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The Conversion Corral

Lon Goval

Familiar Face
Messages
99
Location
San Diego
Conversions for women

Nice liner (and notes) Stoney!

I'm in the process of converting some Western hats into Fedoras. I'm sticking with ones that fit so I don't have to deal with the sweatband. At this point I'm just reshaping the hats. Not trimming brims, washing or anything major. If I have a bit of luck, I'll move on to more abitious work like brim ribbon. I'm still looking for local ribbon sources and I want to put wind trolleys on them. I haven't really used them, but I like the look.

Any comments on conversions I make for my wife. We are both amateur musicians and usually wear hats at open mics and performances around town. Does anyone put the bow on the right side like most women's hats, or do you just leave them on the left? She gets all my ebay mistakes (bad sizing listings-hats and Hawaiian shirts) since she is 2 sizes smaller. She has more vintage hats that fit than I do now.

I'm looking for sources of the trolley cord as well (preferably not the elastic type).

Keep the conversion photos and info coming.

Thanks, Ralph
 

indycop

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,325
Location
Jacksonville, Florida
Lon Goval said:
Nice liner (and notes) Stoney!

I'm in the process of converting some Western hats into Fedoras. I'm sticking with ones that fit so I don't have to deal with the sweatband. At this point I'm just reshaping the hats. Not trimming brims, washing or anything major. If I have a bit of luck, I'll move on to more abitious work like brim ribbon. I'm still looking for local ribbon sources and I want to put wind trolleys on them. I haven't really used them, but I like the look.

Any comments on conversions I make for my wife. We are both amateur musicians and usually wear hats at open mics and performances around town. Does anyone put the bow on the right side like most women's hats, or do you just leave them on the left? She gets all my ebay mistakes (bad sizing listings-hats and Hawaiian shirts) since she is 2 sizes smaller. She has more vintage hats that fit than I do now.

I'm looking for sources of the trolley cord as well (preferably not the elastic type).

Keep the conversion photos and info coming.

Thanks, Ralph

All of Deelovely's are on the left except for Panams and one Akubra that I changed the ribbon on.:)
 

Stoney

Practically Family
Messages
977
Location
Currently on the East Coast
Lon Goval said:
Any comments on conversions I make for my wife. We are both amateur musicians and usually wear hats at open mics and performances around town. Does anyone put the bow on the right side like most women's hats, or do you just leave them on the left?

I'm looking for sources of the trolley cord as well (preferably not the elastic type).

Thanks, Ralph


Ralph,

For a womens hat, I would probably put the bow on the right side myself, but I think this is a question for ladies of the lounge to answer.

As to wind cord, check your local crafts store, take the hat along with you so you can match colors. Look for braided cord in a color that matches the color of the ribbon or felt of the hat. As for a button...Use a small amount of matching ribbon to cover an ordinary button that you attach to the end of the cord. If you can't find any ribbon that matches the one on your hat you can always replace the ribbon with some from the craft store and use the same ribbon to cover the button.

I used this for a guide.

http://www.marquise.de/en/themes/howto/knoepfe.shtml

This is a graphic from the above page that shows how to sew fabric over a button.

fabric-button.jpg


I also apply a little super glue to the back of the button after sewing the ribbon over it. This keeps the fabric from unraveling. And another tip.. Cut the fabric sightly larger than the instructions indicate when using ribbon to cover a button as the material will fray when you are sewing it.

Another option is to use a decorative button, with a shank. I have one hat with an antique brass button with the image of Mercury, the messenger of the gods, that looks pretty cool.
 

HamletJSD

A-List Customer
Messages
472
Location
Birmingham, AL
I am not sure if my "Snowy River-to-fedora" counts as a conversion, but I realized that I never posted the finished pics from months ago.

In another thread I had posted the product of cutting down the brim, reshaping it, and re-blocking the crown (in my own home-made fashion). BUT, it still had the thin leather band that made it more cowboy than anything else, so here are a couple of quick shots with the new ribbon.

2341075296_83723053fb_m.jpg


2341074966_2a8b01fee6_m.jpg


2341091740_cfa84ec50f_m.jpg


I still keep the brim turned down in the back. For some reason it just looks best that way on this hat.
 

