What Hat Are You Working On Today?

[Judgmentalist]

I’ve been jealous of Rick’s lineup of straw fedoras for awhile, lol, and haven’t had much luck finding a dark brown one that fit, so I thought I’d try my hand at making one. This is using a dark chocolate Parasisal body from Leko.

Oooooh I want one

 

[HatsBySam]

A lot of times these seemingly lost causes turn out to be my favorite refurbs

 

[Chuck14911]

An easy way is to take the old sweat that you're replacing and use it as a pattern for the new sweat. Of course, you'll have to cut the stitches and the reed that join the old sweat together and then lay it over top of the new one for your pattern. Make your marks and then cut it. As far as cutting the reed, I usually cut mine at 11/16 longer than the sweat. It gives a nice bell shape to where the sweat will sit nicely on top of the opening of the hat rather than sinking down inside of it...and yes. A ferrule to join the reed

I’d like to learn how to sew one into a hat

 

[RickP]

Did a bit of updating on one of my problem hats. A Stetson Braided Hemp Open Road. Its a well worn hat that had a bad habit of going floppy, developing funny creases, and losing its shape. Brim was a particular issue as it kept developing wavy places.. Did some steaming and ironing to smooth things out, and added some blonde shellac to the fiber. Once dried I steamed and reshaped the brim into a snap brim, and the crown changed from a cattlemans crease to more of a fedora center dent/ front pinch.

Now Ive got a Stratoliner-ish Braided Hemp with a 3/4" taller crown..... Love these sage green hemps.... Never give up on a used hat!

 

[RickP]

Barely halfway through the week and its been interesting to say the least. I wore the new- to- me Pennys Marathon to a wound care appointment early tuesday ( Ive been dealing with persistant open foot wound for 7 yrs now) Short story.. walking into the building a little thunderstorm and rain caught me in the parking lot so the poor little hat got a bit wet.

Doc took one look at the foot and sent me to the ER for blood-work, cat scan, ultrasound on foot and leg, and about 5 hrs of antibiotic IVs. They finally decided I need to be held for a while so the checked me in into a regular room. Had a bit of sleep between poking an prodding, and more IV every two hours. All the time my unassuming little Marathon was my companion. Dr came in early this morning and said I was stabilized enough to go home. Loaded me up with oral antibiotics, and instructions to see my Dr today to arrange for daily antibiotic IV for about 14 days , and no alcohol ( this happened about 7 yrs ago... not fun) . Guess its fruit juice and iced tea for a while.

So what does any good hat guy do. As Soon as I got home I limped out back and played with the puppy ( hes glad Im home.... did fine with the dog sitters but I guess they didnt feed him right lol) while performing a good gas bath on my poor hospital companion. Due to dirt in the felt, the rain had left spots all over the hat. Felt will be fine and it looks like the cool little spaceship ribbon made it, but the sad sweatband just absolutely fell apart. No prob, Ill just make a new one. Got it all washed, reblocked, and have it drying out. Now I can relax and take a good nap in a read bed.

So what did YOU do this week lol

 

[jeffgarf]

Barely halfway through the week and its been interesting to say the least. I wore the new- to- me Pennys Marathon to a wound care appointment early wednesday ( Ive been dealing with persistant open foot wound for 7 yrs now) Short story.. walking into the building a little thunderstorm and rain caught me in the parking lot so the poor little hat got a bit wet.

View attachment 806130
Doc took one look at the foot and sent me to the ER for blood-work, cat scan, ultrasound on foot and leg, and about 5 hrs of antibiotic IVs. They finally decided I need to be held for a while so the checked in into a regular room. Had a bit of sleep between poking an prodding, and more IV every two hours. All the time my unassuming little Marathon was my companion. Dr came in early this morning and said I was stabilized enough to go home. Loaded me up with oral antibiotics, and instructions to see my Dr today to arrange for daily antibiotic IV for about 14 days , and no alcohol ( this happened about 7 yrs ago... not fun) . Guess its fruit juice and iced tea for a while.

So what does any good hat guy do. As Soon as I got home I limped out back and played with the puppy while performing a good gas bath on my poor hospital companion. Due to dirt in the felt, the rain had left spots all over the hat. Felt will be fine and it looks like the cool little spaceship ribbon made it, but the sad sweatband just absolutely fell apart. No prob, Ill just make a new one. Got it all washed, reblocked, and have it drying out. Now I can relax and take a good nap in a read bed.

