The Dewdrop Hat

You're going to pick up on a bit of a pattern in succeeding posts. The cause: I've been flipping through old magazine covers(VOGUE: The Covers by Dodie Kazanjian). I didn't even make it to the 1920's before my brain was so overloaded with inspiration that I had to stop. Sigh. Why don't they make mainstream magazine covers like this anymore? Well, I know why, but that’s beside the point.

First up: the Dewdrop hat, based on an April 1915 cover illustration by George Wolfe Plank. Perfect for those days when you're dying for spring attitude but would still like to keep your head warm. I had considered trying to formulate a felted knitting pattern, but I don't currently have the knowledge, time, or resources to figure it out.

Your fabric needs to be heavyweight--something that will hold its shape, but as softly as possible. I wonder what a high quality felt would do. Or, if you find a lighter and prettier fabric, you might try lining it with something stiffer. This would also save you from having to finish the edges. Just sew your drop shapes together, leaving a couple inches open. Trim seams, clip curves, turn right side out and press before closing that last couple of inches. And check to make sure whatever fabric you choose will hold up under a few surprise bad weather days.

You'll need:

- at least 24 square inches of heavyweight fabric (and of lining, if using)

- Thread to match

- Various lengths of multi-colored ribbon, any width, but at least one length 1/4 – 1/2 inch wide and 1 1/2 yard long

- A few scraps of fabric for decoration

- A washable marking pencil

- A ruler

1 - Bring your selvage edges together and lay folded fabric out flat. In a lower corner, draw a circle 12 inches in diameter, nearly touching the fabric edges. Toward the opposite corner, make a mark 10 inches from the circle's edge. Using your ruler, draw a straight line from the mark to where it meets the circle on both sides, creating a drop shape. Cut it out. (If you'd rather, draw the shape on a large piece of paper first, then cut 2, or once from 2 layers of fabric.)

2 - On one of your pieces, wrong side up, mark 2 inches from the top point on the edge of one side. Draw a gently curving line to meet the opposite side edge a few inches before it meets the circle. Tack your ribbons (except that ¼ - ½ inch one) firmly to the front side only of this new edge, angled slightly toward the bottom of the drop. You can leave them all hanging straight, or in loops, twisting them, braiding them, etc.

Fold the ribbons snugly over the edge to the other side of the fabric and pin them down (they should now angle toward the top of the drop). Wind them together and temporarily secure to keep them out of the way. Right sides together, 1/4 inch from the edge, sew the smaller drop to the larger between the widest side points of the circle and the pointed top.

3 - Put on your new hat to check for proper snugness. How to wear it: This hat will work best with a bun at your crown or very low by your neck. The seam with the ribbons and overhanging edge runs along the top of your head, ending a few inches above your hairline. The bottom edge should sweep down within an inch or so of the corner of your eyes, and the whole hat should fit comfortably without wanting to fall into your eyes or pull back off your head. Make adjustments at the back seam, also adjusting the bottom curve of the drop shape to keep it as even as possible.

4 - For unsewn edges on the bottom and side of the hat, turn as slim a hem as you can manage and stitch it in place by hand. Machine-sew down one edge of your length of ribbon with a large stitch length.  On the underside of the hat fabric, match the unsewn edge of ribbon to the edge of the hat, pulling the gathering stitches to help it lie flat. Pin it carefully in place and adjust as you sew it down the middle and over the turned hat edge with a wide decorative stitch (hopefully your machine will allow for this). You might also want to sew along one or both sides of the ribbon, or at least tack them down periodically.

Also :

A - Take your fabric scraps and cut then into simple shapes or flowers, leaves, etc. Attach where and how you desire. Raw edges will fray over time, so if that look doesn’t appeal to you, sew two layers together and turn, or hand stitch to cover the edges.

B - You could do some stunning embroidery with any leftover ribbon.

C – Make it yours!

It’s a little more springtime! Enjoy, friends!

liv-cate 

a little more...1950's formal glamour

I was watching Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face the other day, and thought this would be a fairly easy way to add some drama to a simply cut dress. The trick will be finding fabric to coordinate, or adding details to tie in the color of the underskirt. A large wrap would be stunning. If you’d rather, you can purchase a pattern and make the whole thing from scratch, sewing the back bodice seam closed with no zipper or fastenings, and attaching the finished skirt only to the back of the finished bodice, and then proceeding from step 2. The cheater’s version involves finding a skirt readymade with the same waist circumference as your dress and starting at step 11.

Illustrations soon to follow, we promise!

You’ll need:

One full-skirted dress (the fuller the better), any length, with a straight, natural waistline, back zipper, and seams at both sides of the skirt

2 ½ yards 36”-45” wide fabric to match

An equal amount of lining fabric

()” zipper

Thread to match the fabric

A french curve

A washable marking pencil

A friend

If at all possible, serge fabric edges as directed, particularly if your fabric or lining tends to fray. Otherwise, trim and finish seams as desired. Sew all seams at ½ inch, or where stitching previously fell. Stitch with fabric right sides together unless otherwise directed.

1 – Unpick and remove back zipper, replacing with a seam. It may be helpful to hand stitch to close near other intact folds or stitching, such as at the neckline.

Unpick the front half of the skirt from the bodice at the waist. If skirt is gathered and will come undone when detached, first sew with a medium-long stitch across skirt layer(s) only, just below waistline, and then unpick.

2 – Get someone to measure around the fullest part of your hips, parallel to the floor. Add 4 inches. Divide by 2. This is your skirt panel width. Measure down from your natural waistline to the level of your hip measurement and save the number for step 6.

