For my Sophie costume I knew I would need a hat- particularly one in the style of an 1880's bonnet. I did a lot of research and I couldn't find an existing hat base that I liked for this project, so I decided I would make my own!
The materials I used were a basic, shallow-crowned straw hat, silk ribbon, bias tape, thread (that matches the color of your bias tape and ribbon), wooden beads, flowers, scissors, and hot glue. I found my straw hat on etsy from a seller that advertised it for wreath-making, hence the smaller size.
Step 1: Cut the Hat into 1880's Shape
For this step I referenced my 1880's costume research and I decided on a relatively basic style of bonnet. This kind fits on the back of the head and isn't overly large.
Step 2: Glue the Raw Edge
To keep things neat and avoid fraying I hot glued the cut edge. This will be hidden later so it's okay to be a little sloppy here.
Step 3: Stitch Tape to Edge
For this step I hand-stitched the bias tape to the edge of the bonnet. I took care to make my stitches small so that they really blended in with the hat.
I cut a second strip in order to bind the hot-glued edge at the bottom.
Step 4: Stitch Ribbon to Crown
Next I trimmed the accent ribbon to size and then hand stitched it to the crown. I saved the rest for an optional accent that could be tied under the chin.
Step 5: Attach Decorative Accents
I attached my fake flowers, leaves, and beads with hot glue. I also attached my accent ribbons underneath the brim with hot glue.
You now have a DIY 1880's bonnet!
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