View attachment 806129

So what did YOU do this week lol

Get well soon and back to working on those hats. Clearly, the foot problem hadn't slowed you down and I'm sure it won't now.

 

[HatsBySam]

Barely halfway through the week and its been interesting to say the least. I wore the new- to- me Pennys Marathon to a wound care appointment early tuesday ( Ive been dealing with persistant open foot wound for 7 yrs now) Short story.. walking into the building a little thunderstorm and rain caught me in the parking lot so the poor little hat got a bit wet.

View attachment 806130
Doc took one look at the foot and sent me to the ER for blood-work, cat scan, ultrasound on foot and leg, and about 5 hrs of antibiotic IVs. They finally decided I need to be held for a while so the checked me in into a regular room. Had a bit of sleep between poking an prodding, and more IV every two hours. All the time my unassuming little Marathon was my companion. Dr came in early this morning and said I was stabilized enough to go home. Loaded me up with oral antibiotics, and instructions to see my Dr today to arrange for daily antibiotic IV for about 14 days , and no alcohol ( this happened about 7 yrs ago... not fun) . Guess its fruit juice and iced tea for a while.

So what does any good hat guy do. As Soon as I got home I limped out back and played with the puppy ( hes glad Im home.... did fine with the dog sitters but I guess they didnt feed him right lol) while performing a good gas bath on my poor hospital companion. Due to dirt in the felt, the rain had left spots all over the hat. Felt will be fine and it looks like the cool little spaceship ribbon made it, but the sad sweatband just absolutely fell apart. No prob, Ill just make a new one. Got it all washed, reblocked, and have it drying out. Now I can relax and take a good nap in a read bed.

View attachment 806129

So what did YOU do this week lol

Sorry to hear about your ordeal, hope you feel better soon!

 

[blewnote]

Barely halfway through the week and its been interesting to say the least. I wore the new- to- me Pennys Marathon to a wound care appointment early tuesday ( Ive been dealing with persistant open foot wound for 7 yrs now) Short story.. walking into the building a little thunderstorm and rain caught me in the parking lot so the poor little hat got a bit wet.

View attachment 806130
Doc took one look at the foot and sent me to the ER for blood-work, cat scan, ultrasound on foot and leg, and about 5 hrs of antibiotic IVs. They finally decided I need to be held for a while so the checked me in into a regular room. Had a bit of sleep between poking an prodding, and more IV every two hours. All the time my unassuming little Marathon was my companion. Dr came in early this morning and said I was stabilized enough to go home. Loaded me up with oral antibiotics, and instructions to see my Dr today to arrange for daily antibiotic IV for about 14 days , and no alcohol ( this happened about 7 yrs ago... not fun) . Guess its fruit juice and iced tea for a while.

So what does any good hat guy do. As Soon as I got home I limped out back and played with the puppy ( hes glad Im home.... did fine with the dog sitters but I guess they didnt feed him right lol) while performing a good gas bath on my poor hospital companion. Due to dirt in the felt, the rain had left spots all over the hat. Felt will be fine and it looks like the cool little spaceship ribbon made it, but the sad sweatband just absolutely fell apart. No prob, Ill just make a new one. Got it all washed, reblocked, and have it drying out. Now I can relax and take a good nap in a read bed.

View attachment 806129

So what did YOU do this week lol

Woof, that's a rough one buddy. Hope you feel better soon.

My wife is an Infectious disease doc at the VA and she tells me every now and then about these persistent infections and it sounds like no fun at all. Hopefully the doctors will be able to get rid of it so you don't have to worry about it anymore, 7 years is about 6 3/4 years longer than I would have been able to last without losing my ish and insisting they figure out how to fix me!

 

[RickP]

The Marathon made it through the bath just fine

That poor thing had some real nastiness imbedded. Scared me when I was draining the fuel back into the can.... glad I stuffed some gauze in the filter

The sweatband turned out to be something not of nature. It just curled up, fell apart, and started melting ( that may be what some of the nastiness in the bottom of the container.... to my eye the hat just didnt look THAT dirty). Its definately a lighter shade of gray and its not even fully dried out

On a good note I did save the sweatband size tag and little bow

There are a few edges on the hatband that are curling up a bit, but when I take it off to install a new sweatband I should be able to work it smooth and straight again. There WILL be a little bit of the original hat remaining