At your side, have them measure from the position of the waistline of the dress on your body to your desired length. Add 2 inches. This is your skirt panel length.

3 – Even the cut edges of your fabric. Mark the selvage edges down from the edge by your skirt panel length. Fold widthwise between the marks and lay fabric flat on the floor. Remove the single layer of extra fabric at the top.

Mark the top edge out from the upper left corner by your skirt panel width. Do the same at the bottom edge and at various points between the two, forming a broken line of dots. Cut fabric along these marks to form a 2-layer rectangle. Separate the layers.

4 – Take one layer of fabric and fold in half lengthwise. Slice along the fold. Serge all edges. Stitch the fabric back together along the top half of the cut. Press the seam open and unfinished edge ½ inch to the same side. This is the skirt back.

Take the other layer and remove an inch from the width. Mark the center at the top edge. This is the skirt front.

Sew front to back at sides.

5 – Repeat steps 3 and 4 with lining fabric, removing 1 ½ inches from skirt panel length measurement.

6 – Measure around the waistline of the dress. Cut a 1 inch strip of fabric 2 inches longer than this. Mark very clearly, an inch in from each side, and divide the remaining length by 6, making 5 more marks on the strip.

Divide your waistline measurement by twelve. Laying your skirt out flat, mark that distance from the side seam. Mark the side seam stitching down from the top edge by the waist to hip measurement from step 2. Using a french curve, draw a gently curving line between the marks. Do the same on the other side. Stitch along the line on the first side, and pin along it on the other. Leave original side seam and excess fabric attached. Repeat with the lining fabric.

7 – You’ll need your friend again. Wrap the strip around your waist, matching the two end marks at your side and closing with a safety pin.

With the seams facing out, step into skirt fabric. Pin new side seams to strip at the safety pin and opposite mark, and pin back seam and front center halfway between front and back strip markings.

8 – Smooth skirt fabric against the waistline strip, moving in from the sides and out from center front and center back seam, gathering the excess at the two front and back markings on the strip. Pin the excess together where it meets at the top edge of the fabric.

Fold the excess toward the outside, forming a pleat in the fabric beneath each mark. Attempting to keep left and right sides even, adjust these folds until the skirt lies smoothly but not too tight against your body, with no wrinkles or bulges. (During this process, check to be sure your curved side seams need no adjustment. If they do, unpick a little if necessary and then pin both layers together where the seam should be.) Pin pleats in place through all three layers of fabric.

Mark on the center back seam where you want your opening to begin.

9 - On the pinned side seam, mark changes if you have made any and remove the pins. Carefully step out of your skirt. Mark the position of the back opening (coming down from the top), all the folds, and any side seam changes to your lining fabric.

Restitch your first side seam if necessary, and trim the fabric excess to ½ inch. Press skirt seams open. Check for uniformity from right to left side on both front and back pleats, and lightly press them all in place. Stitch pleats in place ¼ inch from edge of fabric. You may also stitch along the fold to form darts in the back and/or front of the skirt.

Unpick up toward or stitch down to the mark for your center back opening, being sure to stitch and backstitch an inch or so above to reinforce the seam. Repeat this and the paragraph above with the lining.

10 –WRONG sides together, place lining fabric against skirt fabric, matching pleats and seams. Leaving 2 inches open on both sides of your unstitched side seam, sew around the top of your skirt, 3/8 inch from the edge, securing skirt and lining together and seams and pleats in place. Line up center back seams and stitch 1/8 inch to each side. Stitch a short horizontal line a few times over, right above the back opening. Sew lining to skirt at pressed edge, again 1/8 inch from the fold.

Turn the bottom of your skirt fabric ½ inch under, and press. Turn it another ¾ - 1 inch and blind hem, enclosing the cut edge of the lining. Hand stitch hem edges closed at back opening.

11 – Step back into the skirt. Put the dress on over, with the all of the full skirt at your back. Stand naturally, and have your friend mark where the original stitching line meets the skirt, lifting the overskirt to mark the back.

Remove the skirt. Baste the unfinished side seam closed. Check the waistline marks for left-right uniformity on both front and back. Use your French curve if needed to draw a smooth line between marks. Stitch through skirt and lining layers along this line, and trim outside edge to ½ inch. Serge the new skirt edge.

12 – Yes, this could be tricky, but turn the skirt inside out and place dress inside, and match and pin stitching lines on skirt and bodice front. Sew them together and finish the edges. Pin and sew stitching lines of skirt back and detached portion of full skirt. Pin to the bodice/overskirt back seam and sew. Turn dress right side out and check for needed adjustments.

13 – Turn dress inside out. On the side of your basted skirt seam, with zipper closed, line the zipper up with the side seam of the bodice and underskirt, placing zipper head a few inches below underarm seam. Pin carefully in place. Turn dress right side out. Stitch 1/8 – ¼ inch from both sides of the side seam, first above and then below the waistline, being careful to avoid the overskirt. Check to see that zipper is well attached with no distortions. If so, stitch and backstitch a short horizontal line just above and below working zipper area. Firmly tack free zipper ends to dress inside. Remove basting stitches in underskirt and unpick side bodice seam where they cover the zipper.

For a bolder look:

After step 6, lay the skirt flat. Mark the bottom a few or more inches in from the sides and taper down to that point from about 6 inches below the curved line. Stitch new seam and trim excess, serging edges.

Enjoy!

liv-cate