The Cape Revisited

Last March I posted about my top hat being purchased for the NBC show The Cape. Well, last Sunday in episode three Kozmo it appeared in the hands and on the head of magician character Max Malini.

The only problem being poor Max is wearing it backwards! The seam shouldn't be in the front. Later in the episode the Russian villain Gregor Molotov poses as Max by wearing his coat and hat. He also has the hat on backwards! Watch the full episode here.

Useless triva: Keith David, who plays the character of Max and is pictured above, also played the father in There's Something About Mary. His wife's character was played by Markie Post with whom I went to high school.

Ladies Bridal Top Hat

I was thinking of making a ladies bridal top hat when it occurred to me that I could do some fancy filigree cut outs on the crown. This is what I came up with.

Maker Faire 2010

Come see me and my leatherwork this weekend at Maker Faire in San Mateo, California. I will be an exhibitor at Bazaar Bizarre, booth #56.

I will be showing (and offering for sale) hundreds of leather masks, plus selected steampunk items. Both Sentinel and the Rhino gas mask will be on display for the first time ever in the US.


I am also bringing a couple of steamy top hats. If you come to the show please stop by and introduce yourself.



For info on Maker Faire

The Cape: Coming to the Small Screen

NBC is about to begin shooting the pilot of a new TV show entitled The Cape. The lead will be played by ER's David Lyons, who had the role of Dr. Simon Brenner on the hit TV show. Lyons will be playing the main lead of Vince Faraday, a police officer who dresses up as a crime fighting superhero because his name gets disgraced and he has to clear it, while also on a mission to find a way to be reunited with his son. Director of the pilot is Simon West, who also directed the recent Human Target pilot.


And how does this relate to me you're asking? Well, the costumer just purchased one of my steamy leather top hats (pictured above) to be part of the show. Below you can read an excerpt from the pilot which describes a motley crew of circus characters. I think the top hat will fit right in!


Thanks to KSITE.TV for the story.

Steampunk Leather Top Hat Tutorial

I have received several requests for a tutorial on making my steampunk leather top hat, shown above, and so, here it is. The first drawing shows the three pattern pieces (not to scale). The wave on the bottom of the crown is what gives the brim its distinctive curve.

The pattern below is the one that I used to make my top hat. For a size large, the width of the crown (from side to side) should measure 23.8". You can print it out and enlarge it to get it to lifesize. The crown has four optional darts (butt seamed), which give it the modified hourglass shape.

The crown joins at the back with a butt seam. If you add a seam allowance you can convert it to an overlap seam and sew it on a machine. The wavy bottom gives the brim the nice shape of down in the front and back, and up at the sides. The dotted line on the brim is where I folded the edge in over a wire.

You should use a lightweight but firm vegetable tanned leather. This will allow it to become malleable when wet and you can form its shape after all the pieces are joined.

See the diagram at the lower right for construction details. First, sew the crown to itself. Then stitch on the top and turn inside out. Then pull the brim down over the crown and glue, then stitch. Lastly sew the brim outer edge over a wire. You can lace up the darts either before or after attaching the crown.

This is the partially made hat. Notice how badly shaped the top is at this point. Not to worry, as you can reshape it at the end, then let it dry before dying or painting it. Mine was airbrushed with thinned acrylic paint.

Top Hat Prototype

I have finished the first top hat prototype. To get an hourglass profile on the crown I put in four darts.


I thought it would look good and be easy to construct them if I closed the darts with leather lace and grommets, rather than stitching them.

That turned out to be more work than I anticipated, so next time I think I'll just hand stitch them.

Since the hat has a somewhat funky look I'm calling it the Dodger, after the character in Oliver. I am pleased with the lines that it has, both in the crown and the brim. I expect to modify it slightly and offer it for sale at my Etsy shop as a steampunk top hat with attitude.

Odds and Ends

Now that the Defender ensemble is complete I am finishing up the canister straps on the Underground Explorer. This is the last thing I have to do to complete all four pieces going to the Oxford exhibition.


Here is the leather bottom with black wave trim to match the helm. Straps will be attached so that the oxygen canister can be carried on the back or over the shoulders. A final photo shoot with model will follow.

I am also working on a leather top hat. It will be a bit unusual (of course), and here is the first paper prototype to test the patterns. It's a bit too tall, I'm thinking. I've also been planning and sketching my next steampunk helmet and mask. I have one more good idea, and I'm hoping this next one will turn out as nicely as the Defender.