Is It
Worth It?

Is this pattern worth 125 smackeroos? We're not talking kisses, though some days I feel I could use more than a hundred of those, even a few of them are little sloppy and wet. No we're talking good ole U.S. dollars. I like this pattern. I really do. If you could knock off a few digits on that pricetag, I'd get it in a heartbeat or two. As it is, I think I'll just stare at it, use the magnifying glass on my 21st century typewriter and adding machine to zoom in the "materials suitable" section. Alas, I cannot read the fine print even with it enlarged 3000 percent. Can you? Here's my uneducated guess on what textiles work for these cute toppers: boucle, pique, velvet and anything with a wee bit of stretch to make it fit a 22-inch noggin. But you know what I really think? This pattern wouldn't be hard to knock off. Start by cutting out your own muslin, if you will, out of cheap fabric. Play with it, sew it, until it somewhat resembles the picture. Do some more fidding around and you're done. Or buy a Vogue hat pattern. Work your magic on that. The brimmed chapeau in the lower corner just has a poochy crown. The ones higher up are essentially squares, I swear, tacked and embellished strategically for flair. (Hey, I've got the beginnings of a poem!) What do you think?