HamletJSD

A-List Customer
Messages
472
Location
Birmingham, AL
Correction ( :eusa_doh:): After a search to find the other thread I posted this hat in, the other pics were before I did anything with the crown. So there is a lot of "new" stuff to see in this verion.
 

citRon

A-List Customer
Messages
424
Location
Louisville Ky
HamletJSD said:
I am not sure if my "Snowy River-to-fedora" counts as a conversion, but I realized that I never posted the finished pics from months ago.

In another thread I had posted the product of cutting down the brim, reshaping it, and re-blocking the crown (in my own home-made fashion). BUT, it still had the thin leather band that made it more cowboy than anything else, so here are a couple of quick shots with the new ribbon.

2341075296_83723053fb_m.jpg


2341074966_2a8b01fee6_m.jpg


2341091740_cfa84ec50f_m.jpg


I still keep the brim turned down in the back. For some reason it just looks best that way on this hat.


That is simply beautiful!! What width is that ribbon? What color is that Snowy River? Oh- if you can help out us 'searching challenged', post a link to your previous work.
Outstanding!!
 

HamletJSD

A-List Customer
Messages
472
Location
Birmingham, AL
citRon said:
That is simply beautiful!! What width is that ribbon? What color is that Snowy River? Oh- if you can help out us 'searching challenged', post a link to your previous work.
Outstanding!!

Couldn't find the other link now that some time has passed, but I hadn't posted any real "before pics" as a good Lounger should've ...

But thank you for your kindness :eek: This ribbon is just above 1 1/4", stolen from another hat I hadn't been wearing. The brim is 2 3/4", which is wider than I thought I'd like, BUT it's a significant cutting from the Snowy River's original 3 1/4"+ and I'm not sure I'd like it much shorter. The color is something like coffee with a light shot of milk (official scientific observation). It's basically some variation of the typical Akubra "Fawn," but I don't know which color exactly because it was purchased on eBay.

Thanks again!
 

bolthead

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,905
Location
Pennsylvania, United States
Here's my Entry.....

I guess I qualify to be a member now as well......[huh]

Before....

Western1.jpg
Western2.jpg


After....

Conversion002.jpg
Conversion003.jpg
Conversion001.jpg


I went from a Brim width of almost 4" to 2 5/8".
Crown is now 4 1/2" front, and 3 1/2" back.
 

Hatsquad

New in Town
Messages
40
Location
Huntsville, Ontario, Canada
This is my 7x Stetson bought by me in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1989. Very nice beaver felt, but quite stiff, as western hats are. I converted it recently by trimming the brim and changing the ribbon, but left the Cattleman's crease because a) the crown is so stiff I didn't want to ruin the hat and b) I like it, I'm a cowboy at heart.
Before:

th_IMG_1192.jpg


th_IMG_1193.jpg

After:

th_IMG_1196.jpg


th_IMG_1198.jpg


Regards, Gerry
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
My attempt at conversion...

I started with a vintage 3X Stetson western, going for an Outback look with 2 3/4 brim, diamond crease. Don't beat me too badly cuz I forgot to take any before photos. :eusa_doh: [huh]
remake1.jpg

remake2.jpg

remake3.jpg

remake4.jpg

remake5.jpg

remake.jpg
 

carter

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,921
Location
Corsicana, TX
I'm glad to see some new posts on this thread. There is some incredible work displayed here. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
 

citRon

A-List Customer
Messages
424
Location
Louisville Ky
J.T.Marcus said:
This was one of my first, done last winter. Resistol stagecoach, resized from 7 1/4 to 7 1/8, new ribbon, brim cut down to 2 5/8".


P1040172ResistolStagecoach.jpg


How did you size it down? This might be a way for me to get a hat I like, 7 1/8 seems to be too popluar.
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
gtdean48 said:
I started with a vintage 3X Stetson western, going for an Outback look with 2 3/4 brim, diamond crease. Don't beat me too badly cuz I forgot to take any before photos. :eusa_doh: [huh]
remake1.jpg

remake2.jpg

remake3.jpg

remake4.jpg

remake5.jpg

remake.jpg
Besides the ribbon & the feather, this is close to what my "before" hat looked like...
oldremake.jpg
 

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