What to make from an old squirrel coat

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Jan 19, 2004
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Oxford
I've been given a 40+ year old red squirrel coat. It's a small ladies coat so doesn't suit me in either respect
Obviously I wouldn't buy a new one but it seems a shame to waste it now
So question is what can I make out of it?
I thought of a double sided Davy Crocket style hat or mittens (not enough for a jacket or trousers etc)
Trouble with the hat is I prefer a peak of some sort to keep the sun out of my eyes. How would a Davy Crocket hat look with a peak?
Anyway thoughts and ideas please?
 
Seems to me that a Davy Crockett is simply a US version of a Russian Ushanka, and several of those seem to look ok with a peak. Leastways I've got a German police winter hat, which is fake fur with a peak.

Have a look here for ideas and inspiration: http://www.furhatworld.com/winter-hats-c-42.html

Here's one of some random fat bloke in a German Police hat :rolleyes:
16319468582_bbdf204556_b.jpg
 
There used to be a froo-froo tailor around here, who would line Levi Strauss denim jackets with old furs, for the "stylish"...she was a little squirrelly, too.
Wax the denim, might not be a bad mid-season jacket...
 
Trouble with the hat is I prefer a peak of some sort to keep the sun out of my eyes. How would a Davy Crocket hat look with a peak?
Anyway thoughts and ideas please?

The famous painting of Lewis and Clark (ther guys who surveyed most of the USA hoping to find a water route to the Pacific in 1803-9) shows one of them in a furry hat with a peak ... it looks like a peak is pretty traditional :)

There is also a picture of a fur hat with a peak in the PDF of "How to make Old Time clothes" under the download section on the home page of our very own BcUK site :)
 
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Well after a good start and then stalling over the summer I finally finished my hat
I took inspiration from a WW2 crusher cap http://online-pilot-shop.aviationdo...sher-cap-winter-od-green-size-us-7-56-cm.html
What do you think?










the coat was so thin I had to back the squirrel with material so I could sew it.
The lining is made from the original lining of the coat
The peak is made with kangaroo leather with a sandwich layer of baseball cap peak cut to a better shape.
then a braid around the edge and an antique finish

It's quite heavy when wet. I soaked it and then wore it until dry to mold it to my head

All hand sewn

Cheers
 
OK so that's a no then!
lol


I reckon you should be rightfully proud ~ and that, if it fits and is comfortable, that you should wear it.

There's a great many things which aren't to my style and/or taste. But that doesn't mean that they're not brilliant things in their own right or that they're not exactly right for others :D .
 

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