I've cut the pattern and started sewing and I have to say that it's not exactly a top hat, it's significantly shorter than that (something I'm tankful for, since sewing it is already unwieldy as is :) )

But is has all of the parts of a top hat, and I'm following instructions that could, with a wider crown side, result in a top hat (the milliner version in fabric over a buckram and wire structure, not the hatmaker version in mercury-treated felt)

and I've shamelessly cut earflaps for it.

#sewing

meanwhile, life has happened, and progress on the hat has been slow, but

a) there *was* progress
b) yesterday I spilled blood on it (luckily on the buckram, and it won't be seen
c) I was starting to see the finished shape of the hat

and then I had to unpick all of the work from the last half an hour or so, because I am an idiot and didn't mark properly the center front and back and sides.

intanto son successi casini e il cappello è andato avanti più lentamente del previsto, ma

a) è andato avanti
b) ieri ho compiuto il sacrificio di sangue (per fortuna è finito sul buckram e non si vede)
c) stavo iniziando a vedere la forma finale del cappello

e poi ho dovuto scucire tutto il lavoro dell'ultima mezz'ora e passa, perché sono un'idiota e non ho segnato correttamente il centro davanti, dietro e i lati.