A Fascinating Skill

Fascinator and Hat Making Classes with Rachelle Willnus of Derby Hats by Rachelle

Rachelle Willnus is a hat designer located in Farmington Hills, Michigan. She began creating and designing fascinators and hats in summer 2009 upon attending her first Kentucky Derby. In 2012 she was awarded Best of the Best at Michigan F.A.S.H Fest for hat design. In 2015 Rachelle’s Pink Flower fascinator was featured in the Detroit Historical Museum’s Fashion D.Fined exhibit featuring the past, present, and future of the Detroit fashion industry. In 2017 Rachelle’s designs were showcased at New York Fashion Week in Mila Pershyna’s runway show. Rachelle’s work has been featured in many local and national magazines, Detroit news stations, and many Detroit area runway shows. Rachelle enjoys working with her clients and, more recently, began offering classes to those clients and their friends.

Hat making classes were a natural next step for Rachelle, who enjoys not only creating beautiful pieces for her clients

but also helping clients create their own incredible pieces.

She enjoys educating clients about the organic sinamay materials she uses and

the satin and feather accouterments she adorns on her pieces. Sinamay, which is popular in English hat-making, is made with fibers woven from an abaca plant, similar to a banana plant fiber. Rachelle gets her sinamay from England, Australia, and the Netherlands.

What to expect in one of Rachelle’s hat-making classes:

Classes are generally 5 to 10 people. Participants choose from pre-made fascinator bases that Rachelle makes before class. Clients then select a base, a crin rosette, a sinamay ribbon, a headband or clip, and other accouterments. The skill level required is basic hand sewing. Rachelle sets up the class of assembling pieces as a layering system – Choose your base, pick your items, and then hand sew on each element. Base first, then flower, then ribboning, and so on.

Hand sewing is the only thing required for classes, and Rachelle provides group and individual instruction throughout the three-hour class. Classes are the perfect opportunity for friends to gather and laugh in small groups. Enjoy some refreshments, and then walk away with their beautiful creation. In the coming weeks, Rachelle will be offering takehome fascinator making kits for clients to enjoy during the long winter months. Prices for classes range from $50 for small pieces, $75 to $85 for medium pieces, $125 and up for larger pieces. Price includes instruction as well. Clients work with the same materials that Rachelle uses to make her couture pieces.

Clients get to experience what it’s like to be a real designer. Participants are encouraged to use their own creativity and to trust their own appreciation of color and design.

Rachelle provides all class materials, including sewing needs, thread, and scissors. Guests show up and enjoy! Rachelle will also travel to a client’s location for in-home instruction.

While Sherri Richards and Karen Calnicean were visiting Rachelle, they enjoyed homemade tomato soup, which Rachelle made for them using her daughter Savannah’s cooking techniques and Rachelle’s instinct with spices. Savannah is a student at Schoolcraft College’s prestigious culinary program. They are sharing this recipe with us so we can all enjoy a Good Fat Life!

www.derbyhatsbyrachelle.com Phone 810.623.4926

QUICK

HOMEMADE

TOMATO SOUP

RECIPE

Rachelle and Savannah Willnus (Serves 2 to 4)

You’ll need a food processor or vitamin mixer.

Chop 15 to 20 tomatoes and put them in the food processor or mixer. Mix until smooth. (You could strain the tomato soup if you prefer a smoother texture.) Roast fresh/and or dried herbs in a pan on the stove. Helpful Tip: roasting herbs on the stove awakens the herb’s flavor and aroma and creates better soup flavor. Put the mixed tomatoes in a large pot. Add the roasted herbs to the pot. Add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. For added instant extra flavor, add roasted garlic and roasted onions (mince the garlic and medium dice the onion).

Cook for one to two hours on the stove.

Preferred herbs include oregano or basil.