The Sun Hat and the Silent Auction

I made this sun hat more than a year ago (Vogue 8405, version B) but I never got around to lining it because I realized that it really didn’t go with my wardrobe. The expensive lacy trim I got from Britex Fabrics looked great – a nice complement to the quilted home dec fabric from Joann’s – but it wasn’t really me. So Natasha, my mannequin head, wore the unfinished hat and it remained a UFO (unfinished object) until this past weekend.

I finished it because I heard that a silent auction was being held to raise money for Ben Pesta, a dear writer friend who has cancer. A friend of theirs organized the auction, which starts today. The funds are to help cover Ben and his wife Monique’s daily living expenses and the cost of his medications. Friends of theirs have donated goods (a handmade quilt, custom crochet, jewelry, pet portraits, wind chimes, and more) and services, such as WordPress website setup, a tarot reading, dog training, and photography. I’m donating this sun hat.

Here’s what went into the lining.

On Friday I posted a photo of the hat on Instagram and asked folks whether I should pick a bright or dark color for contrast. Both Rachel of the House on Pinheiro and Laura of A Make It Yourself Mom’s Diary thought I should go bright, which I agreed with. The hat is a cream color so I thought maybe purple could be a good contrast. I didn’t have anything in my fabric stash that was appropriate so I needed to do some fabric shopping.

After work I dropped by Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics in Berkeley to pick a fabric. Maybe a solid purple cotton sateen but I didn’t like the shade of purple and a solid seemed boring. So I wandered over to the cotton prints and saw that several bolts were 50 percent off. I didn’t want anything synthetic, which wouldn’t be breathable and would make the hat too hot to wear.

The trim has roses so …

I picked this fabric with tiny roses, which I then cut, pinned and sewed into the hat lining. (I had to rip out my first line of stitches around the crown – :/ – because I didn’t read the instructions and sewed a 1/2″ seam instead of 1/4″ seam. All other seam allowances are 1/2″.)

Then I hand sewed it to the crown of the hat and then sewed rayon Petersham ribbon inside for the sweatband.

And voila! The hat is done. I like the contrast of the lining and the hat fabric. It’s like a secret that only the hat wearer knows about. What lining fabrics do you like? Something that’s a surprising contrast? a complementary color? a matching color? Stripes or prints?

You can see three views of Natasha wearing the hat I donated on the auction goods page. Please help spread the word about the auction. It’s not too early to start your holiday shopping – and help Ben and Monique! Bidding ends on Friday, Nov. 15, 5 pm.