DUDE! The blocking worked!!

Okay, it really worked miraculously this time. Except you can't tell it from the photographs because I am lousy at before and after photos. The before ones look better!

Before:

Taken late at night (hence the glasses), just before I dunked this thing in wool soak and stretched it over a bowl, then went to bed.

What you can't see in this photo: The hat is squeezing my head like a vise. My smile in the bathroom mirror is a CHEERFUL LIE.

After:

Let's avoid talking about my incredibly dorky expression at the moment. I have one of those face-detector timers on my camera and I was posing around, trying to figure out where the camera was pointed, when it surprised me by taking this. But I also look ten pounds heavier AND the hat looks SMALLER.

But it is not. It's quite comfortable and soft now, and much larger (actually a little large for me, which is what it should be, as Ronise's head is bigger than mine). I hope it will fit her, but if it doesn't, I can block it out even larger. Blocking is magic.

However, I have said for many, many years that cloches do not suit me, and I stand by that assessment. (I realize you may be swayed by my incredible personal magnetism ;-) and try to tell me that this looks just fine, but I will know.) Fortunately, cloches suit Ms. Ronise to a T!