Another Hat Block Alternative: The Candle Holder

In less than two weeks, July 16, I have to deliver my hats to the county fair for the millinery contest. I always submit paperwork for five hats, but I've never met that goal.  Further, I suddenly realized that I'll be attending my family reunion on that day; actually, it's a three-day reunion that I've been very much aware of.  So I was day dreaming about whether or not I should leave the reunion and drive over an hour to deliver my hats, or should I leave home a day later and deliver them on my way to the reunion?  Life is just so complicated, especially when I have not one hat started!  Last year I wasn't satisfied with my hats, so I vowed to work at least two weeks on them rather than three days, oh well.  Since I can't focus, I thought I would share some of the stuff I have laying around on hat blocks, forever.

The first thing I'll show you is my candle holder block.  I picked this up at Ross Dress for Less.  In everything I see a hat block.  I'll just go into a store to look for something I can block a hat on.  Why can't I be like normal women and buy cute shoes?  I  have plenty of hat blocks, but I use them more as collector pieces than what they should be used for.  I just enjoy finding odd things to block hats on.  I saw this candle holder and I just had to have it.  It will accommodate a size 23 head size without adjustments.   I steamed a fur felt hood and secured it to the candle holder with wide rubber bands.  Then I used a blocking cord to block the dent in the middle where the candle would be placed.  I could have left this step out since I decided I didn't like the dent in the top of the hat.

What's nice about fur felt is how easy it is to work with.  I can re-block it over and over again without any problems.  First I thought I liked the rubber band marks, but I think I'll steam and brush them out.  Who knows  what I'll end up with.  My finished hats always surprise me.  No promises when I will finish this; stay tuned!