Mary Jane Drews

I have a passion for beautiful materials that can be transformed into functional wearable items. My love of all fabric and garment materials has led me to collect orphaned fiber pieces ranging from vintage fabric, to laces and embellishments from around the world to needlepoint. For my hats and bags, I source vintage needlepoint from antique markets and shops. Patterns are laid out on the material to decide the most appropriate use of the design within the needlepoint. The exterior of the hat is sewn together. It is then lined with silk and linen. All the brims are topstitched to provide structure. The edges of the hats are treated in consideration of the individual needlepoint piece. Clutches and purses are constructed from needlepoint and up- cycled leather salvaged from discarded garments. From beginning to end, hats are handmade and evolve into their own one of a kind piece.