About a year ago I bought the pattern for a Glengarry from Randall Whitlock (Randwulf at MoiRandall's). Then I went looking for wool Melton, to no local avail.

After that bit of frustration, our brother Tim (Mac Ghille Sheathanaich) sent me a small piece of lovely black Melton on the sole condition that I use it and not just sit on it. Then one thing and another happened and spring arrived and I was only inside to sleep and eat. Long story a little shorter, over the Christmas holiday this year I decided I had all the parts I needed, so started in.

Sigh.

My wife was busy using the sewing machine to do a project for our oldest daughter. The old treadle was really hummin'. (It's a Singer 66 Redeye in a five-drawer base, for anyone who loves old sewing machines like I do.) Not to be deterred I got out my pride and joy:



This little jewel is a 1930 Singer VS vibrating shuttle machine with a hand crank. The little strip on the bed is my 1/4-inch seam gauge for quilting. It's seen some use but is in pristine original condition.

I'll spare you the gory details in 436 images (because I really didn't take any). But the end result is this:



The crest is a little smaller than a normal cap badge, so here's a close up:



Not, of course that I was ever in that service, but I'm a fan and supporter. I'm also a strong supporter of the Canadian lighthouse keepers -- a group under attack by our government which wants to do away with them, shutter the coastal lights and automate everything. I can rant about that elsewhere.

And finally, just to prove that the hat and I were in the same room:




Hope that doesn't crack yer monitor.

Anyway, I am pleased that the pattern is easy to follow. I lined the hat with black broadcloth. I couldn't find a source for the widest grosgrain ribbon I needed, so I simply sewed two lengths of narrower ribbon together and used that (on the edging).

Major thanks to Tim -- in the year since he sent off the material to me I'm sure he's given me up as hopeless. I managed to find some Melton this fall in red, blue and maroon so bought some of all three. It's quite popular for coatmakers locally, so the shops sell out of it quickly. Got the chance to get in there and throw elbows with the professionals! I also have Randwulf's beret and Balmoral patterns, so I'll be playing at being a gentleman's hatmaker for a few weeks.

Cheers, eh!

:ootd: