I like to wear hats, especially in the spring and summer. I usually have one on when hiking, and doing car shows to keep the sun out of my eyes. I really adore the hats on Downton Abby, and I wish that hats would make a comeback for daily wear. I have about a half dozen that I regularly wear, and one of them was just getting really sad. Replacing a hat isn’t easy these days as they are not inexpensive anymore, and finding that perfect shape and size isn’t easy either. This one started out as a straw color a few years ago with some kind of embellishment that I cannot even remember. I removed that, painted the hat white and added the patriotic ribbons and white roses. I have worn it a number of times over the summer patriotic holidays for the past few years.
But, it has seen better days. The paint has flecked off in a lot of spots, and I am tired of the embellishment. You can see brown spots all over it. And it is not easy to find hats that fit well and are just what I like, so the best thing is to give this one a makeover.
So, I decided what I wanted to do, and gathered white spray paint, red tulle, and new white geranium flowers.
First up, remove all the old ribbon and roses. This wasn’t too hard as I hadn’t gone overboard with the hot glue. I cleaned up all the old glue, and removed as much of the flaking paint as I could by brushing it with a stiff brush outside.
Then, it received a new coat of white. I did two light coats of white spray paint on both sides.
I let the hat dry completely overnight, then I made a bow with the red tulle, using four layers so the color would show nicely.
I measured around the crown, and cut another length of tulle four times that measurement plus a few inches.
At the back, place a blob of hot glue and embed the end of the tulle in it. Let it cool.
Wrap the tulle around the crown firmly four times, and hot glue in place. Cut off the remaining tail of tulle.
With more hot glue, fix the bow to the center back of the hat at the bottom of the tulle band.
Spread out the bow as you like.
With a bit more hot glue, place the first flower on the band in the middle of the bow.
Add two more, filling the space evenly. Clean up any little glue strings.
Allow the glue to cool completely before wearing. Voila, all done.
Pretty and ready for summer, patriotic holidays, and other days too since it isn’t red/white/blue anymore.
Do you wear hats?
From My Carolina Home 
I LOVE HATS!!!!! I used to wear them all of the time but haven’t gotten away from it in recent years . Until this past winter when I went nuts with the felted wool crochet hats and I think I reopened that passion ♥
Oh, this is a great project. I love doing things like this!
I do not wear a hat. I have a huge mop of hair.
I do have a cute straw hat that I wear sometimes when I am with my mom and dad. My dad says I look like like
I did sitting on a mountain with my sisters in Switzerland — about 100 years ago
happy Monday.
This hat looks really “glam” now.
Love it! Very Creative!
I wish they would bring back hats too. Maybe you can start the fashion again by being the first to wear one every day
LOVE hats, but they make me hot, hee hee! It requires a large hat to sit in a baseball stadium, PLUS a brolly! I have a purple felt cloche I love to wear in the winter, and then my son said I look like a little old English lady… emphasis on the old… I have a man’s gray fedora with a peacock feather, and for summer I have a white hat as well, one of the ones from 10 years ago that scrunch and come back, I change out the embellishment but don’t use the glue gun, just a long pin. I love using my large brooches on it as well. Hooray for hats!
I love the hats on Downton – yes, it would be so nice if they were back in style! I need to pick up a straw hat for gardening to keep the sun off my fair skin….great job at revamping this one! By the way, I’m in upstate NY, in the Catskill Mountains. Love your header photo – GORGEOUS!!
Oh Wow I Love your hat too-I never was much into hats until moving here to SW Missouri where the sun is really hot and now hurts my eyes. I had never thought of re purposing a hat before-I will keep my eyes open now at the resale shops-great tutorial too thanks
I love your refurbishing job. I have a garden hat which I wear when no one is looking. I thought it would protect me from the sun and keep bits of garden debris out of my hair, but I spend more time adjusting it than getting much use from it.
Great rehab of your white hat! I have a 20+ year old straw cowboy type hat that I wear when walking. You have inspired me to look for some new ribbon and treat it to an upgrade upgrade.
I have several other large-brim hats that I wear occasionally, but they are too hot for 4 miles in the CA sun.
I also keep a fabric hat with large brim at my daughter’s and wear it in the pool – it keeps the sun off when I am just floating around and dries off afterward.
@susansquiltstudio
I once wore hats – loved little pillbox hats and some summer boaters – but I haven’t worn one in years. This looks great, both as a sun hat and a fashion statement. What fun to whisk that together in a couple of days and have a new hat!
Great job re-doing your hat. I would never have thought to paint it – fabulous idea!!! I wear hats purely to keep the sun off my face and stop me getting sunburnt – almost year round in Australia. Nothing fancy, though. They’re mostly made of fabric and fold up to fit inside a bag. I used to wear a lot of straw hats, but only have one left.
Your hat now looks like new. A great job.
I adore hats and yes I love wearing them. I love those millinery treasures in Downton Abbey as well. Actually I love the dresses, shoes and other gorgeous fashion statements on that show. Your hat that you have redone is lovely. I love the red tulle and those gorgeous white flowers are the ‘icing on the cake’. It is beautiful
Wonderful work on your hat. I wonder why they went out of fashion as most women were mad about having a new hat many many years ago and I think they really make an outfit and are very flattering.
I absolutely love this. I am going to share your picture and link on my blog. I have two grand girls and we are constantly playing with hats to dress up. This will be a great project to update a couple of them.
You are very crafty and I like the hat makeover! The few times that I’ve worn a hat I felt like I was playing dress-up in my mom’s clothes so I don’t even try anymore.