There are many stunning printed fabrics from around the globe. In this post, I feature printed fabrics from the Finnish design house “Marimekko” and a homespun cotton printed with a traditional Japanese pattern from “Sevenberry”.

When Marimekko fabrics caught my eye, I wanted to incorporate some of the large abstract prints into hats. At first, as in the hat above, I opted for a cream-coloured fabric for a subtle other side of my reversible bucket. Feeling a bit more adventurous, for the next hat, I paired a checked navy and white cotton/hemp blend with an indigo-dyed cotton sheeting printed with maple leaves.

Another summer hat was sewn with an unbleached cotton called Rukinlapa by Antti Kekki (Marimekko). I was deliberate in choosing where to lay and cut the pattern pieces for the hat. So, while the hat appears to have a random and abstract vibe, a large piece of this fabric displayed on a table resembles a vine climbing on a wall.

Thought I would shake up my routine. I’m passionate about making hats, but I felt it might be fun to crochet light weight cotton scarves for spring.

Although I shape or “block” most of my finished crocheted hats, the diamond mesh work in this scarf really benefited from spray blocking. I laid the scarf on a towel, sprayed it with water, then worked it into the desired rectangular shape and dimensions. After letting it dry undisturbed, I found that blocking also smoothed out stitches and nicely showed off the lace pattern.

Another project I completed was a triangular cotton scarf in a crochet bobble stitch. The pattern was customized from a kerchief design by Pattern Paradise.

What do comic strip character Andy Capp, the late professional golfer Payne Stewart, and 1998 Canadian Winter Olympic athletes have in common? All have been seen doffing and donning a flat cap.

The flat cap is a round-shaped cap where the crown is pulled forward and attached to a stiff visor or bill with a snap or stitching. It originated in England and was the cap of the working class. In 1571, an Act of the British Parliament decreed that men and boys of non-noble class were to wear a hat on Sundays and holidays or be subjected to a fine of 3 farthings per day. It was the goal of the government to stimulate domestic wool consumption. The flat cap became the hat of the working class and was commonly made of wool tweed.

Today the flat cap remains fashionable. Although it is often sported by older men, a flat cap suits anyone with a diamond, oval, or heart-shaped face, no matter what age or gender. Find flat caps in wool tweed, cotton, corduroy, linen and leather.

Men began wearing hats in earnest as a symbol of style and protection against the elements with the advent of organized sport. As early as 1807, a dress code was established at horse races and polo tournaments for attendees at the royal enclosure at the Royal Ascot in Britain. To this day, a black or grey top hat is part of the requirement, as is a waistcoat, tie and black shoes worn with socks.

The common man’s baseball cap has its roots in the 1860s when the Boston Excelsiors wore a rounded cap with a button on top and a long bill. Today, the hats of Major League Baseball teams can be readily identified by the logo, mascot, or team’s initial on their caps. Baseball caps with their front-facing brims and panelled construction are seen just about everywhere and worn by kids, men and women.

For a long time, men’s hat etiquette was such that wearing a hat indoors was impolite in places of worship, public spaces, and private homes. While the rules have loosened over the years, it is still considered a gentlemanly courtesy to uncover your head in private spaces where people live, work, or pay a fee to enter (such as a private club or theatre). Golfers, on the 18th green at the conclusion of their round, customarily remove their caps before shaking hands with their playing partners. It is also common to tip your hat as a show of respect to another.

I received a request for “a man’s black toque with a roll-up cuff”. This gave me latitude to try out a new technique. I took my lead from a design for a classic beanie by rich textures CROCHET. Rather than working top down or bottom up, the hat is constructed crocheting sideways. The finished panel is sewn together in a seam and cinched together in a loop at the top.

Is pink reserved for baby girls, Barbie dolls, Valentine’s Day and young women in romantic comedies from the 1980s? Not exclusively. A pink ribbon affixed with a pin has become the symbol for breast cancer, raising awareness for women battling the disease.

Pantone is a company in New Jersey that specializes in systematizing colour. Its catalogue of different hues within each colour family guides the palettes of lifestyle companies. Viva Magenta is Pantone’s colour of the year, so expect to see this vivacious red/pink in home interiors, product packaging, fashion and accessories, and on lips and nails.

Hot pink was featured on fashion runways in 2022/23. Pierpaolo Piccioli boldly debuted Valentino’s autumn/winter collection in the monochrome colour named Pink PP. This hue was developed in collaboration with Pantone.

I was lucky to be gifted many balls of yarn, knitting needles, patterns and supplies by Susan, a fellow crafter. A pattern for a cute hat simply knit in stockinette stitch caught my eye. As a novice knitter, I thought it would be a good first hat to knit with the super bulky merino wool and big needles in my gift package.

Alternating rows of knit and purl, the stockinette stitches results in a smooth stretchy fabric. It’s a favourite for fine knit stockings, hence its name “stockinette” or “stocking” stitch. On the right side, stockinette stitch fabric is smooth with a series of stacked “V”s, while the opposite side is bumpy with a series of ridges. Stockinette stitch on its own results in a curl along the edge, which is used to advantage to create the brim of this hat.

I was delighted to be shown a collection of buttons that were handcrafted many years ago. A box full of wooden buttons came off a shelf at the home of Babs’ daughter. It was clear that thought for the raw natural materials had gone into the design and construction of each flat button and toggle. Some buttons were threaded through the buttonholes and attached to hand-decorated cards. A label on the back of one card read: Handmade Yew Buttons by B. Black, North Vancouver.

Historically, buttons were made by hand and often reflected the status of the wearer. Goldsmiths were commissioned by the wealthy to make buttons from gold, silver, and precious gems. These buttons were considered fine jewelry. Common folk had simple utilitarian buttons made from bone, wood, and coarse fabric.

The Vee Beanie, a Made Simply be Erin design, has a repeating “V”-shaped stitch in the crown. The cuff has a tab with a mock button closure. Initially, I followed the original pattern instructions down to the stitch count and number of rows. Crocheted in a crimson blend of merino wool, alpaca and silk, this is a luxurious hat with a soft yet structured feel.

I was curious to experiment with the basic pattern. I wondered if I could add a visor and give the hat the look of a newsboy cap. First, with a lighter weight Bluefaced Leicester wool and then, with a heavier merino/polyamide yarn, I crocheted two hats. I had to adjust the pattern to accommodate for the lighter yarn, but I felt I achieved what I had hoped for with both hats.

Next, I wanted to take the Vee Beanie in another direction. I opted to simply trim it in a yarn of contrasting colour and finish it off with a reverse crab stitch.

Keeping your eyes open is a way to find and gather inspiration for creative projects. It can be as simple as going for a walk and being observant of your surroundings. Take note of what catches your attention and what details your eye is drawn to. Nature and photography kickstart my creative process in hat making. For you, it might involve grabbing some paper and coloured markers to doodle and practice with colours and patterns. Who knows how a casual doodle might blossom?

Interesting colours, textures, shapes, and patterns are abundant in everyday life. From an idea, I like to zero in on fabric and yarn stores and relevant websites to research options and take me to the next level of making. Matching materials to design is fun. It’s gratifying to go from a concept to a unique and wonderful product made with my own hands.