Materials
Yarn: Louet Euroflax, 100% linen yarn, sportweight, 270 yards (246.9 m)/100 gram (3.5 oz) skein, 1 skein of #02 Ginger (Color A) and Louet Gems, 100% merino wool yarn, fingering weight, 185 yards (169.1 m)/50 gram (1.75 oz) skein, 1 skein each of #39 Fern Green (Color B), #47 Terra Cotta (Color C), #05 Goldilocks (Color D), and #55 Willow (Color E); www.louet.com

Needles: Brim—24 inches (61.0 cm) circular and double pointed, size 7 (4.5 mm); crown—double pointed, size 3 (3.25 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge

Notions: Crochet hook, size G; stitch marker; tapestry needle; millinery wire, gauge 18 to 20

Finishes Sizes: 20¼ (23½) inches (51.4 59.7 cm) head circumference; to fit head size 21 (24) inches 53.3 (61.0) cm; 58 inches (147.3 cm) outer brim circumference
Gauge: 19 sts by 24 rows = 4 inches (10.2 cm) in St st using smaller needles

One of the tremendous advances of fashion in the early twentieth century was the rise of ready-to¬wear garments, which allowed a shop girl or a maid to dress more elegantly than possible before. As hat crowns deepened to a bell shape (cloche is the French word for “bell”), hat brims became oval in shape. An oval brim has the double advantage of creating flattering width on either side of the face while allowing the wearer to sit back in her seat in a train compartment or in a car. This most modern of styles was traditional enough to be worn without raising eyebrows, but also telegraphed that the wearer knew the direction millinery fashion was heading.

This “downstairs” hat is worked in linen in a measured, geometric jacquard striped pattern. The flowers are worked in fingering weight wool as ruffles, then joined and stitched in place. The leaves are also fingering weight wool, worked in a variety of sizes off the same basic pattern.