singlechange
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 152
- Location
- Washington D.C.
So yesterday on Saturday I had my first hat fitting. Master hatter Vince Corvelli is holding my hat, a buntal straw hat he is making for me from a hat blank I found on eBay. The seller on eBay noted in the auction listing that the buntal hat blank was from the Philippines circa 1940's. A week before when I showed it to Vince and we examined the buntal hat blank together, we decided there was really nothing special about it but since I had it we'd agreed to make it into a hat for me. Yesterday I saw how much Vince had done. The photograph shows him holding my unfinished hat. A nice crown of his own choosing and a brim not yet established. He said it took more work than he usually takes because the hat is very very light in weight and also that he discovered that the weaver had signed his name onto the hat. Vince had a brown leather sweat band not yet sewn in and a black ribbon to show me he plans to use in the next phase in the making of the hat. He inserted the leather sweat band temporarily so I could try on the hat for the fit and the size turned out perfect for me. He placed the ribbon on the hat too and we decided it was also just right.
Here is what it all looked like the week before and what form it started from. The buntal hat blank is ten and a quarter inches in total length.......
