Learn Something New in 2010!

So every new year, I set a goal to learn a new technique to add to my repertoire. The year before, it was metal working. Last year it was tatting. This year I am really stretching my creative abilities by learning something that takes much more patience than tatting:

The Art of Millinery

Why millinery? Well, for several reasons:

1. Who doesn't simply adore those cute little hats from the 30's and 40's?
2. It satisfies my urge for nit-picky finely detailed sewing.
3. I can incorporate some higher-end buttons on the pieces I create.

I'm not planning to getting into big hats like cloches or brimmed hats, but the cute little half hats and small hats adorned with beads, laces and feathers...with the addition of sweet little buttons! I learned felting a couple years ago and finally have a use for all that wool that I carded sitting in boxes in the basement.

I am in the process right now of sewing a canvas poupee to stretch the felt over for the hat bases. I would love to have a wood hat block, but have you seen the prices on them?! What if this little venture doesn't work out and I'm stuck with a $200 hat block that I will never use again? The best option was to make a poupee. So, we will see what happens. Perhaps it will work enough to warrant purchasing a wood hat block in the future!

So, spill it! What new technique are you planning to learn this year?