The Pinkie Hat

An Easy DIY Project for Gene Marshall & Friends

This captivating hat gets its name from the crown which was fashioned from the pinkie finger of a vintage ladies glove.  A hidden pipe cleaner provides the unique shaping reminiscent of the whimsical hats of the late 1930's and early 1940's.

Miss Violet Waters

Jazz Singer Violet Waters tops her smart ensemble with a delightful red felt hat accented with a shaped, brown leather crown and trimmed with fall berries.  Dress, gloves, handbag, and bow are from Ashton Drake.  The restyled leopard plastron is from D.A.E. Originals' Charmed Traveler set.   Hat, belt, jewels, and styling are from The Couture Touch.

Here's what you will need to make Violet's Hat:

A ladies leather or suede glove.  I used a size 6.

Pipe cleaner.

Wool felt.  (Approximately a 3" square).

Scissors.

Hand sewing needle.

Thread to match felt.

Dressmaker chalk.

A glass or other round object for tracing a circle.

Emery board.

Assorted trims.

Glue (Optional).

To begin, trace a 1-3/4" diameter circle on to wool felt and cut out.  Soften the cut edge by lightly sanding with the fine side of an emery board.  Cut a slit in the circle of felt as shown in Fig. 1 above.  Overlap the edge 1/2".  From the underside, whip-stitch in place.  This will give a little shaping to the brim of your hat.

To make the crown, cut off the pinkie finger close to the body of the glove (Fig.2).  The cut end is turned under approximately 1/4".  Bend a pipe cleaner as shown in Fig. 3 and insert it into the finger.  Trim off excess.  Center the crown on the brim and either glue or stab stitch in place.  To finish, apply trim.  If using glue, let it dry thoroughly before adjusting the crown to the desired shape.

Gene Marshall

Miss Marshall wears a charming feathered variation.  To make the brim, cut a 1-3/4" diameter circle out of lightweight buckram.  Cut the same size circle out of felt.  Glue small feathers to the buckram circle starting at the outer edge.  Position the feathers approximately 1/4" beyond the edge.  Let dry thoroughly.  Glue the felt circle to the underside of the brim.  The navy doeskin leather crown was glued to the feathered brim.  A satin bow completes the look.  Jacket from Diane Wagner.  Scarf from Fashion Blvd.  Earrings from Ashton Drake.  White Orchid Gene Marshall is from Jamieshow.

Gene Marshall

For this version, the tip was gently pushed inside the crown using a small wooden chop stick to make the process easier.  Fur cape is from Denis Bastien's Affordable Designs.  The dress underneath is from Madame Alexander.  Bracelet from Integrity.  Cigarette holder from Mystyna.  Hat, gloves, earrings, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  White Orchid Gene Marshall is from Jamieshow.

Madra Lord

Miss Lord wears a dramatic alternative utilizing the middle finger of a navy doeskin leather glove.  A circle of waist banding was inserted and the tip pushed in for a high-crown, stove-top treatment.  A 2" diameter buckram base was covered with the suit fabric.  (For a tutorial on covering buckram with fabric, click HERE .)  Grosgrain ribbon enhanced with beading and marabou feathers complete the look.  OOAK ensemble from The Couture Touch.  C'est Moi Madra Lord is from Integrity.

Have fun creating your own unique looks for the ladies of Monolithic Studios!