Smalls Range, British milliner Jane Fryersshows you how to turn a laundry disaster into an amazing cashmere cowboy hat. In fact, she was inspired to make this hat by a couple of happy hat making accidents.

“I love cashmere jumpers! But sadly, they do have a habit of sneaking into the wrong washing pile,” explains Jane. “After a particular favourite came ‘a cropper’ in the hot wash, I was inspired to add to the effect by tumble-drying it as well. It came out beautifully soft and felted. I like the sharp angles of the CB60 crown block, but the fluffy felted cashmere made me decide I wanted to soften the crown shape slightly. I’d blocked the BB61 brim block in sinamay so I could play with the brim and I must have left it by the radiator. When I came to look at it, the sides had curled up like a little Stetson!”

You can recreate this look by using the same hat blocks or adapt the techniques to make your own blocked hat shape out of an old cashmere sweater.