Letting it dry out a few more hours and the do a bit more steaming, blocking, smoothing, and the tie it up on the brim board overnight to clean up the brim edges... Should turn out nicely. Too bad nobody sells a can of moth divot filler lol

 

[jeffgarf]

The Marathon made it through the bath just fine
View attachment 806152

That poor thing had some real nastiness imbedded. Scared me when I was draining the fuel back into the can.... glad I stuffed some gauze in the filter
View attachment 806156 View attachment 806155

The sweatband turned out to be something not of nature. It just curled up, fell apart, and started melting ( that may be what some of the nastiness in the bottom of the container.... to my eye the hat just didnt look THAT dirty). Its definately a lighter shade of gray and its not even fully dried out

On a good note I did save the sweatband size tag and little bow
View attachment 806153

There are a few edges on the hatband that are curling up a bit, but when I take it off to install a new sweatband I should be able to work it smooth and straight again. There WILL be a little bit of the original hat remaining

Letting it dry out a few more hours and the do a bit more steaming, blocking, smoothing, and the tie it up on the brim board overnight to clean up the brim edges... Should turn out nicely. Too bad nobody sells a can of moth divot filler lol

Whatever that was, it weren't natural.

 

[RickP]

Forgot to mention the liner... the cellophane liner top was a bit dingy looking and really crunchy ( one of my pet peeves) So I pulled it out.. Now have a clean looking logo liner to put back in. Hats all stripped down and got the crown all smoothed out. Letting it cool a bit and then I steam the brim up and tie it down on a brim block for the night.

got the rolled edges of the hatband flat again, as well as the little sweat bow

Should be ready for some new sweatband work soon. I keep finding new moth divots. Most are right at the junction of he brim and the sweatband so I may be able to seat the new sweatband just a hair further down than usual and hide them a bit. I want to keep the spaceship bow, and I dont have any ribbon that exact color so I cant really put a taller ribbon on to hide a few holes... It is what it is. Going to be a nice knock around hat when done... Certainly good enough for my part of the woods.

Guess I should go into the hospital more often... I seem to to be getting a lot done now that Im out ( Doc said I shouldnt drink, so I might as well do something with a hat)

 

[RickP]

Well the Marathon is almost a hat again. Got a new Sweatband made up and sewn in. Still need to do a bit of finish shaping and figure out what Im going to do on the hatband. I love the little spaceship logo on the old bow, but during cleaning more moth nibbles were found. If I put just bit taller ribbon on a large number of the diviots would be covered up. I can always rehome the old ribbon on another hat. should have everything all secured down and ready for sunshine real soon. biggest thing will be to get the liner secured smooth so it doesnt cause wrinkles in the sweatband.
So far so good

 

[HatsBySam]

Sad hemp Stratoliner arrived a few days ago, not sure the rubber band ribbon is original to the hat.

 

[Judgmentalist]

Sad hemp Stratoliner arrived a few days ago, not sure the rubber band ribbon is original to the hat.

Dang it I want this hat lol - been looking for a hemp Strat

 

[jeffgarf]

Sad hemp Stratoliner arrived a few days ago, not sure the rubber band ribbon is original to the hat.

So . . . Not a Stetson limited edition?

 

[HatsBySam]

Sad hemp Stratoliner arrived a few days ago, not sure the rubber band ribbon is original to the hat.

A little steam and a quick flange of the brim and it’s already looking happier

 

[RickP]

Sad hemp Stratoliner arrived a few days ago, not sure the rubber band ribbon is original to the hat.

Those poor abused hemps may take a bit of coaxing, but they usually recover in capable hands

 

[RickP]

Im very happy to report that I figured out how to reposition the Marathon ribbon and bow to cover up a couple ugly moth divots... Sooo.... the spaceship bow is back on the hat! Nice to keep the hat basically origional. Just need to put a few darts around the hatband, and do a bit of brim steaming ( I bent it up a bit sewing the sewatband in)

 

[Judgmentalist]

A little steam and a quick flange of the brim and it’s already looking happier

Told you I want this one lol - I wasn't kidding - I knew it was going to shape up perfectly - what are you going to do with the ribbon?

 

[HatsBySam]

Told you I want this one lol - I wasn't kidding - I knew it was going to shape up perfectly - what are you going to do with the ribbon?

Don’t worry, I kept the rubber band, lol

I have a thin chocolate grosgrain that should be a close match