The Making of Green Tweed Deerstalker (H68)

Dear reader: please do forgive for the shortness of the descriptions but writing is not one of my skills. I prefer to spend my time making rather than writing, I hope you understand.

 The finished Deerstalker H68- Displayed with studio light and in natural light.



You notice that the pin-tuck design does really stand out in natural light as the shadows work well.

 I have always been a great fan of art nouveau design and that time period is what very often inspires me for a design if I work with plain fabric.

Firstly I do sketch the design with pencil and once satisfied with its shape I then finalise it in ink.

 The finalised designs for the different parts of the Deerstalker hat.

The chosen fabric is a beautiful, medium weight, olive/moss green vintage Scotspun Tweed with flecks of red and orange.

 The designs are now being transfered onto the reverse of the fabirc.

 The transfereed design showing in yellow dots

 To make the design visible on the right side, each line has to be basted by hand.

 Now the design is visible on the right side. Separate lines are in separate colours so I don't mix the lines when pin-tucking.

 One by one, the design is being traced with pin-tucks.

 One finished design.

 But there is more ... here the design for one of the visors is being transfered.

 All 10 pieces with the designs are ready for pin-tucking.

Some time later ... the individual pieces are ready to be cut into their shapes.

 The hat is slowly taking on shape.

I like this part, when it all comes together.

 Preparing the flaps ...

 ... preparing the 2 visors ....

 All going well so far ...

The flaps have been joined ... 

Almost there ...

 The lining, in this case a luxurious vintage silk is being prepared with padding.

 The lining taking on shape ...

Inserting the lining and basting it into place before sewing. 

This was a lengthy process but I am very pleased with the end result. In fact so much that I find it difficult to let it go!

It works very well with red hair, I might add!