Leather and Wool Hat

I have been working on Fall/Winter hats for about 6 weeks now. Mostly wool felts, with a few fur felts thrown in. Also a few pattern hats, which I don't usually do. I'm just no good with patterns. Although they did turn out better than expected.

Below you see a hat that more or less just 'happened' in the studio this week. I had a very supple leather, laminated in tiny, tiny shiny circles. Can you see them in the picture below?

I have been wanting to work in some leather for awhile. I've got a couple of ideas in the works, but this was my first attempt. I used a vintage buckram frame, one I've had for several years and have loved. It probably was a bridal frame at one time, but no bride of mine wears this style anymore.

So. I cut a piece of the leather in the shape of the tip of this frame and glued (yes, my munchkins) it to the buckram frame with a gem-tack glue. I very carefully did this because a lot of moisture would ruin the buckram frame, causing it to collapse or a least misshape. After that bit dried I used wool coating to cover the sides. This is a heavy woolen, almost felt, but not quite. I got it in Chicago on one of my teaching trips. I love the colors!

Above you see the inside of the buckram form after I've added the leather and woolen parts.

I've created a lining to place inside the form. You can see it to the right of the hat. See the leather tip?

Here's the hat after it has been completed. I tried numerous embellishments on its tiny frame, but all looked too overpowering or like I was trying too hard to put something on the hat. I have a hard time with too frilly or too much embellishment on hats. I like for the form of the hat to be front and foremost. I think I've mentioned that in a previous post. Anyway I decided on NO embellishment at all.

Here's the hat on a poupee. I love the almost 1940's military influence of the style. Looks like something a WAC would have worn. I may keep this one for myself.

What are your leather experiences in making hats?