When the Dye Runs,
Do You Walk?

The reason I ask is because this eBay seller is selling this nifty 30s hat, now grey and black, formerly noire and white. I can only imagine how stunning it was in its original colors. Apparently this topper got wet and the colors decided to dance. They could have been doing a salsa number, but personally I think they were doing the tango because these dyes got really personal. They didn't recreate, but they certainly did MUTATE.

I'm glad to see that saralu54 hasn't ditched what must have been a museum-quality piece. Now she's offering it for a great deal and suggests that it might make a great pattern. I think that's a fantastic idea! Somebody has already bid on it, so I'm wondering what the lucky buyer will do with this hat once he or she get his or her hands on it. Will they put it on a mannequin? Make a duplicate as saralu54 recommended? I'd actually just as soon wear it, and I wouldn't have known the dyes bled if the seller hadn't mentioned it. But the laundry snafu made me think of why I'd do if one of my favorite chapeaux had an unfortunate meeting with water. I'm sure I'm scream, maybe even cry, and most likely try to resurrect the hat if possible. It makes me think of the lovely 1940s printed silk that I got as a gift from an elderly friend a few years ago. Well, I wetted it to stretch it prior to sewing. It made a HUGE mess all over my bath tub. I was afraid to actually stitch it because that fabric just wasn't colorfast. I didn't want to even think about what would happen to me (or my attire) if I got caught in a rainstorm.
What have you done with a hat that's gotten a little damaged?