The Cap Faction

[BR Gordon]

I have a cap I have had for 30 years and the ear flaps fold up inside the cap.

Wouldn't that necessitate having the cap too large when the flaps are down?

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

No they fold up into the crown

 

[Simonds]

Just finished up this patchwork with a combo of wool and cotton. I don't see many patchworks on here, but they are a favorite of mine. Enjoy!!

 

[casechopper]

Hi Simonds,
One question I have is why you sew the brim with the lines of stitching? This seems to be the standard on baseball caps but I haven't seen it on other newsboys. Dos it help keep the fabric aligned with the supporting material inside the brim?

 

[Simonds]

well this patchwork cap was created from a couple of different caps that didn't quite win my approval, the bill belonging to a work wear cap but, yes the stitching holds the interfacing I used in that particular one. I now have discovered fusible interfacing so the bills don't need all those stitches. The bill has been my biggest struggle, I'm learning.

 

[rlk]

Hi Simonds,
One question I have is why you sew the brim with the lines of stitching? This seems to be the standard on baseball caps but I haven't seen it on other newsboys. Dos it help keep the fabric aligned with the supporting material inside the brim?

It is used on some vintage caps, although less common.

 

[mikespens]

You've got an open mind and the right attitude Simonds, keep it up. I'm sure your ready and you can't keep all those caps yourself can you?

 

[casechopper]

Would the stitching be more durable than fusing? (I'm assuming fusing is some form of gluing process?)

 

[Simonds]

Would the stitching be more durable than fusing? (I'm assuming fusing is some form of gluing process?)

Yes, and yes

You've got an open mind and the right attitude Simonds, keep it up. I'm sure your ready and you can't keep all those caps yourself can you?

Thanks mikespens, someone else needs to help me wear them for sure!

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Finding a good material for the bill of a cap can be quite a challege. Just like finding good fabric for cap's is hard to find looking out for fabric is a fun task. An pricey a good Donegal tweet is real pricey.

 

[Simonds]

Finding a good material for the bill of a cap can be quite a challege. Just like finding good fabric for cap's is hard to find looking out for fabric is a fun task. An pricey a good Donegal tweet is real pricey.

you're correct on all Ed!

 

[Adnamira]

I like the stitched brims with the fabric stiffener... I think hp caps stitch like that too. I think it is good when you want to bend the brim, you don't end up with the underneath coming away from the brim. I'm rather impressed that Ralf Reynolds can make such good even stitch lines on a 1930s sewing machine. It never occured to me that it wasn't the authentic way of doing it - looks right to me.

 

[Adnamira]

No pretense at being vintage style, but cool and casual and stripy. Zasu caps mightn't be the perfect looking cap, but they are perfect for me on a sunny Australian day where I want something more comfortable than akubra but also a bit of shade when I have to spend a short while in the sun, such as when I am shopping or driving somewhere

Zasu caps improve in shape and drape a lot the more you wear them, and unlike other caps I've had, the more you push and pull them around the better they shape. Some caps I've had have gotten creased or into a certain shape that I can't get them out of after I've pulled and tried to torture them into shape - Zasu caps respond to a bit of domination and rough handling.

 

[Adnamira]

I wonder where City Sport gets their silk fabrics from.... hmm. 39 pounds for a 100% silk cap is pretty amazing.

http://www.classic-caps.co.uk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

China, undoubtedly. Silk is cheeaaapppp

 

[Adnamira]

China, undoubtedly. Silk is cheeaaapppp

A silkworm would likely beg to differ.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Exactly. Though the silkworms are likely treated better than the workers in the factory. At least the silkworm has a commodity the owners care about.

bk

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Great cap on you Jason and it even has the Zazu dingle button.

 

[Adnamira]

Great cap on you Jason and it even has the Zazu dingle button.

The dingle isn't my favourite thing, and I didn't really like the look of Zasu caps when I first saw them, but the fact of the matter is they work for me. There are caps that I like the look of but which don't work for me, so it's like everyone says, horses for courses. Much better than a baseball cap anyway. It occured to me thinking about different styles of caps and different types of cap wearers that there is like a spectrum of cap styles. At one end of the spectrum there are modern caps like kangol, Stetson and the ilk that aren't very vintage in style at all; at the other end there are the vintage caps and good repros. I don't like the small dimension modern caps that are over-priced for their quality, but I don't have the wardrobe or the opportunity to wear the more refined, sculptured vintage caps and repros, so i guess it's the 'good casual' look with more dimension than a typical modern cap but perhaps a bit more relaxed and floppier than a true vintage cap. Simonds's caps might be ideal for me, I think, seeing they are quite like the Zasu but perhaps a bit tidier. As much as I admire tailored clothing, I guess if I am going to try a more vintage style it will probably have to be more of a sort of folkier, working class look... then again, the eight dart caps were worn by parisian thugs, so who knows. Just wear what looks good on you, I guess.

One thing I am certain of after purchasing this cap is that the hickory stripe is wonderful for eight panel caps - it kind of gives a look of structure to the eight panel somehow, I think... like one of those anatomical drawings of muscles. And it is more of a workwear look too. One occasion it seems that matching a cap and shirt seems to work... and handy if you are on the velds of africa to confuse the predators. Pity Pendleton didn't make their sir pendelton shirts in solid colours and perhaps stripes as well as plaids - they'd be a nice quality shirt for a casual look with these style of caps... but plaids are such difficult things to match with other pieces of clothing, I find.

 

[Adnamira]

Perhaps I should find some hickory stripe workwear to go with this style of cap. Hickory stripe shirt, hickory stripe pants, and a pair of white dunlop volleys with stripes drawn on them with texta. I don't think there is any hope for me really, is there