Regency Sunbonnet

The best thing about wet yucky holidays is I get to make stuff.  This week's project:  a straw hat for a Regency picnic.  This turned out lovely, and was so much easier than I thought it would be!

Step 1: Find a straw hat with a wide flat brim.  Something not so crispy will work better when you try to push a needle through it. Crispy breaks up & you might not be able to save it.

Step 2: Cut off the brim into a more period shape.  The back of the bonnet rests against your neck so you need to cut away enough to allow that.  Cut back the sides to a shape you like.  I looked in the mirror & took off a little at a time until I liked where the ties would land.

 Step 3: Get a piece of fabric cut on the bias that is long enough to go all the way around the brim and wide enough to be as deep as the brim plus ~5 inches.  With right sides together stitch the bias around the top side of the hat. Turn the fabric to the inside & tuck it in.

Step 4: Arrange the fabric so that it looks nice.  Stitch down the tucks about 1" inside the hat.  If the hat came with a band inside stitch to that.  If it didn't you may need to put a piece of fabric tape inside to stitch to.  Trim off excess fabric leaving enough to finish the edge, either by rolling under & stitching or by binding or by lining the hat.  Mine's for summer so I didn't want a full lining. 

Step 5: Make a long tie out of fabric or get a long wide ribbon.  Attach to the hat so that the ends cross in the center back and at the outer edges. Tack to the binding.

Step 6: Add decoration at will.

Step 7: Wear your beautiful new hat.