The Kentucky Derby is known as “the fastest two minutes in sports,” and the horse race returns this Saturday.
The excitement isn’t just on the racetrack. The annual tradition is filled with pomp and circumstance like mint juleps and derby hats. However, you don’t have to be at Churchill Downs to get in on the fun. Instead, you can make your own derby hat for your watch parties at home.
Local designer Rachelle Willnus appeared on “Live In The D” to share how to make a derby hat out of a sun hat you might have lying around your home. She said you can use a variety of materials like ribbon, veiling, and even leftover materials from Halloween costumes.
Willnus demonstrated how you can easily loop ribbon to create a design, and then keep it in place by sewing it with some thread and attaching it to your hat. Willnus explained that she uses coat thread to make it more durable. The designer also suggests decorating hats with feathers, such as peacock feathers. You can steam the feathers to help them fan out more, she said. For a men’s hat, Willnus said you can often just add a feather as a simple embellishment.
Watch the video above to see Willnus offer DIY advice and to see some of her own hat designs as well.