Hat shapes, parasisals, and a couple of custom requests

 In hat class last night, I made some more progress on felt hat #2:
Here it is on the block:



I got it off the block, basted a wire into the edge and and tried it on. Despite the fact that my classmates LOVED it on me, and the fact that I think it's coming out really beautifully, I believe I may have struck out for a second time in the "hats I personally want to wear on a daily basis" department.
 It's so funny - I can look at someone else and have a great guess on what will look best on them, but I'm apparently not so great at choosing the best shapes for MY face - at least not just by looking at a block I haven't used before.

The jury may be out till the hat is all done, cause I've got some fun plans for decoration on it, plus - it is shaping up to be a fall hat, and and my wardrobe is shaping up for spring. Spring! Where hats are straw and sinamay and parasisal:

Izzie had a sinamay hat she had just finished, which she let me try on. I don't have a picture but, ladies and gentlemen, THAT was *my* hat shape. Here is the block, covered with plastic and ready to start:

 I asked to start one of those, despite the fact that I'm actually supposed to be in the felt class. Izzie had a gorgeous cranberry red parisisal hood lying around that she let me purchase, which I had been eyeing since day 1.

 

Here it is just initially placed on the block:

and here it is with the string on and after some work:

We ran out of time for me to pull the brim, but I'm really excited about it - since I'm much more certain that it will look good on me, having tried the shape on already!

In other news, I had a request for a custom Greek sun hat like in these two images:  

He wants the point from the second image, but the brim from the first. I can do that.

Something about the images suggested to me that they might be made of straw, and with that in my head, I picked this awesome hat up to use as a blank. (for WAY less than it should have cost)

I look forward to showing it to Izzie and seeing what she thinks of the straw. It's lovely and fine-woven and pliable, and I think it will make a really nice quality hat.

Also had a request for this gorgeous hat:

Which also looks to me that it might be made of straw. (something about the lines that go around the crown).

Maybe I just have straw on the brain?

I don't own the right brim block for this one, and I don't know if Izzie does either. But - the requestor is a friend....so I'll look and see.

And that's entirely enough.