1927 bonnet and a surprise - nuntium ducentesimum octogesimum primum

We went to Iowa and saw the opera.  It was great fun and my former student did a great job!  My friend forgot her tatting (gasp!) so we didn't do that but we had a great time anyway. 

I started on the 1927 baby bonnet.  Even though I've used long-hand patterns in the past (a long time ago when the dinosaurs roamed the earth), I'm more comfortable with visual patterns- in fact I distinctly remember avoiding patterns that didn't also have pictures for me to look at.  Isn't that funny?
Here's the very beginning.

This is size 100 Fincrochet.  I think it's going to be way too small!

So I drew it out for myself.  It's not even but it works for me.

I'm excited to make it, it's so pretty!  It does break my heart though that someone designed this and gets ZERO credit.  Thank you whoever you were/are!

And lastly, even though this is wildly exciting to me, look what I found at a gas station in Iowa!

My students had so much fun with it!  I had it displayed like this when they came into the room yesterday morning and they were hovering like bees and trying to peer into it from below.  When I told them they could touch it and then put it on, they were so excited.  I have some of the best pictures with HUGE smiles.  (Sorry, I won't show them though.)

Who knew?  When I went to purchase the helmet (and mind you there were two different color crests to choose from), the cashier didn't bat an eyelash.  My friend asked if she sold many and she responded, "Oh, you'd be surprised".  Somehow I have visions of people all over Iowa driving around with these on!

What a giggle and it certainly was worth every cent yesterday morning.  I can't wait until my 6th graders see it tomorrow (snow day here.)