HAT ADORNMENTS: ribbons, bows, pins, pugs, leather, etc.

[Rabbit]

By the way, Bowlerman, when I first saw low-res pics of the Knoxhound (Etsy), I also thought it was a Petersham ribbon. It's because of the alternating light reflection that the ribbon border looks unfinished from a certain distance. Up close one can see the finished border.

 

[bowlerman]

Yes, exactly-- it reflects light in alternating opposite ways! I was always fascinated with that hat, but alas, the brim was far too stingy for me. I really like that foxhound. Underwelt or felted edge?

 

[Rabbit]

Yes, exactly-- it reflects light in alternating opposite ways! I was always fascinated with that hat, but alas, the brim was far too stingy for me. I really like that foxhound. Underwelt or felted edge?

The Foxhound (2 3/8" brim) has a "poor man's" cav edge, that is to say an underwelt with the stitches not going all the way through the felt. Rather, the stitches pull the felt down along the welted line, resulting in a brim that imitates a felted edge when seen from above.

 

[bowlerman]

Sweet! I haven't seen that before, or else haven't been aware that I've seen it. A poor man's cav, better than a rich man's underwelt, I think.

 

[DNO]

While we're on the topic, the hatband on your military hats must have some name...it's such a distinct pattern. Actually it looks more like a knitting, doesn't it?

Haven't a clue, Rabbit. It certainly has a knit look to it and it's thicker than the grosgrain one finds on fedoras. In each case, the badge (RCN and RCAF) is stitched to the ribbon rather than the hat. I have another naval officer's cap produced by a British tailor (Grieves) that has the same ribbon, so it's not just a Canadian thing. Army officer's wore a similar peaked cap but there was no ribbon and the badges, being metal, were fastened directly to the hat.

 

[Rabbit]

Bowlerman, here's one more hat with a poor man's cav edge. It's also a Knox - a considerably older one (early 1940s or possibly even 1930s, I don't know much about Knox hats). The Foxhound posted above is late 1950s to early 1960s. Interesting that this edge treatment is not a post-war invention, nor an invention after the end of the cavanagh edge production.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...-of-Interest&p=1405689&viewfull=1#post1405689

I've seen only one hat of this kind apart from these two. I don't remember what maker is was; it's one of Robert's (RLK) hats. That where I picked up the name for it, too.

 

[juggles]

I have something similar on this Mallory:



Seems to land somewhere between the Knox and the millitary hats.

Dig the ribbon on the Knox.

 

[Rick Blaine]

Just wanna brag

...cause I'll not be putting this on a hat, but I did just score it for a pittance...

and I DO have this one on an Open Road.

 

[alanfgag]

Great stuff. I had an uncle who went over and didn't return.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Some very impressive hatbands and pins! I was wondering if anyone has a pattern of a source for a pattern to make "pug" hat bands? I ask as when you have the small hooks that hold them in place, it seems that a person could change the "pug" and have a totally different color/pattern/look to it, giving the same hat more versatility to it!

 

[Rabbit]

Some very impressive hatbands and pins! I was wondering if anyone has a pattern of a source for a pattern to make "pug" hat bands? I ask as when you have the small hooks that hold them in place, it seems that a person could change the "pug" and have a totally different color/pattern/look to it, giving the same hat more versatility to it!

Not sure I understand your question. Do you want to find a source for ready-made pugs with hooks, or do you want to know how to make them?

 

[Rick Blaine]

Great stuff. I had an uncle who went over and didn't return.

They were great men. When I lived in NYC back in the eighties, I got to speak to a number of them at their "HQ" on 23rd st. They had an annual art show & sale to raise capital. Oddly enough, many of them seemed to have become visual artists.

Great men. You should be proud of your' Uncle. He read the writing on the wall.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Not sure I understand your question. Do you want to find a source for ready-made pugs with hooks, or do you want to know how to make them?

Make them, as for what I can see (from my meager searches for them), I am not finding anything "pre-made" that attracts my attention. To be able to go to a large fabric store and select a nice fabric, with the right colors and a print on it, would be nice to be able to make a pug hatband!

 

[Mystic]

Make them, as for what I can see (from my meager searches for them), I am not finding anything "pre-made" that attracts my attention. To be able to go to a large fabric store and select a nice fabric, with the right colors and a print on it, would be nice to be able to make a pug hatband!

