About Shaz Hats

I started sewing when I was a child. My mum purchased a treadle sewing machine for my sister and I, to preserve her electric SINGER machine. I remember standing to work the treadle to sew, but once accomplished, we hit the sewing road running, making our own clothes. I also began knitting as a child. My nana taught me age 8. I spent my working life as a nurse, continuing to knit and sew. I completed a diploma in fine art and design at the Tasmanian Art School in 1975, following my interest in print making. I have continued making and exhibiting textile artwork since then, in collaboration with Penny Malone Australia.

In the early 1990s I found an old fold-up sunhat labelled “Sunbrella” in an op shop (second-hand store), and after some research I discovered its history. These fabric hats are an Australian invention from some time in the 1920s. Originally they were homemade using fabric and gramophone springs, sourced from music shops. In the 1950s, this design was manufactured under the “Sunbrella” label. Initially, the brim was quite large, and I scaled this down to a more practical and stylish and still protective hat.

I began making and selling them at Salamanca Market, Hobart, in 1997, where I continued until 2019. Needing to sell hats for all seasons, I began knitting beanies. This led me to discover the Alice Springs Beanie Festival. This is a great event worthy of support and I have won five times, with two special mentions.