Pleasing Black Bonnet

I lack a name for this winter bonnet.

Let me talk about the original I worked from first*.

The

original is smaller than most winter bonnets, eithe for a smaller adult or older child. It is plaid, a small but not tiny, colorful plaid. The channels are a half inch wide and firmly, very firmly wadded. I increased the size to that of a green bonnet I have of very similar shaping. Getting the measurements over the full channels was fiddly. I uses a string to go over each curve. The crown is actually the direct measurements from the green bonnet that was set nearly the same as the plaid. The bavolet is actuall two curves. Odd little bavolet.

I made one inch channels instead of the half inch channels, with cording inbetween. Those inch wide channels are a challenge enough to get wadded firmly and evenly. It will be more so for the half inch channels.

I finished quilting the crown on Friday. I basted it into the brim…. and promptly hated it. It was so incredibly full through the top of the crown it looked more like a late 30s or early 40 day cap crown than what I thought it should look like. It is a good thing I slept on it, because I was ready to make a whole different back that fit what we are used to seeing. I went back to the original and realized it was how I gathered the crown and basted it in. Set in right, like the original, I like it; it allows lots of space for hair and is comfy.

*I have been holding back on sharing the originals for a couple reasons. First, I am using them in a bigger project. This will either reach the public eye in a conference presentation format or book format. Second, I’ve had a few cases lately of people ‘borrowing’ my research and designs. This makes me hesitant.