You know about this? Handmade Parade’s Vintage Pillowcase Challenge? I saw it a while back and had forgot all about it, until I was reminded by this amazing entry(!!!) and I became totally distracted with this challenge. I knew right away that I was making a sun hat (you have to have a good one if you are going to live in Southern AZ!) only, I didn’t have a pattern. I searched the web, and couldn’t find anything I liked. So, I spent the entire day, messing around with circles, bandwidths, circumferences, diameters and pi!!! Boy did I ever flex that mathematical brain muscle!! Ouch!!
After I got, what I thought was the perfect pattern, I cut out my pieces only to find out that they weren’t sewing up perfectly like my mock pieces had!!! I have no clue how that happened, but I re-worked it a bit (actually a lot) and am pleased. It’ll be good for our morning hikes and for keeping the glaring sun at bay. I also dipped my pillowcase in tea to tone it down a bit. It was a bright white before.
I’m totally going to wear it too! It’s loads better than the ill-fitting one that I’ve been wearing for the last several years.
I used a standard size, thrifted, vintage pillowcase for the outside and lining, a double layer of interfacing for the brim, tea for a tea soak, and a wee bit of thrifted lace.
February 13th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Hi Regina,
I can’t believe we both made a hat on the same day - and without a pattern too. I did the same thing with the circles and had to play around fitting it together - Mine was just for a costume - but I’m still tickled with how it turned out.
Your hat is lovely!
February 13th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
That is probably my favourite thrifted pillowcase project ever, I love it!
February 13th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
very fresh and pretty!
February 14th, 2008 at 2:47 am
Wow! what a great use of a pillowcase. Wish I could find some around here! if you don’t mind me asking, what pattern did you use or is your own?
February 14th, 2008 at 3:54 am
i love it!! very clever use of a vintage pillowcase!
February 14th, 2008 at 4:57 am
I adore your hat, I would absolutely wear that. Great use of a pillowcase (I never find such pretty ones)I love the simple trim you added. And it fits you so well!
February 14th, 2008 at 7:39 am
It’s lovely! Very nice work!
February 14th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Very nice- I love that style hat! Great in the garden or on a long walk -
Makes me long for spring - especially since we are all snow and ice right now.
February 14th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Way to reuse! That does take alot of brainpower! Looks great! I need one, but it would take more than 1 pillow case to cover my big head.
February 14th, 2008 at 11:48 am
fabulous!
February 14th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
That is so pretty! Very sweet. And it fits you so well! Great job.
February 14th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
what an awesome idea to do with my vintage pillowcases that I just love too much to use around the house. I’m in badly need of a summer hat and this hat you’ve made looks beautiful. Thank you for the inspiration!
February 14th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
I love the floppyish brim, very cute. Nice work!
February 15th, 2008 at 8:20 am
I luuuuuve these hats and the fabric your using from the vintage pillowcases.
a.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Love the hat. I actually had these sheets on my bed, a few(?) years ago. Still like the pattern.
February 16th, 2008 at 2:21 am
Wow, it’s beautiful - any chance of a tutorial? I know how tricky it is to make up tutorials for patterns, I still have a few sitting around waiting to be finished, but let me know if you do one please!
February 21st, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Regina this looks so lovely! Love that you figured out the pattern yourself too. I don’t think I could wrap my head around that math that would take!