Retirement Hats

My husband has always been such a supporter of my crafty nature. He doesn't blink an eye when I bring home another yard of fabric to add to the bins and bins that I already have. So, when he asks me to make something...I feel I must do it. In this case I had purchased the hat hoop (A $150 accessory for the Viking machines) and had only used it once with not much luck. I'd also stashed a bunch of hats so I had everything I need to make a quick retirement gift for some friends who planned to retire to the seas in their sail boat.

Total Cost: about $15 - I purchased a pack of peace sign designs and have added in the cost of the hats

Total Time: 2 hours for both hats including 90 minutes of re-work due to a nest (see below)

What I Learned:

-Don't be stingy with the sticky stabilizer - it will save your life and be well worth the cost

- I am the worst at starting the machine and walking away - with the hat hoop and hats you just can't do that. It is very easy for the hat to shift or become un-hooped. There are seams and other things that get in the way of a smooth embroidery. I left my machine to grab a drink and ended up spending more than 90 minutes trying to salvage the hat because the needle got stuck in a seam and created a huge nest underneath. Believe me I really needed a drink after that!

- My most important lesson was don't be afraid...just do it!

I enjoyed the hats so much that I went on to do 40 more for a friend who wanted to give them for Christmas presents.

I am proud of myself - in just a few short months I have mastered (1) the ruffling foot, (2) YIKES! Digitizing, and (3) the hat hoop! I am making a solemn pledge to never again buy something only to let it languish because I am too afraid to use it.