DIY your own Derby Hat

DIY your own Derby Hat

Put a feather in your cap with clever adorning techniques in the classic style of fanciful derby hats. This project begins with a .99 cent plain straw hat.

Supplies:
Plain straw hat
Craft paint
1” foam brush
½ yard hatband fabric
1-2 large wired feather picks (floral supply)
2 smaller wired feather tufts
1 sprig of accent material (jeweled twigs, more feathers, etc)
1 yard wire edged ribbon
Hot glue gun
Garment steamer or large pot w/boiling water

Steps:

1. begin by boiling a large pot of water. Hold straw hat crown over boiling steam for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until pliable. Gently push in the crown peak and pinch on the inside with your hand until you achieve the desired shape. Then curl up one side of the brim and hold it in place while it cools. Re-steam as needed but be very careful not to hold your hands too close, as steam can burn.

2. Use craft paint & foam brush to paint 1” trim around the top side of the hat brim.

3. To make the hatband measure around the crown base. Then cut a strip of hatband fabric 4” wide by 2” + the length of your crown measurement. Fold strip in half lengthwise, pin together and sew into tube lengthwise leaving the short ends open. Turn right side out.

4. Fold under one end of the fabric tube hatband and secure a hem with hot glue. Glue just this end of the hatband to the crown base, along the curled brim side, using hot glue.

5. Add larger feather picks at the back of the crown, cutting away any unnecessary wire, and using hot glue at the crown base. Then add smaller feather tufts to the side crown and front of brim. Add final accent sprig to the feather arrangement with hot glue, then finish wrapping hatband around crown. Be gentle when encasing feathers and decorations and fold under the tube’s raw end before securing with hot glue.

6. Create a bow by wrapping the wired ribbon back and forth 5-6 times, and then hot glue one end to the feather arrangement along the crown.