When decorating hats for dolls, I prefer not to over adorn. I don’t believe my dolls’ hats should weigh them down, but should complement the doll and the costume. No Carmen Miranda conglomerations for me.

For the second doll, I reshaped a cheap, craft store straw hat.

I used a simple straw hat, but changed its shape. Since these inexpensive craft store hats are sewn together, not glued, they can be wetted and reshaped. I use either heavy duty thread and a big sharp needle or hair set tape to manipulate the shape.

For this hat, I used doubled and knotted heavy duty thread. After wetting it thoroughly, I pushed the needle down through the top center of the crown.

 

I pushed up the back brim.

 

Then, wrapped the thread around the back brim and back through the top center to hold it in place.

 

The sides were then folded down and wrapped with the thread.

Lastly, I wrapped the thread around the front brim to raise it, knotted the thread and left it to dry into the desired shape.

Once it was thoroughly dry, I removed the thread and added one row of lace to the inner brim, like the last hat.

 

Using the same pink, double-faced satin ribbon I used on the dress, I wrapped the crown with the ribbon and secured it on one side by stitching through the straw.

 To make a bow, I wove the ribbon back and forth 5 times onto a threaded needle.

 

I secured the bow by stitching through the straw a few times. The part of the ribbon under my thumb was left long to make a tie for the hat. I repeated this on the opposite side, making a bow and leaving a tie.

For a rosette, I used a purple 4mm silk ribbon (not satin) and ran a gathering stitch along one edge.

By pulling up both ends of the threads and tying them into a double knot

I formed a tiny rosette.

And sewed the rosette over the bows on each side.

I think she looks rather stylish.