How To Make A Vintage Bonnet

I have seen these gorgeous bonnets, that some people are using for infant photography. They really appeal to me, as they suit my style and I love delicate, pretty things!

When I set out to find one, I realised they cost a fair amount of money. So, typically, I decided to make my own, and give you a tutorial on how to make your own too.

Be aware, my sewing skills are pretty poor, my machine is a 1966 singer, and this is a photography prop... not for every day use!

Lets get started!

YOU NEED 

Scissors.

Fabric

Really wide lace

A sewing machine

Hot glue gun

Fancy wool, that can be pulled out

A beautiful button

Small bit of felt

Pins

Thread... LOL

It will take around 5 minutes to cut it out, five for dying it, a day for it to dry, and around 1 1/2 hours to make. And the cost is around $ 5.00. If you use stuff you already have at home, even better!

To start, you will need to dye your lace or fabric. If you are starting with white, you have so many choices!

I chose to colour mine using tea and coffee! I just took a couple of really long bits or my wool, a piece of my lace and the felt, and dunked them in my bowl with the tea/coffee solution. I left mine for an hour. ( Of course, you could spend a bit of money and get some real dye, and do it according to the instructions.)

 This really aged the colour, which I like. You will need to rinse them thoroughly after, and dry them to begin the bonnet.

You will need to cut your fabric into a piece that is 50cm x 25cm. This should fit a child 1-3 years.

I think if you want it for a really little baby, do it at 40 x 20cm. Or smaller!

And you also need two long strips, about 3cm in width and as long as you can get it. These will make the frill, and the bonnet ties.

You will need to sew a edge to the longer sides. I find ironing them first, then sewing them makes it really easy and quick. And you can iron out all the creases in the fabric while your at it!

The Frill was the trickiest bit, for me. ( I'm really not good at sewing, hence the crooked lines!! )

I folded the fabric in half. Then, through trial and error, added my frill, in between each side of the fabric. I pinned each time, so the end result will look something like this...

Then sewed it very slowly, taking the pins out as I went... making sure that the fabric on either side was covering the frill.

Then I sewed all the edges... BUT.. Now this is very important... I made a mistake when putting it together!
Please note, you need a gap for your back ribbon/ wool to fit through, and be pulled tight.
  I made it too long and so it ended up looking like this.

When It should look like this...

 So, yes, stick to the fabric length which was first suggested, it makes for a much sturdier bonnet!

The ends MUST be left open! ( note the dodgy sewing!!! ) 

All the next photos are done with the first edge, so please understand, your hat will look shorter than the images, because you will have got it right the first time!

Now take the other long strip of fabric, and sew it to the bonnet a shown below...

Now you can add your pretty things. You need not add the wide lace, that I am using. You can add mohair wool, or flowers, or fabric or anything that takes your fancy! Depending on your skills!

I added and measured my lace...

Then I threaded my fancy wool through the gaps, with plenty left at the sides to hang down, with the bonnet fabric ties.

 So It ended up looking like this.

Then I used a hot glue gun to stick it on, directly over the fabric used to tie it...

Don't forget to tuck the ends of the lace in, it's neater that way.

This is what it should look like... with STRAIT sewing and gluing...LOL!
(luckily, it doesn't really matter too much! )

I then made a little flower to glue onto it, using felt cut into a circle, and gluing the same wool onto it, twisting it into a circle till it meets the edge.

Then I glued a pretty button on.

And I added a strand of wool onto the back too, this gave it some extra interest.

Glue it on!

The final bit!

Thread some wool, ribbon or string through the back , and gather it in, tight.

Tie it in a knot, to hold it, and a pretty bow.

 Ta Da!!!

And I guess I will be using it, at the next girlie shoot! Hmmm, this was actually quite easy, so I think I might go and get some different fabric and make some more, it's always quicker the next time you try something!

Have fun!

