First DIY attempt

[bolthead]

What material is considered the best for grosgrain hat ribbons? Would it be silk or cotton or both or something else all together? Thanks

Definitely cotton or rayon. polyester won't curl for you.

 

[Wil Tam]

What material is considered the best for grosgrain hat ribbons? Would it be silk or cotton or both or something else all together? Thanks

I believe the stuff I used is an acetate, a little but not overly stretchy, so there is give. the silk ribbons I've encountered were pre-pleated & printed with a design on it... never saw any solid colors.

Looks good on....


Although I'm curious as to what you'd look like in a wide brim, taller (untapered) Crown?

Thanks... I'm curious too since I don't own a wide brim ... I am on the lookout for one & may have targeted one on eBay.

This one is a bit snug on me.

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[Slim Portly]

Great job. It looks like you learned a lot from the first effort. I have to agree with those who suggested a back bow for this hat and ribbon combo. That was the first thing I thought of when I saw the pictures.

 

[tonyb]

Man, I could go on for hours. Ribbon is just sooooo cool. But right now I have a hat to attach a band and bow to.

 

[troy]

Nice Job!

That' s a nice job Will. The hat looks great on you, and that is what it's all about. I will be excited to see your future endeavors!

 

[RBH]

I'd like to hear what RBH thinks of that one...

I think he did a super job!!!!
If the crown was as high as a Federation I believe it would 'fit' the crown better, but overall a great job. Really nice bow work!!!

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

I think he did a super job!!!!
If the crown was as high as a Federation I believe it would 'fit' the crown better, but overall a great job. Really nice bow work!!!

I agree pal, and it looks even better on him than in the lone shots.

I was just kiddin' around since you're such a fan of thin ribbons and this is so far from that.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Here's one I have, a Resistol, I have another Dobbs I'll have to look for a pic.....

I think it would be a bit difficult if you don't have a sewing machine because of the cross pattern stitching on the Bow itself? [huh]

Sayyy, now that's a cool hat!

 

[tonyb]

Here's one I have, a Resistol, I have another Dobbs I'll have to look for a pic.....

I think it would be a bit difficult if you don't have a sewing machine because of the cross pattern stitching on the Bow itself? [huh]

It may be that a sewing machine was used in crafting that bow (hard for my old eyes to tell from the photo), but I'm wondering if that X itself isn't just single threads, and not two rows of stitches. I just made a pleated bow similar to that one, modeled on an old Stetson's. I assumed the X was two rows of stitches until I took a closer look. Nope. Just crossed threads. Seems kinda delicate, if not downright fragile, but it's held together for something approaching 60 years now.

 

[bolthead]

Good eye Tony.....

It may be that a sewing machine was used in crafting that bow (hard for my old eyes to tell from the photo), but I'm wondering if that X itself isn't just single threads, and not two rows of stitches. I just made a pleated bow similar to that one, modeled on an old Stetson's. I assumed the X was two rows of stitches until I took a closer look. Nope. Just crossed threads. Seems kinda delicate, if not downright fragile, but it's held together for something approaching 60 years now.

You're absolutely right. The bow is just pleated/folded, then just tacked on by those 2 cross stitches. [huh]

Probably not that hard to copy and try, I'll keep this in mind for next time.
I have a piece of Dark Navy Blue in 2 1/4".

Here's a few pics.....

 

[tonyb]

Not to hijack Wil's thread, but here's the X bow (got a better name for it? I'm all ears) I just finished. I made the hat for myself, specifically to wear to a party. If I were to make another, I know what I would do differently (and better).

I used the contrasting thread color (never before seen that X done in anything but a color closely matching the ribbon's) to pick up the dark blue of the brim edge binding. The thread's color is so close to the ribbon binding's that the stitching all but disappears against it.

 

[handlebar bart]

Not to hijack Wil's thread, but here's the X bow (got a better name for it? I'm all ears) I just finished. I made the hat for myself, specifically to wear to a party. If I were to make another, I know what I would do differently (and better).

I used the contrasting thread color (never before seen that X done in anything but a color closely matching the ribbon's) to pick up the dark blue of the brim edge binding. The thread's color is so close to the ribbon binding's that the stitching all but disappears against it.

Thats the one you brought over on Thursday?!?!? Nice job on the ribbon choice.:eusa_clap I wish you guys could see the nice hand stiching on the bound edge. What a stunner, Tony.

