Tea Party Hat

A friend asked me to make her a crazy Ascot-style hat for a garden party she was going to. Interestingly enough I have another friend who actually went to Ascot for Ladies Day, and she told me they have changed the rules recently to try to get back to Audrey’s kind of elegance!

However this was a fun hat for a fun event, and I started with a straw hat from the charity shop.  I wrapped the crown with a piece of Soft & Stable and added a card top. This was to be my table.

Next I cut out a circle of red and white gingham, and fitted my Rolled Hemmer foot.  It was the first time I had ever tried using it, but it worked perfectly!

Isn’t that a lovely quick hem!

I cut and fit some green fabric to be the lawn, with clipped a fringed edge for grass.  I hand embroidered some daisies and forget-me-nots, then put the tablecloth on.  I pinched the tablecloth and then stitched the folds in to hold it down.

I went to my computer and typed up a Menu for a traditional Afternoon Tea.    I called it “Chez Drake” (as that is her name) and added a picture of a duck and drake.  I made the 2 tier cake stand from silver card, a cocktail stick and beads, then added paper doilies made with my Scallop Shears.  My other half got creative and made the cake selection from bits of dowelling, which he decorated with felt tip pens, tippex liquid and red bead ‘cherries’!

The underside of the brim looked a little plain, so I bought a fat quarter of this lovely ‘cup cakes’ pattern and stitched it on, adding some red petersham trim.

I used the cake fabric on the back of the menu, and cut out some of the cakes from the fabric and added them to the inside.  For a finishing touch I added a red satin bow.  Not a lot of sewing involved really.

Here it is kindly modelled by it’s new owner.  (She was not dressed for modelling inthis shot so you have to excuse the apron!).  

I like the ribbons, but I wish I had found a better fabric for the lawn.  She tells me it was the best at the party, but never brought me the photos she promised!  I thought it was good for a laugh, but how about this one…..

which was actually worn on Ladies Day at Ascot!