https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/its-all-in-the-details • Posted by Meesh N.
Jazz up a plain straw hat with a bit of rope and leather.
Jazz up a plain straw hat with a bit of rope and leather.
3/8 Inch Twist Rope – There are a wide variety of colors available, but I liked the white best. There were natural fiber ropes available, but this had a nice shiny sheen that I thought made it look a bit more luxurious. 1mm Leather Cord (Black)- This is from the jewelry section. I originally bought a thicker 3mm leather, but that looked to bulky wrapped around the rope. I was so excited about getting this DIY done, that I went back to buy this leather. E-6000 or Super Glue- I used the E6000 to glue the rope together and the Superglue for the leather, but you can use just Super Glue alone. Or any other type of glue that you think is a good substitute.
Measure the circumference of the hat so you know how much rope you need to buy. Cut rope to the correct length for the hat. Mine measured 23 inches, but I added an extra 1/4 inch to the rope length so it wasn’t so tight around the hat. I wanted to be able to slip it on and off easily in case I wanted to tweak anything.
Glue the rope ends together. I used E6000 because it’s a flexible bonding agent, but Super Glue would have worked too. Tape the section of rope you want to be wrapped by the leather. I didn’t need tape to keep the ends together, but after my first test of wrapping the leather I saw that it was a bit wonky looking. I added the tape to keep it smoother.
Here’s what I mean. On the left there’s tape underneath the leather. On the right there’s only rope. You need to use painter’s tape or masking tape because scotch tape clung to the rope and still resulted in the wobbly look. The bit of leather accent was a perfect way to disguise where the rope ends met. Wrap the leather around the rope. I made my section 3 inches long and used 1.5 yds of the leather. Use the Super Glue to secure the leather every few times you wrap the leather around and to secure it at the end.
Use glue to secure the rope to the hat. Finish. Go wear your hat!