Giving a Hat a Second Chance at Life

17 Jun

I have a darling brown hat that I have had for at least ten years now. It has been my favorite hat since the beginning. It has gone with me to the Oregon Coast, the California Coast, North Carolina and even Spain. Suffice it to say that it is basically the perfect traveling hat- getting smushed doesn’t hurt it a bit. And no, I don’t remember where I got it. Everything  was fine until after coming home from Spain and I – gasp – washed it. Maybe it was something in the rain over there, but after that, it was faded and kind of sad looking.  And then, I decided it was also the perfect hat for working in a bakery. . .  and sweat lines appeared pretty quickly . ewwww.

 So, the favorite all-outfits-match hat was sadly relegated to the sidelines for quite a few years. I’ve worn it off and on, but always very conscious of the sweat lines marring it’s perfection.

cute hat  - sad stains and fading...

cute hat – sad stains and fading…

I have been trying to figure out how not to have to throw it away for about a year now, ribbon around the band perhaps? lace? But everything I came across was the wrong width, looked awful or any other number of reasons that it didn’t work out. But, one night a few weeks ago, I realized I had the perfect lace (correction: it was my mom’s lace I had from another project I had done). After getting approval from her to use it, I quickly got to work. It only took maybe five minutes and wowzers, the difference.

All I did was pin one end of the lace at the back of the hat’s band. Wrapped the lace around, putting random pins in as I went.

pinning..

pinning..

Then I folded the ends of the lace at the back and lined them up as best as I could.

fold, pin, repeat

fold, pin, repeat

After that, I threaded some white thread (I didn’t have cream colored thread) and stitched my way around the brim. I only stitched at the top of the lace, and wasn’t too intense about that. All I was shooting for was it being sewed on enough to stay.  And that was that – I now will be able to wear my hat more often again! Granted, the bit of lace around the brim doesn’t cover all the fading and such that is on the hat, but it separates the different colors enough that I don’t think anyone will notice.

complete!

complete!

*I know I have been a bit missing on here lately and I’m hoping to remedy that starting this week. I am excited about what I have coming up here on The Start of a Good Life, and I hope you’ll keep coming back to visit!

24 Responses to “Giving a Hat a Second Chance at Life”

  1. Caity @ Where The Heart Is June 18, 2014 at 7:11 pm #

    Oh I love this lace add-on! So cute!

    Like

  2. logancan June 18, 2014 at 7:21 pm #

    What a great idea! I love it!

    Like

  3. Amberly June 18, 2014 at 8:44 pm #

    So cute!! 🙂

    Like

  4. ruthyanntaylor June 18, 2014 at 8:55 pm #

    this is why i wish i had crafty/sewing skills…i think a lot of my stuff could be salvaged, but I don’t have the simple creativity/ability to do it!

    Like

    • booksnbakery June 19, 2014 at 10:06 am #

      Honestly, I don’t have much creativity either, that’s why I was so excited this actually worked out! =)

      Like

  5. Rebekah June 18, 2014 at 9:10 pm #

    How cute!!

    Like

  6. L June 18, 2014 at 9:27 pm #

    Loves really beautiful x

    Like

    • L June 18, 2014 at 9:27 pm #

      Looks*

      Like

  7. Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes June 19, 2014 at 1:48 am #

    Love the idea of recycling old clothes like this.

    Like

    • booksnbakery June 19, 2014 at 10:07 am #

      Thanks! I’ve always wanted to get my things to last as long as possible. =)

      Like

  8. Mandi Welbaum (@MandiWelbaum) June 19, 2014 at 7:03 am #

    Oh that’s cute!

    Like

  9. Taneja's Bride June 19, 2014 at 10:53 am #

    Great idea!! Giving your accessories a makeover sometimes really helps! ❤

    Like

  10. lovetheskinnys June 19, 2014 at 11:15 am #

    Oh! Love that. Cute.

    Like

  11. amber.m June 19, 2014 at 11:46 am #

    How cute! What a great idea!

    Like

  12. Starr June 19, 2014 at 1:57 pm #

    Fantastic, something old is new again!

    StarrJoy16.blogspot.com

    Like

  13. Laura June 19, 2014 at 6:59 pm #

    That’s cute! Would love to see it ON you!

    Like

    • booksnbakery June 19, 2014 at 8:59 pm #

      I am hoping/planning on wearing it soon and hopefully grab a picture too! This week has been…well, not what I had hoped, so it never happened.

      Like

  14. cam | bibs and baubles June 19, 2014 at 10:12 pm #

    That’s really cute. Great job jazzing it up.

    Like

  15. Annabel Krantz June 20, 2014 at 6:01 am #

    Cute! I love hats 🙂 Great job refreshing an old fav!

    Like

  16. kristinethefoleyfamblogk June 20, 2014 at 9:25 am #

    Love that extra touch!

    Like

  17. Raewyn Sangari June 20, 2014 at 9:52 am #

    The lace adds the perfect touch!!

    Like

  18. Betsy Gettis June 20, 2014 at 4:17 pm #

    Cute update!

    Like

Leave a comment

A Musing Maverick

Ilse Davison

Elaine Howlin Studio

lost in the pages of books

1 Write Way

Places where you can find my writing, knitting, photographs, and cat collection.

Beneath the Raindrops

a journey within a state of grace