One of my favourite things in hat making is choosing materials. With reversible buckets, it is double the fun and challenge to mix and match fabrics. I am drawn to prints and patterns for spring and summer hats and usually select a neutral coloured fabric on the reverse as a contrast. I like cottons and linens, natural fabrics that are breathable and cool to wear.
My personal tastes gravitate toward blues and greys, but I was captivated by the dots of the Marimekko Räsymatto cotton in apricot and cream. The dot pattern was inspired by allotment gardening in urban settings. It was printed on cotton in Marimekko’s factory in Helsinki, where the themes of sustainability and environmental protection continue.
Small to medium-sized repeating patterns are appealing on hats. In particular, I enjoy sewing with Sevenberry cottons, especially the Nara Homespun with traditional Japanese motifs. With wear and washing, the feel gets softer and more comfortable. Linen is similar as pectins binding the fibres break down with washing and make the fabric more pliable and less stiff.
Bucket hats that I sewed recently have a wider brim. A 3-inch brim provides more sun coverage for the face, great for travel and outdoor activities. Although some of the fabrics are heavier, like cotton twill, the hats are all easy to fold and pack in a suitcase or a backpack.
Hats by Tracy J 