I agree and have been thinking the same thing. I've seen alot of really great looking pugs on hats.....but, a very bland and boring selection for sale seperatly to be installed on a hat.

I have two hats now that I would like to have different pugs available.

I was going to bring this up today. When adding one of the pugs with the hooks....should the pug also be stitched to the hat in a couple of places?
And, if it should be stitched, would it be a bad idea for a Milan or Panama.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

I agree and have been thinking the same thing. I've seen alot of really great looking pugs on hats.....but, a very bland and boring selection for sale seperatly to be installed on a hat.

I have two hats now that I would like to have different pugs available.

I was going to bring this up today. When adding one of the pugs with the hooks....should the pug also be stitched to the hat in a couple of places?
And, if it should be stitched, would it be a bad idea for a Milan or Panama.

I have a few that are "tacked" in a few places along the top and bottom of the fabric, however, I think it would depend on the material/folds of the pug itself, if it will stay in place (making this statement as an example), if you replace one and it stays in place after you just hook it, then there would not actually be any need to tack it at any point, (in my opinion).

You know a large fabric store will have some very nice looking material with colors and patterns on the material, which would give a person such variety. You could go for a shiny look, or try to find something that would mimic the vintage look, just about do anything you wanted. That is why I was asking if anyone would have a pattern for making them. I have a really good professional tailor local. If I have the material and a pattern to work with, wow, I am going to perhaps have 4 or 5 pugs made.

 

[Rabbit]

Well, I don't have a pattern for pug ribbons, but perhaps these pictures help. I gather that you already own several removable pugs, LMH2 - this particular pug is folded in a fairly easily visible manner.

Visible end, top side:

Visible end, reverse side:

Hidden end, top side:

Hidden end, reverse side:

Here's an example of a nicely executed pug "bow" (sewn pug made of vintage raw-spun silk):

Tacking versus not tacking along the length of the ribbon:
+1 to what LMH2 said.
Coarser materials like Milan and low-count Panamas (which, being more casual, both make the best candidates for pugs, in my opinion) don't really require tacking. As long as the ribbon is installed snugly, it will stick to the weave beneath.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Well, I don't have a pattern for pug ribbons, but perhaps these pictures help. I gather that you already own several removable pugs, LMH2 - this particular pug is folded in a fairly easily visible manner.

Visible end, top side:

Visible end, reverse side:

Hidden end, top side:

Hidden end, reverse side:

Here's an example of a nicely executed pug "bow" (sewn pug made of vintage raw-spun silk):

Tacking versus not tacking along the length of the ribbon:
+1 to what LMH2 said.
Coarser materials like Milan and low-count Panamas (which, being more casual, both make the best candidates for pugs, in my opinion) don't really require tacking. As long as the ribbon is installed snugly, it will stick to the weave beneath.

Thank you for posting these. Yes indeed, as you can observe from these pictures, the material and print on the material are amazing! That is exactly why I am seeking a pattern, but I perhaps can copy these pictures from the computer and show them to my Tailor. It should not be all that hard for the Tailor to make a few.

Rabbit, I am so very thankful for your input!

 

[justanuthercap]

Hey Rabbit, thanks for these pics. Is there any chance of getting one with the whole pug laid out straight? There appears to be some curve in the first photo and I was just wondering what the curve looks like over the length of the whole thing.

 

[Rabbit]

Thank you for posting these. Yes indeed, as you can observe from these pictures, the material and print on the material are amazing! That is exactly why I am seeking a pattern, but I perhaps can copy these pictures from the computer and show them to my Tailor. It should not be all that hard for the Tailor to make a few.

Rabbit, I am so very thankful for your input!

Glad to be of help. The pics are generously sized, just download them.

I guess you already know that, but just in case (and for other readers), you can experiment with some pug folding, using an old silk tie or whatever fabric you may have left over, like a length of rayon. In order to deconstruct a tie, take out the thread and unfold it, remove the lining, then steam and iron it flat.
After all, a pug is nothing but a straight length of fabric, folded to make two or three pleats.

The hidden end is not too important; the visible end is actually quite easy to fold once you get the hang of it. Iron the pleats along the entire length of the ribbon, and secure the fold at the respective end with a few stitches.

 

[Rabbit]

A pug with two pleats:

Visible end, reverse side:

Hidden end, top side:

Hidden end, reverse side:

Both of these pugs laid out straight - top side and reverse side (blow them up or download to view it properly). There's no curve, actually. The ribbons are just very flexible.