DiscoMuppet :)

I was once a milliner. I prefer the term hatter, because my hats were fun and made for wearing to parties. I called my little operation DiscoMuppet, because I liked going to dance parties and a lot of these were outdoors. Oregon could get cold at night, and my fuzzy creations made one look kind of like Jim Henson's Muppets my generation grew up watching on TV.

I didn't get any formal training for this endeavor, but rather I simply started making hats. I created a pattern for the top hat you see above, but otherwise my hats were pretty free-form. I have always thought the fashion standard of slightly tweaking existing forms was boring and unimaginative, so I guess that's why I felt free to make whatever I could imagine instead of glue a tassel onto an existing hat.

I made top hats like this one, lower versions of it with split brims, and faux fur hats in all colors, with ears. Most of my customers took them to Burning Man, and I wore one to local events around town sometimes.

One day I'd like to start making hats again, this time with a dedicated studio space and a formalized process, with patterns. A good hat is a thing to enjoy, and I haven't yet found one I like enough to buy, so I guess I'll have to get out my sewing scissors soon!