The Sewist

I sew, knit and crochet hats. (Not all at the same time. Whaddaya think I am - a machine?)

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Two Feathers in My Cap


You never know where you'll find sewing accessories or accessories for your hats.

My friend Ruth and I were on our way to the farmer's market and then Jo-Ann Fabrics when Ruth's vehicle made a Sudden Stop half-block away from my apartment ...in front of a yard sale. She had to shop (my pal not her aut0)...and so I figured, "What the heck. I'll go too."

I used to be yard-sale, flea market and estate sale junkie, getting up at the pre-dawn hours to get in line for Good Stuff - I got a creaky 1920s-era Mahogany twin bed for $75 that way plus a rickety bamboo shelf that wasn't worth $50 I shelled out for it, but that's how I've slowly amassed my post-collegiate furniture collection. But I've been burned out on the Hunt for Cheap Stuff for a while. Yard Sales? I walk past. Estate sales? Yawn. Flea market? I'll go if you go and you drive. Hah!

This yard sale wasn't different from others. Lots of 1960s-era couch-cover plastics, a few pale pink quilted house coats, even a child-sized knitting gizmo still in its original box. Ruth almost got that, but she didn't. Such restraint! Instead she bought a few sewing notions, including hem tape. I purchased a pair of circular knitting needles, a stiff brush (good for the cleaning I still need to do), an umbrella (which I hate, but I'll need one day), Joke Riot (a box of laugh for anytime, anyplace, anywhere!) and a bag of fragile feathers, which you see above on my H&M hats.

Five of those plumes cost me twenty-five cents. They were apparently from France originally, according to a faded paper label. They're attached to what looks like a buckram base - I'm not sure what that's for. I was going to attach my finds to a pin, but on second thought, I'll take a millinery needle and sew them onto my chapeaux the next time I feel lighter than a feather. Which hat do you like better? I'll tell you mine. You first.

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2 Comments:

Blogger Kate said...

What you bought are feather pads - individual feathers glued to that fabric backing. In quantity these pads were often used to completely cover a hat by glueing the fabric backing to the hat and overlapping each subsequent pad. My teacher Ann Albrizio specialized in feather hats. Some done with pads like these but her best were made one feather at a time. K Q:-)

2:17 AM  
Blogger Mary Beth said...

Kate, thanks for the insight. I need to have you along when I'm finding this vintage stuff!

6:50 PM  

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