Made an Indy-esque Hat for my Wife...W/PICS

[RaidersBash]

So this is my first shot at doing a hat.

This one started as a vintage Stetson Stampede 4X Beaver Cowboy hat...

I removed all the trimmings, reblocked down a couple sizes and reassembled. I used one of "Todd's" petersham ribbons I had laying around. I was going to use a Black grosgrain ribbon, but thought the muted black/brown of Todd's ribbon suited the hat better.

To her credit, my wife is handy doing the bow/ribbon work.

And she's also a good sport. We have a white arab named Omar, and as we were finishing taking the hat pictures (which she was already a good sport to tolerate me doing that) I said "Honey, jump on Omar and do Indy going after the truck!" The pic I'm posting isn't quite that, but she made the hat look so good I chose that one.

I hope everyone enjoys, and can't wait to hear the comments. I have some tweaks to do to the block so I'm all ears.

For those who haven't done a hat, it's a total pain in the rump and very time consuming, especially when you learn from mistakes.

But I can't wait to do it again

[Ian]

That's amazing dude!! Your first 'go' at a hat??!! Well done!!

How did you block it down?

Ian

[Tremolo]

Great work RaidersBash and the hat looks great on your wife!
Did you make your own block?

[Indiana Jeff]

Outstanding work and your wife wears it well!

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[Indiana Bugs]

Great job on the hat. Looks like it was always what it is.

[Long John Tinfoil]

Well done! Very well put together, clearly captures the inner Indy that was there all along, lots of individuality!

Nice hat, too.

LJ

[binkmeisterRick]

It suits her quite nicely! Well done!

[maboot38]

Very nice work Indy-ed!!!!

I think hats like this definitely work well on women. For example, Kidman wore them very well in "Australia".

Excellent!

[Hollowpond]

Agreed with that Boot! Nice pics, cool hat, lovely wife, and a lucky man.

Travis

[Canyon]

Hurrah! More proof that us gals can pull of the lids!

Awesome job on the hat, btw.

[RaidersBash]

Sorry everyone. As I was so excited to post the pics I forgot the details about the hat.

It's a 6 3/4. The Crown Height front is 4 1/4", sides 4 3/4", rear 3 1/2".
The Brim is dimensional 2 3/4" front and back, and 2 1/2" sides

That's terrific! Very well done.

Oh - and I hope this doesn't come across weird? Your wife has a very cute nose. I've always been a sucker for #1 red hair and #2 a unique and cute nose. Ok - enough bizarro comments.

That was a cowboy hat? What was the hardest part? How much cutting did you have to do? As the pain? Yes, I learned dimensional cutting hands-on and am only still getting my fingerprints back.

Nice work and my compliments to your wife. She is a good sport, as a lot if spouses just tolerate us.

Thanks Todd. We always say she has a pixie nose! So not too strange...I notice it too

It was a cowboy hat. The cutting was only around the brim, and about a a half inch from the sides, 3/4 or so around the front, and then getting the curve to line up. I have a "flexible curve" that I used. The sewing was the hardest part. The sweat and keeping a straight line would take 1st place for the biggest P.I.T.A.

That's amazing dude!! Your first 'go' at a hat??!! Well done!!

How did you block it down?

Ian

Thanks Ian. I used a steamer pot, a tight cord around the felt on the block and slowly worked it down. A hot iron and a wet cloth. I bought a book and just kinda followed the steps.

Great work RaidersBash and the hat looks great on your wife!
Did you make your own block?

Gracias Tremelo.
I purchased an old block on Ebay and just worked with it until I thought I had it close. There were a few variations and I have a couple changes in mind. I'd like to add about an inch to the height, flatten out the dome just a little more and maybe slope the rear just a tad.


INDIANA JEFF, INDIANA BUGS, LJ and BINK: Thank you Gents for the kind words.

Boot, Pond: I Totally agree. I think she (and most women, especially TODAY) look far better in the hat than we do. We look a little like nerds. They look feminine and sophisticated. My Indy shirt even looks better on her.

Hurrah! More proof that us gals can pull of the lids!

Awesome job on the hat, btw.

Canyon! You Rock!!!

[Michaelson]

I really want to see a photo after she's worn it for a bit, and it becomes HER hat rather than just a good looking fedora.

It looks like it can easily become a good 'friend' of your wife in very short order if it's worn often.

That's what makes gear interesting to me....gear that is USED and enjoyed rather than just looked at and collected.

WELL done!

Regards! Mark

[Indiana Bugs]

The sewing was the hardest part. The sweat and keeping a straight line would take 1st place for the biggest P.I.T.A.

Did you use a stitch awl?

[Bazza]

LOOKS GREAT!!!

[Mitch LaRue]

RaidersBash:

The Hat: WOW... Very impressive! As has been said, I never would have guessed that this was your first shot at this sort of thing!
Great job.

Your Wife: As I'm sure you already know, she's looks gorgeous in that hat (and allow me to say: you put a beautiful girl in a fedora and atop a horse? MAN, do you ever know how to please THIS crowd!)
(Oh, and also: any chance you wife is the SISTER of DarenHenryW's wife? Cuz she sure looks like she could be... they're equally gorgeous!)

Omar: What a beautiful animal! My compliments.


I have to say, I'm totally in agreement with Michaelson, too... it'll be really cool to see a hat like that age and develop more & more character of it's own over time...

Again, job well done.

[Ian]

(Oh, and also: any chance you wife is the SISTER of DarenHenryW's wife? Cuz she sure looks like she could be... they're equally gorgeous!)

Oh yeah!! I just noticed that..

Ian

[kwad]

Hey Bash,

The hat looks great!:tup:
Love the color of that felt.

[Canada Jones]

Great pics - great hat. Your wife wears it well. Fabulous really.
Canada

[Noah]

Great job Raidersbash! It suits your wife nicely!

[Indiana Croft]

Nice job my friend, your Misses wears it well, I hope she'll continue to wear it, now we need one of both of, hmmm. I know, I know, were never satisfied.

But a job well done on your fist hat, nice swoop of the brim, I Liiikkke IT.

Croft

[RaidersBash]

Thanks everyone for the positive comments.

The hat is getting more and more character all the time. It's actually a couple months old already, but my camera crapped out.

It has gotten some wear, but she wears it more now that the weather is cooler. We both train horses, so she wears it all the time now training.

With all the positive feedback, she loves it even more and promises to wear it hard throughout the winter so we can update the post in the spring.

She says it is now her "go to " hat!

Thanks again. My gratitude to you all is beyond words for making my wife glow with your wonderful remarks!

[enigmata_wood]

Hurrah! More proof that us gals can pull of the lids!

Awesome job on the hat, btw.

My wife occasionally wears my Fed IV and proves also that women actually look better in fedoras than men do. [The fedora was originally a ladies hat]

[theinterchange]

[Doctor_Jones]

Very good looking indeed.

And also a very nice fedora.

[Noah]

My wife occasionally wears my Fed IV and proves also that womwn actually look better in fedoras than men do. [The fedora was originally a ladies hat]

I can definitely see why.

[RaidersBash]

Thanks again everyone!

The next hat I'll make will be for me. I'm still working on the changes to my block.

I doubt I'll get as much positive feedback, since I'm not the model my wife is!

Thanks again. I owe everyone a round!