Pacific Northwest Coastal Hat beautifully plaited and twined using richly-hued Alaska red and yellow cedar bark. The crisply folded brim is neat and secure - an old stitch.  The yellow cedar, triple twining at the bend of the crown is an old traditional feature repeated between design fields as a special touch.  Special stitches have been strategically placed to support the attachment of icons, banners or other special elements.  This would be a nicely proportioned hat for an adult of diminutive stature, or a youth.

My cousin and her husband fulfilled a lifelong dream when they retired recently.  They moved their winter-camp to Sun City West in sunny Arizona; golfing they are; envious I am.  But, will ooligan and salmon run up the Salt River?

This type of coastal rain hat is indigenous to tribes from Vancouver Island up the Inside Passage into Cook Inlet and west to portions of the Aleutian Islands. It is a classic profile, height and width proportionate.

"My cousin made many decisions about a geographic change," said artist Lois Chichinoff Thadei. "As the weaver, I also made decisions about boundaries and borders, changes in weaving / living style, new roads charted to parallel existing roads."

"Sun City West combines many types and variations of twining and plaiting continuously intermingled.  Like my cousin, the hat pays strict attention to specific details to bring about a respectful conclusion and a new beginning:

•         triple twining at corners = careful thoughtful transitions

•         regular changes to weaving patterns = moving south in winter, north in summer

•         weaving patterns are separated by yellow cedar triple-twining = cannot be in two places at once

•         a crisply folded brim, prepared in the old way = deliberately and with respectful conclusion"

If desired, upon sale, the artist will custom fit a 4 ply headband attaching it with doeskin strands to secure the hat to the wearer's head.  At present, the hat can be worn comfortably without worry about fitting a headband, it does not have tie-downs.  It is ready to be worn for ceremony, dance, very stylish attire, or perhaps a sun hat.

Hat measures 4 inches across crown; 6.5 inches tall and 12.5 inches in diameter at the brim.

Photo Gallery. By Lois Chichinoff Thadei. $250.00 (#1159)