In November, 1995, when this bonnet was featured in Creative Needle magazine, I was absolutely enchanted. Chery Williams’ reproduction of this 1920’s simple, unique and charming chapeau screamed “MAKE ME!! MAKE ME!” so loudly that it went to the top of my grandmother’s hope chest project list. But life got in the way and it was only recently that I was able to get to it.
Basically, the pattern consists of a single piece of batiste 15″ X 9″ with deep zig zags along the front and back. This measurement allows a little excess around the edges for hemstitching.
My Brother Duetta 4500D does beautiful hemstitching, even through the two layers of Swiss flannel and lawn.  This bonnet shows off the pretty entredeux stitch, worked with a reduced width setting.
Embroidery, by hand or machine, is worked into the front points and then the entire perimeter is hemstitched, either commercially or with a machine made entredeux stitch. Lace edging is joined all around.
The embroidered points are folded back to serve as a brim and the back zig zags are hand stitched together. Ribbons are attached at the sides and, bam! You’ve got a dynamite baby bonnet.
Machine made entredeux outlines this bonnet and English lace edging trims it. The machine embroidery within the front points is from Fil Tire’ and Fancywork Combinations collection. The design, tinyv, was edited to match the angle of the point.
Because my daughter’s first child was due in Feb., I decided to line the bonnet to give it a little warmth. Even in Florida, Feb. can be nippy. I used a tiny floral print, strong enough in color that the sweet little flowers would shadow through. It doesn’t show up well in this photo, taken in the blazing Florida sun, but in real life, it peeks though very sweetly.  The lining went only to the fold line of the brim.
It was my intention to make a matching daygown. But when ultrasound evidence indicated that Rebecca and Harvey’s baby would be a boy, the pink floral garment went to the bottom of my to do list. In good time, it’s likely that there will be another baby and perhaps that one will be will be the recipient of this bonnet and a Swiss flannel and pink floral print daygown.
NOTE: To see another version of this bonnet, made with Swiss organdy, click here. There are more construction details and a free ME design offered.
