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

[Hurricane Jack]

For those who like old west style hats I have an older hat coming that is a good representation of a vintage dress hat worn mostly in Montana, Wyoming & Colorado from about the turn of the century into the 1920's or so. It has a version of the Montana crease with square-like pinches on the four corners with a slightly sloping center crease, flat round brim with a pencil roll. It currently has a mid-size grosgrain ribbon.

I'm currently working on pattern ideas for a beaded hatband that will finish out around 3/4 - 7/8" wide. Since this was primarily a dress hat I want the band to be somewhat subdued but accent the angular lines of the crease & be representative of those three states. So I'm thinking of things like mountains & cockscombs, Teutonic plates, etc.

My question is assuming earthtone colors are used & maybe some turquoise highlights, would patterns similar to either of these be recognized as mountain ranges & produce the desired effect, or just seen as the lines on a heart monitor? The hat color is a silver gray like Silverbelly used to be.

I'm leaning toward the first pattern with a blue sky background & coloring to make the foreground appear as 3-4 mountain ranges. Can anyone see that?

 

[BobHufford]

Jack -- I saw the mountains in the first one without yet reading your post. Can't wait to see what you come up with and look forward to seeing the hat!

 

[RJR]

Jack -- I saw the mountains in the first one without yet reading your post. Can't wait to see what you come up with and look forward to seeing the hat!

+1,I too see the mountains,but both patterns are nice.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Mountains very obvious in first one.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Thanks guys! This was a pattern from a hair barrette so I need to computerize it to extend the pattern a bit, then play with colors. The hat will need some work when it gets here. I'll see how it goes; I may ultimately just replace the grosgrain ribbon with a new one.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

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.

Awesome pictures, now I know my next project. Make a Pug ribbon. I had been going about this the completely wrong way. I spent a while trying to wrap my hat with ribbon and get this look and it wasn't coming together. Thanks again. I need to find the hardware now.

 

[James Linnehan]

Wow. I thought there was every possible bow type listed here but here is my new Resistol.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Still laying out colors for this. The two small black mountains in the center background will have blue sky above with the blue reflection in the lake in front of them. Can't decide if I want to leave the farthest mountains in the distance black & save dark blue for what is now red, or use the dark blue for what is now black.

Sort of like the picture below.

 

[Rick Blaine]

I once lived at the base of this mountain, Brasstown Bald, in the hills of Georgia


so when I saw this small pin, it was a no brainer.

 

[RJR]

I once lived at the base of this mountain, Brasstown Bald, in the hills of Georgia


so when I saw this small pin, it was a no brainer.

That is special,congrats on the find.

 

[Sweatbandjo]

I've just found an old post of mine - I'd forgotten my details... old age is like that... So I was Paris7 in my other life. Well the reversed hatband mentioned above was indeed a success, and, I suggest, well worth a try if you have a fine original grossgrain band. Mine had the double sharks gill bow and reversing it wasn't as daunting a task as I'd feared. Unfortunately my beautiful Borsalino too a walk, was stolen I think. What a blow that was.
I'm just now replacing the Borsa' and would really like to replace the "new" Borsalino's over somber black band with a silver grey band. I'm guessing that I can iron a curve into the new (vintage) grossgrain and am trying to remember the way a double - left and right sharks gill bow was folded. If you Rabbit, Dogman Johnny or other talanted soul can point the way I would be very grateful.
I'm very glad to be back even if under a new name, I've missed The Fedora Lounge!

 

[Eric L. Nelson Ph.D.]

I didn't care for the hatband that came with my Dobbs Florentine Hobbs (brown, left); so, I bought some ribbon at JoAnn and fashioned a new ribbon. Took four tries, but, I think I got it down!

 

[Sweatbandjo]

That replacement hatband looks "the business" Eric. They are more complicated to fit well than one thinks due to the conical nature of the dome.
The sharksgill hatband on my stolen Borsalino was really nice, but a bit stained so I turned it over and reversed the pleats, it was a great success, I'm still in mourning for that hat. I'm tempted to change the band on my replacement Borsalino:

I quite like the idea of silver grey again, though I hesitate as the original black band has that "Don't mess with me..." Look to it!

