Straw hat to bonnet

A fairly simple one this…  I once went on holiday and bought a straw hat…

Helen in a summer hat

It was ok, but it kept flying off into the wind.  And after that holiday, to be honest, I never wore it again.  Such is the fate of £3 impulse buys from market stalls on sunny days.

But as it happens, I’m now (co-)directing Pirates of Penzance.  And from having been a chorus member in Pirates before, I can testify as to how a simple bonnet can make you feel all Victorian. And a friend (thanks Lauren) suggested adapting straw hats.

So I bent the brim at the back of the hat and sewed it in place, cutting off the excess straw to give room for my head. At the advice of Sophie (thanks Sophs) I sewed ribbon around the brim and left two ends at the bottom to tie it with. And I ended up with this:

Bonnet with green ribbon

And as you can see, it makes one look, er, quite adorable 🙂 Now, does anyone know where I can get at least six more for cheap?

Helen wearing home-adapted bonnet.