It all started with Faculty Follies. It's a show the staff at my school puts on each year to raise money for student scholarships. Educators let out their inner thespians for a few nights, and the students love it. My principal made an offhand remark about performing as a cheerleader in one of the skits, and the kind of bow she wanted to wear on her head. A Steve Project was born.

Another staff member saw the crazy hat I made, and mentioned that she would be going to the 2014 Kentucky Derby. This was in late March, and the Derby would take place on May 3rd. "OF COURSE," I offered, "I can make you a hat!" Had I ever made a hat before? No. Steve Project. And, of course, I was not content to simply buy a ready-made hat and give it some flair--no, I had to learn the art of millinery.

Hat forms were expensive and not that easy to come by. So I improvised with a Styrofoam head I had left over from a Christian Crafternoon episode (poor Tim Gunn).

Then I had to find out all about buckram. If you've never worked with buckram, you are missing out (not). It is this really stiff cotton cloth that can be formed into shapes when moistened. So that's how I formed the crown and the brim of the hat.

I'll let the pictures tell the story from here...

The Hat