Come Make Hats With Desira Pesta at Etsy Labs

julieincharge

Story by julieincharge

Published on Feb 25, 2010 in Events

Photo by desirapesta

Grab your hat — or rather, don’t — and come make a new one at Craft Night at the Etsy Labs! Join us for an evening of millinery merriment — whether you’re in Brooklyn, or anywhere in the world.

Stop by for our weekly Craft Night in our online multi-user chat room, the Virtual Labs, for a live online demo at 5 p.m. ET, or in person at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn anytime between 4-8 p.m. at 55 Washington Street, Suite 512 in Brooklyn, New York. (Click here to see what time 5 p.m. ET is in your hometown.) Craft Night is a time to make things, sharpen your craft skills and connect with fellow crafters.

The big dramatic throwbacks to the ’70s and Annie Hall mean floppy hats are in and it’s time you learned how to make your own. With an easy pattern and loads of opportunities to customize your own hat, you’ll be ready to hit the streets with a statement in about an hour or less. In addition to the floppy hat, Desira Pesta will show you how to adapt her original pattern to make a warm wooly winter hat that’s even easier to make than the floppy hat. We hope you’ll join us on Monday, March 1 for this hat-making Craft Night!

If you are attending Craft Night at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn, please bring along with you either or both of the following fabrics, depending on which hat you would like to make:

  • For the floppy hat (pictured above): 1 yd 1/4″ felt or felted wool, or 1 yd wool and 1 yd thick nonfusible interfacing
  • For the winter hat (pictured below): 1/2 yd stretchy thick knit or an old sweater

We will also have fabrics on hand for you to use for free.

About the this week’s teacher: Desira Pesta, a.k.a. desirapesta, is Etsy’s 1848th member, a self taught seamstress and an East Coast bred visual artist. She was raised by two bikers in the woods of Pennsylvania and spent the early part of her life driving bulldozers, tractors, and a diesel truck to high school. After graduating with a degree in Fine Art Painting and Interior Architecture from Syracuse University, Desira started sewing voraciously. Her past work has included organic farming and shepherding in the Italian Alps and a year of personal chef work. Since 2003, Desira has been selling her wares ranging from painterly one-off screenprinted t-shirts to the fancy dresses, skirts, button-downs, and jackets that she makes today.

Operating from a breathtaking studio, built in the 1700s and overlooking the Statue of Liberty, she brings her love of art, architecture, and fashion into wearable forms. Desira, a die-hard Renaissance woman, is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild. In 2010, she will be making her debut in acting, having held a tiny background part in her favorite director Noah Baumbach’s film Greenberg, starring Ben Stiller and Greta Gerwig.

If you are attending Craft Night virtually this week and would like to craft along with us, you’ll need to gather the following supplies:

  • Pattern paper or large newsprint, at least 11″x14″ per project (2 sheets)
  • For the floppy hat: 1 yd 1/4″ felt or felted wool or 1 yd wool and 1 yd thick nonfusible interfacing
  • For the winter hat: 1/2 yd stretchy thick knit or an old sweater
  • Scissors
  • Matching thread
  • Ruler
  • Market/pencil
  • French curve
  • Ribbon if so desired  (24″)


Upcoming Events at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn:

3/8: Tea Party Craft Night with LoucheLab
3/15: Applique with Natalie from Alabama Chanin
3/22: Finger Puppets with Kata Golda
3/29: Open Craft Night

 

 

 

Looking for further DIY fashion inspiration? 

Button-Down Shirt | Like New Shoes | How-Tuesday Projects

Will we see you on Monday? Let us know in the comments below.

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