Discriminating Weirdos

Fall Means Fashion!

Especially with the return of Project Runway, my mind is running toward couture fashion in a most intense way.  I crave the glossy pages of Vogue and Elle and Harper's (which even has fantastic writing, proving that fashion consciousness and intelligence are not mutually exclusive).  My hands crave fine fabrics.  I'm desperate to indulge in some serious retail therapy, and now I could even justify it as economic stimulus!  

(And don't think I'm not aware of the irony of writing all of this, unshowered, in jammy pants and an accidentally bleached t-shirt.)

Apparently I'm not alone in having fall fashion on the brain.  I'm thrilled to say that a lovely Etsyan, CecilandCo,  has included my work in a Treasury entitled "Couture". 

What a lovely word.  Couture. 

Here's a screenshot, but you should definitely go and visit in the next couple of days before the treasury vanishes.  Visit all of these beautiful sellers.  Go ahead and indulge in a little Etsy retail therapy.  You'll be very happy you did, and you'll make an Etsy seller very happy too! (Emily)

The Hat is finished.

and gone, for that matter.  I sent it to Stephen Fry's office (what would it be like to have an office?) moments ago from my favorite UPS store.  I handed it to the capable packing hands of the staff with the words: "This is the single most important hat I have ever made."

That might be an exaggeration, but it kinda feels that way right now.  Oh my gosh I hope he likes it.  I'm absolutely on pins and needles, and not the ones I use to stitch.  Adam says that it's a waste of stomach acid to worry, but I can't help myself. 

I mean, COME ON!!!  Regardless of the fact that I keep having to explain who he is, this guy is a Big Deal!  And he's going to get a hat from me!  EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

We took lots of hat photos this weekend, so you may see the final fruits of my labor.  If he likes it, I will list it as a custom hat option on Etsy. (which is available at present for lots of designs) 

Cross your fingers for me, everybody!

Oh and also since we did take lots of photos yesterday, you may anticipate a number of new listings at our Etsy shop (moesewco.etsy.com), where everything is 10% off for our Stick It Up Your A$$ Mortgage Company sale.  We're close to the goal of paying the insurance and the mortgage and still being able to eat for August, but every dollar spent still helps.  (Emily)

The Stephen Fry Project Vol. 1: The Hat is on the Blocks

I know it's been a while, dear readers.  We've been dealing with some fairly unpleasant stuff having to do with mortgages, work.... you know many of the issues of the day.  We're fairly stable at this point.  Unfortunately, this stability has come at a cost.  Adam's working construction for his dad up in Grand Marais until there's work for him here.  I'm still in Chicago teaching piano.  The situation sucks.  But it's a common way of being at the moment.  I remember every day the number of couples that have been divided by economic circumstances, and worse yet, by war.  We are not alone.  We are doing what we have to do. 

Anyway, happier thoughts.  A couple of months ago, I began a project to make a hat for Stephen Fry.   I've been pretty excited about it for a while, it just took a bit to get going (see above).  It also took a little bit to get his head measurements.  He had them taken by the wardrobe people at QI.  I think this is pretty funny.  Normally people just grab a measuring tape.  No, not Mr. Fry.  He must involve wardrobe people. 

Turns out he has a fairly large head. 

I had to take some time for inspiration as well.  This feels like a fairly high pressure project.  Though I love Stephen Fry's work in many ways (his twitter feed keeps my life interesting), I can't get past the thought that I'm making a hat for Jeeves.  THE Jeeves.  I'm a fan of Wodehouse, and found my way to the television program long after reading the novels.  They made an impression. 

And so, in the middle of all of the above referenced crapulence, I had a dream of Stephen Fry's hat. 

Here it is, on the blocks. 

It's a soft grey beaver felt.  Beaver is the ultimate in millinery felts.  It's extremely soft, with a high nap (the fuzzy bit).  Beaver felt is also the reason that Minnesota was explored.  The European continent had an insatiable appetite for beaver felt top hats. Their appetite was so great that they made beavers virtually extinct on the continent.  This drove trappers to explore the wilds of North America, bringing the voyageurs to Minnesota. 

(Just think, fashion, millinery fashion, brought white men to Minnesota.) 

So I thought that a beaver felt would be appropriate.  

What I've done so far is to take a blank....  a large circle of felt that looks like a bowling ball has been dropped in the middle....  and stuck it under the sink in very hat water.  Eventually the fibers in the felt begin to have elasticity.  Then I stretch the felt over antique wooden hat blocks to make the shape that I want. 

A hat is made of two blocks.  The crown and the brim.  Two separate large pieces of wood.

The fedora crown block that I used is one that I bought from a block-maker in Shakopee, Minnesota.  There are only a handful of block-makers left in the world (I've heard the number 4 thrown around). One of them is 40 minutes from where I grew up. 

I used a large brim block so that I would have lots of options when it came to the width of the brim. 

Don't worry, the hat isn't silver (it just looks like that because it's wet).  Nor will the brim be that wide.  That would be silly.  Very silly. 

Next comes stitching!  Lots and Lots!  (Emily)

Apologies and Excuses and the Go Get Your Smock Holiday Artisan Sale

For the past week, we've been alternately feverish and feverishly stitching, being both sick and getting ready for a show at the same time.  It doesn't make for much blogging.  Sorry about that.

First, the plug:

Come and see us at the Go Get Your Smock Holiday Artisan Sale on Sunday, December 7!

Here's some pictures so you can see the fruits of our labors:

Note the little stack of cold medicine.  I've finished five new hats in the last week.  That's a lot. 

Adam's pricing patches. 

My favorite of my new hats, and our first collaboration.  Adam made embroidered the button.  She's called The Main Chelsea, named after my on-line friend Chelsea Main, she works for Modofly.  I think this hat would be perfect for her.  Just her snappy style: chic, and bright and beautiful.  

 

This weekend is one of those times where every flat surface of the house is covered in a hat.  In this picture we've got Spring In Transition, Book Cellar Suzy, Steeplechase, Myrna Loy, Twiggy and Grow. 

Come and see us at the Go Get Your Smock Holiday Artisan Sale on Sunday, December 7!

(Emily)

I might not mind panamas so much. Then.

I've got kind of an unhealthy relationship going with straw hats. They just aren't as much fun as felt.  They don't sculpt, they aren't forgiving. 

Mostly they just poke me a lot, and that kinda makes me curse. 

This week, though, I finally tried a panama straw.  My mentor, Eva May, had warned my very first hat making class that panamas were especially willful and hard to block.  They won't "do much" she said. 

For some reason, I took this to mean that "hard to block" meant pokey-er than the other parasisols and things I was working with. 

Well, Eva convinced me this week that this was not the case and sold me a really beautiful sienna colored panama straw.  It's an especially special project because I'm making this hat for Adam, and it was the very first time I used my super-special handmade block that I got from Shakopee. 

I was too excited to wait until my usual blocking day (Wednesday), so we went and picked it up today. 

It isn't nearly so pokey, and it actually seems to want to be a hat.  (Parasisol always seems to want to stay flat for some reason.)

Today we figured out the brim, and I got the wire in and sprayed it.  Tonight, I'll work on the "sweat band". 

So far, so good, though!  Keep your fingers crossed for me!  (Emily)