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labricoleuseThis post comes from an email query; i thought it would be helpful to share my response here though where it could be Googlable in future for others with a similar situation! Here's the inquiry (edited from the original):
I recently acquired an older ladies Panama hat likely from the 1940's. It is a very fine weave & somewhat soiled, as well. It has a 1 1/4" crease where the straw has now gone through from both sides creating this tear, so to speak. What can I do or anyone you know that is able to restore this wonderful piece? How would you suggest cleaning it?
My response:
It sounds like a difficult repair, particularly if this is a hat you plan to wear on the street (i.e., not for a stage play). It sounds like the weave is very fine, such that a net patch would be difficult to do invisibly. I do have a post that shows the basics of doing a net patch on straw, but demonstrated on a very coarse weave hat. I've also posted about machine patching of torn straws for stage (scroll down to the 2nd hat), which is another repair technique though also quite visible.
Is the hat style such that you could retrim it in such a way as to hide a more visible patch repair where the tear is? That could be an option.
As for cleaning, the Village Hat Shop site has a good quick overview of cleaning and basic refurb of straw hats.
For a professional reweaving style repair, you could ship it to Worth & Worth, who are the only folks i know of who do fine Panama repairs.
Good luck, and i hope you find a way to fix your hat! It sounds lovely!
I recently acquired an older ladies Panama hat likely from the 1940's. It is a very fine weave & somewhat soiled, as well. It has a 1 1/4" crease where the straw has now gone through from both sides creating this tear, so to speak. What can I do or anyone you know that is able to restore this wonderful piece? How would you suggest cleaning it?
My response:
It sounds like a difficult repair, particularly if this is a hat you plan to wear on the street (i.e., not for a stage play). It sounds like the weave is very fine, such that a net patch would be difficult to do invisibly. I do have a post that shows the basics of doing a net patch on straw, but demonstrated on a very coarse weave hat. I've also posted about machine patching of torn straws for stage (scroll down to the 2nd hat), which is another repair technique though also quite visible.
Is the hat style such that you could retrim it in such a way as to hide a more visible patch repair where the tear is? That could be an option.
As for cleaning, the Village Hat Shop site has a good quick overview of cleaning and basic refurb of straw hats.
For a professional reweaving style repair, you could ship it to Worth & Worth, who are the only folks i know of who do fine Panama repairs.
Good luck, and i hope you find a way to fix your hat! It sounds lovely!
