Fine straw placemats make great hats and hat bases. Placemats are much cheaper than straw fabric and their design motifs and finished edges will save construction time.
Editor's Note: This site is maintained by a costume designer and Professor of the Theatre Department at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and as she puts it, is "one of the World Wide Web's largest, and most eclectic, constume sites."
Crafty Tips:
Be gentle when forming your hat, the straw may not cooperate and break; you may have to continually steam the placemat to prevent damaging it.