My First Try At A Hat Is Done.

[LoveAndLeather]

Well here it is, I call it the death dealer. Be nice now lol, this is my first hat and was cut freehand. But I did find some cool patterns for the next ones. I lined the bottom of the hat with very stretchy suede for sizing since if was kind loose with out it. Now it fits very good and just the right weight for me. I distressed the leather to get that worn look. Then dyed and sealed and buffed it. Then made a little band to go around it with red and silver in it.

[Duke]

COOL! well done!

[joquarter]

Nice hat.

Give me some good ideas .

[albane]

Wanna sell it ?

I can offer it to a friend of mine.

Let me know,

[Jazznow]

could you maybe post a how to?

I would like to know if you used any other reinforcement than the mentioned suede. 

How can i make the brim (hope this is the rigt word) curved that way? 

Greetings Jazznow

[gearhead]

Freehand---WOW!!

[BearG]

One Word " SWEET"

[King's X]

Very nice work for your first one!

[LoveAndLeather]

I will write up how I did it in just a few. Got to see the doctor today.. Be back

[LoveAndLeather]

Okay here is how i did it. Remember this my first hat and i had no pattern, so nothing is done by the rules.

1. I cut a 4 1/2 inch by whatever size around my head was rectangle.lol i cant remember, use a measuring tape and measure around your head and add an inch.

2. After you cut the rectangle bevel both ends to pull in the top of the hat a little. I think mine goes to full size down to a 1/4 of an inch, hope you all get what im saying.

3. Lace two ends together to form the solid piece, then lay the top size down and trace from the end size to form the top of hat and lace top of hat on.

4. This part i just got lucky on, i just free hand cut a really roundish type square thing. think cool old type gun slinger hats. and lace everything together with temporary lacing to fit everything together and trim as needed.

5. After everything is fitted i took the leather and worked it over real good , even through it around some to get that worn distressed look. At this point tool and dye, and finish edges if desired.

6. Do final lacing on the hat and make sure everything is tight and even unless your going for that uneven look.

7. Fit on your head, make sure dye is dry. lol Then i cemented very thin kinda stretchy suede to the bottom of brim and trimmed.

8. After letting cement dry, i trimmed a hole in the middle of the hat leaving just enough over to fit just right to my head, see picture above. the little un-dyed part.

9.After everything is put together I spread the hat down with warm water in a spray bottle then laid it upside down. I then formed the brim as I wanted while using a hairdryer to heat and pull the water out. It worked....

10. After it was fully dry I conditioned the leather while and buffed it out.

I hope you understand what I am saying, I have never wrote one of these. Sorry dont have any photos, will try to take some on the next one I do. I was really happy with how it turned out. Here is a shot of the finished hat on my chick from a shoot we did today.

[Jazznow]

wow thank you for your fast response. 

I like the How-To and will probably give it a try, when i have more leather. At the moment i'm running out of leather  

Thank you agian, you gave me some great inspiration. 

Greetings Jazznow