 

[tonyb]

Yup, that's the very one. I was torn between using the pink as the primary ribbon color with the pale green as a highlight, or the other way around. I settled on the latter because I like the height of this crown and the shade closer to the body color does less to diminish that, seeing how the edge binding kinda pulls the eye down some anyway.

This is some WIDE ribbon. A narrow crown ribbon just wouldn't have been right with that widish edge binding. I'm reluctant to disclose just how I ended up with ribbon in those pastel shades, seeing how it is an unorthodox technique which could have gone badly and might well have resulted in some otherwise good vintage ribbon being ruined.

 

[handlebar bart]

Yup, that's the very one. I was torn between using the pink as the primary ribbon color with the pale green as a highlight, or the other way around. I settled on the latter because I like the height of this crown and the shade closer to the body color does less to diminish that, seeing how the edge binding kinda pulls the eye down some anyway.

This is some WIDE ribbon. A narrow crown ribbon just wouldn't have been right with that widish edge binding. I'm reluctant to disclose just how I ended up with ribbon in those pastel shades, seeing how it is an unorthodox technique which could have gone badly and might well have resulted in some otherwise good vintage ribbon being ruined.

lol lol I almost spilled the beans in my first post. Cool trick though

 

[bolthead]

Excellent....

Yup, that's the very one. I was torn between using the pink as the primary ribbon color with the pale green as a highlight, or the other way around. I settled on the latter because I like the height of this crown and the shade closer to the body color does less to diminish that, seeing how the edge binding kinda pulls the eye down some anyway.

This is some WIDE ribbon. A narrow crown ribbon just wouldn't have been right with that widish edge binding. I'm reluctant to disclose just how I ended up with ribbon in those pastel shades, seeing how it is an unorthodox technique which could have gone badly and might well have resulted in some otherwise good vintage ribbon being ruined.

Another excellent job Tony.
Bart says you "Hand Stitched" the trim? Can I ask you about how far apart the stitches are?Also, how long did it take you? [huh]

 

[Wil Tam]

nice bows!

Thanks for the accolades & it's quite okay to hi-jack my thread... it's good to see one that I started have more life that just one page! lol

Thanks Bolt for the close-ups of the bow, I meant to ask you to do that, now that I can see the details more clearly, I really think that might be able to fabricate one... so I'm guessing that the cross stitching is mostly decorative & that it would have to be fastened tightly in the back plus that the thread used would have to be single ply & very strong... I have some. I really don't get it, the styling I mean but okie dokie then.

Is the pleated one with the single straight stitch down the middle the same or are the stitches about a 1/8 of an inch apart?

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[Wil Tam]

Found some tutorials

Found this tutorial... after the fact [huh]

And this! :eusa_doh:



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[Stoney]

Tony,

That hat looks fantastic.
Very nice job,

 

[tonyb]

Is the pleated one with the single straight stitch down the middle the same or are the stitches about a 1/8 of an inch apart?

I assume you're referring to that back bow of bolthead's. If so, I believe that vertical line down the middle is neither a single thread nor a sewn seam, but just a folded-over ribbon. I kinda wish I'd done something similar to that on the hat I posted photos of above. Next time ...

 

[tonyb]

Folded the ends then ironed .. made the bow & the knot .. attached the long length to the hat starting from where the bow would be then worked around toward the front .. tacking it down every 3" or so, till the ends met, then cut off the excess & finished tacking. then I attached the bow.

If I understand you correctly, you started at the back end of the ribbon and then worked your way around the crown, tacking the ribbon down as you went.

I tack down the ribbon at its ends -- two stitches at the front (high and low on the ribbon) and then two at the back, doing the top rear stitch last. All four of these stitches will be covered by the bow. As I mentioned earlier, I often use a pin to hold the ribbon taut so that I have two free hands for making that top rear stitch. Then I attach the bow. And then I put in two or three or four itty-bitty stitches along the bandline.

The stitches holding the bow down are generally invisible, as the needle (usually) doesn't penetrate the outer fold of ribbon. And the stitches along the bandline are quite inconspicuous, seeing how they are made with a single pass of the thread, right at the ribbon's edge, and that I'm careful to use a thread very close in color to the ribbon. (I'm a regular at the local fabric store.)

I don't know that this is the best way to do it, necessarily, but it works well enough.