Andrea Butcher-Hats & Fascinators

The second stage of making my handmade felt cocktail hat. This is the 'Blocking' stage, I have chosen a beret cocktail hat wooden block and stiffened the felt and steamed and stretched my piece of felt over it, securing it with hat pins.
I started the first part of trimming it by laying down the first set of petals, which will be the base for my flowers. I made the felt flowers with the same wet felting method I used for the body of the hat and have included some raw silk in the felting process to give a contrast, interest and texture to my flowers.

I have become increasingly interested in making felt for my hats and on Sunday visited The Fibre fest in Dornoch. A great event with lots of lovely things and very creative people. These are some of the things I bought. A variety of merino roving for making some felt fabrics, you can see I have already made a small piece of burgundy felt ready for a cocktail hat I have in mind. I also bought some silk cocoons which I was told if I soaked them in warm water would turn into silk 'hankies' for embellishing my felt. I am not sure I quite believed this but bought some anyway to give it ago.
Loving this new craft, even though it is quite labour intensive and needs a lot of patience, not something I normally have a lot off, but when it comes to making hats I seem to have loads.

A wine sinamay disc hatinator with pinched brim. I have trimmed it with tartan and clipped pheasant feathers, This design can be made in other colours and other tartans.

Rita very kindly sent me this photo of her wearing a wee tartan fascinator with specially requested pink feathers, which I made for her to match her lovely Highland Belle pashmina and corsage made by Yvonne of Tartan Creations

A teal disc hatinator trimmed with tartan. This design can be made in other colours and other tartans.

A tartan cocktail hat with detachable tartan and feather brooch, which can be worn separately on your lapel, wrap or bag. This design can be made in other tartans.

Its so good of people to take the trouble to send me photos. Anne has kindly sent me another gorgeous photo of her and her daughter. It shows her outfit off better, and you can really see her lovely matching pashmina made by Tartan Creations.

Anne looking beautiful at her daughters wedding. I made Anne a navy Disc hatinator trimmed with exclusive Highland Belle tartan to match her pashmina made by Tartan Creations

This is Dawn and her husband, looking gorgeous! Dawn is wearing a disc hatinator I made for her, trimmed with Autumn pride of Scotland Tartan to go with her tartan pashmina and matching corsage, made by Tartan Creations.

This time of year is so pretty. I was inspired by the lovely colours, textures and shapes of the fallen leaves during a walk in the woods to make some felt leaves and flowers.
Making felt is a long and fascinating process which results in a unique non-woven fabric. I have had some fun making these tweed pillbox fascinators and trimmed them with some of the felt flowers and leaves I made.

This is Donna looking lovely wearing a Isle of Skye fascinator I made for her for her wedding. Donna made a lovely peacock feather brooch to pin to it, which picks up the beautiful colours of Isle of Skye tartan. Her other accessories were made by Tartan Creations

Inverness Courier Wedding Show at Eden Court 16th September.
Another of my new hats. I will be taking this one to the show on Sunday. I have made it in navy sinamay overlaid with navy crinoline and trimmed with a handmade white crinoline flower, loops and feathers and a touch of veiling.
You will find me upstairs stand 50 (opposite the bar)

Counting down the days to the wedding show at Eden Court on the 16th September where I will be showcasing some of my new hats and accessories. I tend to have a lot of things in various stages, so time to 'tie up all the loose ends' for my display.
Its free entry so come and have a look, its going to be a great show!

I am excited to be exhibiting at this lovely wedding Fair and looking forward to meeting lots of new people and returning customers.

I still havent got my camera working but my lovely customer Chantalle has sent me these lovely photos. Chantalle and her family were invited to a Royal Garden Party. Chantalle is wearing a lovely blush pink lace dress and the hat I made to go with it, I think they all look fabulous and very happy at this red carpet event. Congratulations Well done!

Sorry I haven't been able to post anything for a while I have had a 'melt down' with technology. my phone which also has a built in brilliant camera, with which I post all my hat photos has decided to hibernate; for ever, it wont charge any more and I am lost without it, I had it all set up for postings and will have to get set up from scratch. If that's not bad enough my computer is on a 'go slow' moving at a snails pace, my husband says it is clogged up with emails but they just keep arriving and are out of control. I love technology when it works but sometimes I think it has a grudge against me because my husband only has to stand at my shoulder and it all gets into order Lol
I have a big wedding show booked in September and working hard to get some new designs ready for it, hope to show you a few when I get sorted. Andrea

This lovely lady has been invited to The Royal Wedding for her charity work. I am so delighted that she has asked me to make her a headpiece to go with the outfit she is having made by Tartan Creations. Hope you have a wonderful time at this very special occasion Myra.

I still have the one she made for me... It's exquisite!!!!

I ordered a brooch as a gift for Christmas. It arrived today and it's gorgeous. I'm over the moon with it and very tempted to keep it for myself. ❤️. Excellent product and service from Andrea.

I ordered 8 bespoke feather brooches from Andrea for my bridal party. Having had problems dealing with other suppliers, I was worried about putting in a bespoke order, but I needn't have been. Andrea was very helpful from the very first message and listened to what I wanted. She showed me a mock up of a brooch to double check that what I had (badly) tried to describe had been understood before she went on to make the full order. I was kept up to date through the whole process and the brooches have arrived in plenty of time for my wedding in September. My fiance is so happy with how they turned out and can't wait to wear his on the day. Would highly recommend - something a bit different than the usual flower button holes.

First class! There's a wide range of styles to suit all ages & colours! Got sooooo many compliments on my bespoke hatinator. Matched my two dresses perfectly.

Fantastic service from a lovely lady, my Hatinator arrived this morning for my Hen Doo at Aintree next week for the Grand National and it's perfect - I love it!! Xx