3 Days In

Ahem.

So, I didn't post photos on the first day like I hoped I could.

Now I've had 3 and I'm still quite far behind, so this is just a brief update and hopefully I can catch up before the weekend.

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Excuse me, quick break to show The Boss how to use the dualview application for her laptop/screen.

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Wow. Like teaching a puppy to ride a go kart. 

So anyway, where was I? Oh yes, hats. 

DAY 1

Designs

As you can see, my very first effort was scrubbed:

According to The Boss, Hong Kong people won't buy anything remotely Chinese, because they think local stuff should be dirt cheap. Fair enough. This design instead:

Hats

I would like to add veiling to this one, but will have to search for it on the weekend.

This one is not remotely finished. So slow.

DAY 2:

Designs

 

Hats:

Would have instinctively added something else, like beading detail, but there's just not enough time! I need to learn to forego the extras if I'm going to meet my quota...

This really does need something else. I'm thinking dark grey cord. Attached tassels are tempting me, but it's possible that could be too Chinese-y.

DAY 3:

Designs

I was really excited about design No. 6.! The ivory mushroom shape was my favourite... pinned a ribbon of dangling pearls to the rim, only to discover when I put it on that I looked like a lamp. I love lamp, but I doubt customers here will. 

New idea:

Bandana hat! Pirate mushroom, if you will.

I like the result, it's almost colonial:

Here's the other one. Needs a hairband, as you can tell from my phone balancing it on top of the mannequin.... Also needs some of my "signature" (The Boss calls them) anemone flowers. 

You can't tell from the photo, but the lace drapes over one eye. 

Must make sure it doesn't look too funerial. Funeral-y? Funeral-like. ...Oh... Funereal, apparently.

Aaaaaand now it's 1pm on Day 4 and I'm writing this blog instead of playing catch up. Crap!

Bye!

100 Hats in 50 Days

I have about 2 1/2 months, here in Hong Kong, to fill an order which has not been finalised. Supposedly, I am to provide 100 affordable hats to potentially supply the racing events at the start of Autumn. However, since I can't churn out 100 hats at the drop of a ... well,... hat, I am going to have to make them and hope that the order is eventually needed.

So. From today, I have 50 working days to complete (ideally) 100 hats. Can this be done? I myself have never completed an entire hat in one day, but these require no blocking. In fact, if I am to stick to the budget, I cannot block them myself. Besides, with only 2 hat blocks to my name, the results would be rather limited...

I have 21 bases already, ordered from Randall Ribbons (nightmare, I won't go into it, this isn't a rant blog). 3 pieces each of 7 different styles. 7 different colours with each style having a different combination of colours. I have brought along several pieces of fabric from my hoarder's den that match, so I already have a bit of a head start. By the time I have run out of these bases, hopefully I will have found a source of others here in Hong Kong. The majority of the remaining 79 hats are likely to be small, fascinator-type things. Thankfully perfectly acceptable here in HK.

ANYWAY.

Starting from today.

2 hats.

Hopefully will be able to upload photos of them by this evening.

Wish me luck!