 

[Sweatbandjo]

Have I just repeated my self or what! I am sorry, please put it down to old age!

 

[Sweatbandjo]

I once lived at the base of this mountain, Brasstown Bald, in the hills of Georgia


so when I saw this small pin, it was a no brainer.

That's interesting Rick those conical hills and mountains hold a special sort of magic. I used to live near hear:

"Tap O' Noth in Aberdeenshire. The ancient fort on top is ringed by a vitrified stone wall, fired to the extent that the stones actually welded themselves together! Standing up there I was in awe of how stone age man managed it. I used to regularly find flint arrowheads in the surrounding area so it must have been quite a hunting ground as flint tools from other parts of Europe have been found there too.

 

[Eric L. Nelson Ph.D.]

I didn't care for the hatband that came with my Dobbs Florentine Hobbs (brown, left); so, I bought some ribbon at JoAnn and fashioned a new ribbon. Took four tries, but, I think I got it down!

Next time I fashion a hat band, I will take pictures showing the technical aspects. For example, start by tacking the top of the band down on the side opposite of the bow, then stretch around and tack down the spots under the bow, insuring the top of the band remains firmly down on the hat (not loose). Understand the nature of a straight bow is such that it will have to dip a bit in the area of the bow, it won't remain straight and parallel to the brim. This requires some undertucking of the bottom of the band, which too should be tacked down. Then tack down all round. Use small gage thread, sew in the direction of the grain of the ribbon. Use a tying off stitch with long ends. Measure double the length of the desired bow, sew the ends of the ribbon together so now it is a loop. Fold over another piece of the material, lengthwise, then sew the edges together, thus making the bow's tie. Then measure it to be 2/3 the width of the ribbon, fold over and sew the ends together. Put the seam of the bow, and the seam of the bow's tie facing backwards. Slip the bow through it's tie. Tack down with a few stitches hidden behind the bow's tie. This is the short of it, a video or picture series would make clear what is being done. It was a grand first adventure into sewing.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Eric congrats on tackling a detailed project sir.

 

[Sweatbandjo]

Ah but were you a Surgeon? Or a Financial Trader maybe - both are experts at stitching people up. Sorry Eric, in fact that's very useful advice. Maybe Kevin from Pork Pie Hatters could make a video. I find his offerings on YouTube very useful, he takes his time and knows what he's doing. Your description is excellent though Eric, thank you

 

[RJR]

Next time I fashion a hat band, I will take pictures showing the technical aspects. For example, start by tacking the top of the band down on the side opposite of the bow, then stretch around and tack down the spots under the bow, insuring the top of the band remains firmly down on the hat (not loose). Understand the nature of a straight bow is such that it will have to dip a bit in the area of the bow, it won't remain straight and parallel to the brim. This requires some undertucking of the bottom of the band, which too should be tacked down. Then tack down all round. Use small gage thread, sew in the direction of the grain of the ribbon. Use a tying off stitch with long ends. Measure double the length of the desired bow, sew the ends of the ribbon together so now it is a loop. Fold over another piece of the material, lengthwise, then sew the edges together, thus making the bow's tie. Then measure it to be 2/3 the width of the ribbon, fold over and sew the ends together. Put the seam of the bow, and the seam of the bow's tie facing backwards. Slip the bow through it's tie. Tack down with a few stitches hidden behind the bow's tie. This is the short of it, a video or picture series would make clear what is being done. It was a grand first adventure into sewing.

Good tips;I find that I have good luck dampening the ribbon and then steam ironing it in an arc before sewing it on.

 

[Redfokker]

I have been enjoying this thread, looking for ideas. Thought I would drag it back up again. My adornments, 1960s vintage European Mercedes Lapel pins. I clip the length of the pin down to less than 1" and add them to my favorite bows.

Mallory Eagle c1955

Stingy Cavanagh "Rat Pack" c1960