Use silk flowers to modernize a church hat.
In the Bible, the apostle Paul said that women should cover their heads while worshipping. Many Christian women, especially those of African American descent, have taken this instruction to heart, wearing elaborate and decorative headpieces as part of their Sunday best. You can take part in the tradition by creating a modernized church hat. With some personal touches and additions, you can turn almost any hat into a one-of-a-kind, modern accessory.
Instructions
1. Flip through current fashion magazines to get an idea of the hat styles that are modern and fashionable. Pick a few styles you especially like, and note their shapes and the materials used to make them. Keep these notes and pictures on hand to reference while you're making your modernized church hat.
2. Select a hat for the base of your one-of-a-kind look. The hat should have a brim wide enough to hold all your desired decorations. Look for one in an interesting shape, too. Choose a color that will match the season, such as brown or black for winter and yellow, pink or white for summer, or pick a color that will match or contrast with the rest of your outfit. You can also buck tradition by picking a color not typically used for traditional church hats, such as hot pink or turquoise.
3. Choose a wide ribbon in a complementary color to go around the base of the hat brim. Determine where you want to place the bow that will hang from the ribbon. Cut a length of ribbon that will reach completely around the base of the brim and be long enough to tie a large bow. Place a dab of glue from the hot glue gun on the side directly opposite where you want to place the bow. Attach the center of the ribbon there. Proceeding out from the center, first left, then right, place a dab of glue every inch or two, attaching the ribbon as you go. Be sure to alternate sides so your ribbon meets at the point where you want to tie the bow. Flatten any wrinkles before the glue dries.
4. Tie a large bow in the ribbon you have attached to your hat. Create plush loops, and let the excess ribbon hang down over the brim of the hat. Cut the ends of the ribbon on a diagonal or in a V-shape.
5. Add feathers or silk flowers to your hat. For example, you could use the hot glue gun to attach a realistic-looking silk flower in the center of the ribbon's bow, and you could add a few peacock or emu feathers behind the tied bow.
6. Decide if you want to add netting to your church hat. If you do, choose netting that matches and decide where you want to attach it. Some hats look good with netting attached in the front, while other styles are best suited to netting that stretches over the top. Once you determine which look best fits your hat, attach the netting using hot glue or a needle and thread.
7. Adorn the hat with rhinestones to add some more modern pizazz. Select rhinestones in a color that matches the overall theme of the hat. Glue them on top of the ribbon going around the base of the hat, or attach them to the brim, either on top or underneath.
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