Chasing Sunsets

I'v been chasing sunsets during the last week. We have been having all these amazing storms, with lightning and thunder and fantastical clouds, which give you some amazing sunsets to photograph! These have been taken in the Adelaide hills, South Australia. I really do believe, sometimes, that I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. 

These was taken near Nairne

Another evening, you can see Nairne in the distance.

And this one, overlooking Hahndorf. I took this one three weeks ago. How the hot summery days have changed the colour of the grass! I Love the green!

This one is overlooking the Mount Barker wetlands, just down the road from where I live!
Yes, it's hay carting time!

Beautiful Day Today.

Just playing around with this photo I took today. It doesn't really capture the true awe of a great view, but, anyway, I thought I would share it.

Sunset

Just a quickie post. We don't always get spectacular sunsets here, or at least, I don't usually catch them as it's always tea time... Bath time.... Story time... yes, the list goes on! Anyway, with the weather turning up the temperature, we are having longer nights, which means most of the menial tasks of life are done, my husband is home before the dark hits, and and I can dash out and chase a bit of golden evening sunset. After three goes at it, I finally got one... I can't wait for the next!

Funny ol' shed!

I was thrilled to hear my photo has been printed in the courier ( our local paper ) and realised I have not put it up on here, so here it is, a crazy way of stacking your round hay bales!

Happy Birthday Zel!

 It's my girl's birthday today. The big 3. So cheeky, so sweet and such a delight.

We went into the spring flowers, and picked some to take home. Beautiful, precious memories of you, my darling child!

Daughters are like flowers, that fill the world with beauty.

Spring is in the air...

Each year I get older. Edging closer and closer to the time I too get to rest in the sweet earth. And I would not take any of the days or hours back, not any of them, for this. To see the changing seasons,  to feel the edge of excitement shiver in my bones when the changes become more apparent, here the peek of a blossom, there the sound of a distant bee, buzzing in delight among the pollen. And it is not just spring that does this to me. It is every season, every change. Why is it that we all fear change in ourselves, and yet adore the changes the earth makes for us? 

The colours of spring, the scent of daffodils and jonquil. The delicate colours, and the sunlight, peeking past the grey clouds. Tempestuous days, one is warm and heady, the next is blustery and cold! Spring, beautiful, WONDERFUL spring is here! 

...and just a little more dramatic!

Into The Woods

Just a quickie post, one from the visit at kuipto forest earlier in the month.

Early August Morning...

You know, every single morning I get up, and go into the family room of our house, and open the blinds, and look into the valley below for Fog. Yea. Fog. I'm a little bit obsessed by it. I see it, and I have this irresistable urge to  grab the camera and go on a fog chase...

And every time I open those curtains, it seams to me that the fog only ever appears when I have to work that morning, or get the children ready for school or go somewhere else that day.... Till yesterday. Ahhh. A foggy morning on a Sunday. So So Awesome! It was 7am, and I awoke before the children did, usually it is my little girl ready and rearing to go at 530am, but she had a sleep in. Something in me said get up.... GET UP!! And I was thinking, but the kids are still asleep, how often do I get that extra snooze time? 

But get up I did, and did the daily first thing in the morning fog check. 

Y.E.S! My day for fog photos!!!

So, here you go, some sunrise and fog photos, from the Adelaide Hills!

The view from Mount Barker Summit.

A little bit of Spring.

Oh my goodness, how I adore spring! The blossoms are starting to open on the trees and bushes, and there are sweet little daffodils and jonquils, peeking from the earth. A change is coming! How I love the change! I really hope I get to enjoy photographing some of the foggy spring mornings too! What better way to start the day than with a few photos of the blossoms, growing near my house! Sweet with colour, and filled with the buzz of busy bees! Beautiful!

Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
~Thomas Blackburn, "An Easter Hymn"

A Letter to the Soul.

I just read this, a letter a friend received while on a retreat somewhere. It struck me, the words said exactly what I try to be, try to attain. Try to remove my ego and become a true human being.
Had to share it.

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, 'Yes.'

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.