Now that the Hat Parade is over, I can move to other pastures, and my next project (really, I promise) will be to finish the trilby that I had already started, messed up, and have to start again. This is from the book that I reviewed some time ago.

This is a project that I was going to do together with Jane but because of personal circumstances I’ve had to postpone. I’m lucky that I can now profit from Jane’s experience and techniques in making this trilby (that she has already finished). You can see all the pictures she took if you follow this link. One of the debates about the patterns on this book was whether seam allowances were included or not. I did some research and concluded that Japanese pattern books never include allowances. Well tough luck, this one seems to be the exception, and Jane found out the hard way what has later been confirmed by two nice Japanese bloggers that left me the following two messages when I posted an SOS on their blogs:

First Miho told me:

Hi, Cristina,
“スタイリッシュクロッシュ” patterns are including seam allowance.
1.0cm : Head circumference (topper side of brim, and lower side of crown)
0.6cm : All except head circumference
In this book, it is written that seam allowance of the lining must be changed to 0.7 from 0.6 using same pattern.
Because the lining is smaller than face, it is beautifully finished.
I hope that my advice is helpful for you.
Happy sewing!
miho

 Then A-na confirmed the same:

Hello,Cristina!
Welcome to my blog.

In this bookスタイリッシュクロッシュ,the pattern includes seam allowance.
A seam allowance of head circumference is 1.0cm,and the others 0.6cm.
When you make the lining,seam allowance must be changed 0.7cm.
Although using same pattern, the lining must be smaller then the face.

Do you understand me?
I’m sorry I’m a poor explanation.
I wish you make lovely hats!

 I want to thank them for their effort in explaining to me this whole seam allowance business in English.

 By the way, I will be a few days in London soon… any suggestions on millinery related visits?

I’ve corrected the link to the book review!

I’ve been thinking about what to do next (although I promise I will finish my Catherinettes hat this week and give it the inaugral day out it deserves, pictures included).

I’ve been looking at my hoods and capelines for some inspiration (by the way I thought I had lost them, but in the end it turned out they were tucked away in a “safe” place).

You can also take a peek at my hat felt hoods:

The printed ones are really cool, and also the “racoon” finished one.

You know what? I think I will do an easy felt hat (to get my spirits up) using my Itaian hat block that can be blocked in one go (crown and brim together), and perhaps after that do a fabric hat from the japanese book? What do you think?

As you may have noticed, there is not much hatmaking going on at the moment. That is because this week I’m on holidays, yipeee!
To keep your hopes up I will let you know the things I will be talking about soon:

• Review of millinery publications: The HAT Magazine, HATalk
• Suppliers: hat blocks, felts, ribbons…
• More book reviews (I have lots of interesting books on my shelf waiting to be reviewed!)
• For Xmas I have asked for the DVD of a documentary about “the People Under the Brim”. So if I find it under the tree I will also write a review.
• Some more fun trivia.
• And last, but not least, I will finish up the current (Catherinettes) hat, and start a new project… perhaps one of the pattern hats from the Japanese book I reviewed?

So stay tuned!