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labricoleuseSo many folks liked my sinamay straw tricorne that i promised i'd post more on the subject, so here you go: a super-easy DIY picture series for making your own straw tricorne, including info on how to do it as a no-sew project.
Now's the time when you can find hats like this a dime a dozen at stores like Target and Wal-Mart, in the accessories-stock mall stores like Claire's and Afterthoughts, and for only slightly more at retailers like TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Kohl's, etc. And, to each her own of course, but i find these hats boring and prissy-looking in general. This one is made of a paper straw called toyo, though you can also find them made up in jute, raffia, and various kinds of nicer wheatstraws and such.
The first step is to flip the hat inside-out. This is because most straw hats of this sort have the edge turned over and stitched, and because the tricorne's brim is flipped up and visible, I wanted that turned-over edge to be toward the crown. Note in the above picture how i've turned it--the flower spray and braided hatband is now UNDER the brim.
If you are using a genuine straw hat, you'll want to mist it with hot water or steam before flipping or stitching. You can use steam from a steam iron (domestic iron that steams is fine for this), clothes steamer, or even just hold it over a boiling pot of water. This will keep the straw from splintering and breaking. If, as i have here, you are using a paper, jute, or synthetic straw, it's not necessary--they won't splinter if you sew through them. If the hat seems particularly brittle, don't be afraid to soak it in warm water even! It won't hurt it, it'll help it become pliable again.
The next step is to fold up the three sides and tack them to the crown. You may want to try pinning them up in a couple different ways--the tricorne will sit differently depending on whether you tack them high up the crown or low down near the headsize opening.
If you really want to be speedy about it, or if you can't sew, you can use a stapler or brads to tack up the sides! Seriously, the brads will look like rivets, and the staples won't be visible except for up very close due to the weave of the straw.
You also may discover that there is seemingly "too much" brim to take the shape you want--i did. I solved this by making a decorative tuck in one of my tacked-up sides, thus:
Tuck located just behind the pink/peach flowers.
So, there you go, the fastest-ever super-inexpensive straw tricorne for summer. It's especially cute paired with a kerchief--somewhat piratical! Now instead of looking like a scrub when i'm too lazy to do my hair, i'll look fashionable (or eccentric and crazy, i guess, depending on your opinion of non-trucker-hats as everyday wear). I'm doing a larger, slightly more complicated version as well, which i'll be posting about within the next week or so, so if the prospect of making your own take on this one is TOO easy for you, the next (and final) one will probably be more your liking.
Me, i'm excited that i've turned this (IMO) kind of ugly hat into a cute fun straw hat i'll actually wear. In fact, i'm wearing it now, even as i type this.
Now's the time when you can find hats like this a dime a dozen at stores like Target and Wal-Mart, in the accessories-stock mall stores like Claire's and Afterthoughts, and for only slightly more at retailers like TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Kohl's, etc. And, to each her own of course, but i find these hats boring and prissy-looking in general. This one is made of a paper straw called toyo, though you can also find them made up in jute, raffia, and various kinds of nicer wheatstraws and such.
The first step is to flip the hat inside-out. This is because most straw hats of this sort have the edge turned over and stitched, and because the tricorne's brim is flipped up and visible, I wanted that turned-over edge to be toward the crown. Note in the above picture how i've turned it--the flower spray and braided hatband is now UNDER the brim.
If you are using a genuine straw hat, you'll want to mist it with hot water or steam before flipping or stitching. You can use steam from a steam iron (domestic iron that steams is fine for this), clothes steamer, or even just hold it over a boiling pot of water. This will keep the straw from splintering and breaking. If, as i have here, you are using a paper, jute, or synthetic straw, it's not necessary--they won't splinter if you sew through them. If the hat seems particularly brittle, don't be afraid to soak it in warm water even! It won't hurt it, it'll help it become pliable again.
The next step is to fold up the three sides and tack them to the crown. You may want to try pinning them up in a couple different ways--the tricorne will sit differently depending on whether you tack them high up the crown or low down near the headsize opening.
If you really want to be speedy about it, or if you can't sew, you can use a stapler or brads to tack up the sides! Seriously, the brads will look like rivets, and the staples won't be visible except for up very close due to the weave of the straw.
You also may discover that there is seemingly "too much" brim to take the shape you want--i did. I solved this by making a decorative tuck in one of my tacked-up sides, thus:
Tuck located just behind the pink/peach flowers.
So, there you go, the fastest-ever super-inexpensive straw tricorne for summer. It's especially cute paired with a kerchief--somewhat piratical! Now instead of looking like a scrub when i'm too lazy to do my hair, i'll look fashionable (or eccentric and crazy, i guess, depending on your opinion of non-trucker-hats as everyday wear). I'm doing a larger, slightly more complicated version as well, which i'll be posting about within the next week or so, so if the prospect of making your own take on this one is TOO easy for you, the next (and final) one will probably be more your liking.
Me, i'm excited that i've turned this (IMO) kind of ugly hat into a cute fun straw hat i'll actually wear. In fact, i'm wearing it now, even as i type this.
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no subject
Date: 2007-03-30 12:30 am (UTC)Thanks for the wonderful and simple directions!!
no subject
Date: 2007-03-31 02:20 am (UTC)I have used hello kitty lapel pins to pin up the sides for the time being, I'm going to either get less ostentatious pins or sew the sides later. I've also added a rosette purchased at H&M some years back. I am SO pleased. Fixes my jones for a tricorne without spending a million dollars or looking too halloween costumey. YAY.
no subject
Date: 2007-06-01 06:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-02 02:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-22 06:28 pm (UTC)I've worn this thing six or seven times now, and it's a little battered, but still going strong.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-23 01:05 am (UTC)