Spring Hat

Ahhh another winter survived, and this year, fortunately with minimum illness in our house. I do love winter, having the fire roaring, lighting a few candles and settling into some knitting.. or crocheting, which ever I have on hand. But, when those first blossoms hit the trees I cannot tell you how excited I feel.

This week we saw the first day of spring tick over here in Australia. I felt a new kinship to my millinery flowers and Adaline was indeed in need for a spring bonnet.

I have been saving this vintage ribbon for Adaline, and playing with some of my crochet cottons and flowers I felt this was a lovely combination. I think I am probably rather selfish in the way I work, I choose colours that I want to visit for a while. This week I have to admit I have loved working with this soft dusty pink... such a delight, as good as a spring holiday!!!

I have been wanting to work on stiffening my crocheted hats for a while. I have been chickening out I have to admit. Its hard when you spend 5 hours crocheting a hat to suddenly dunk it in a solution that you really don't know what the result will be. When I first put this pink hat in the stiffening solution I have to confess there was a real sense of panic!! But I persevered and shaped it and molded it. I used a hairdryer to get it reasonably set, then over a glass I could move it here, push it there... and stretch it into place.

I really loved the final result and I think it did open a world of millinery possibilities for my dollys. Still some shoes to finish for Miss Adaline, so hopefully over the next few days I will have her final photos done.

Mel xx