The pattern will be named Worthington in honour of a D-day veteran and former lifeboatman from Norfolk”
The more eagle-eyed among my customers have spotted the cap I was wearing in the recent photoshoot for the new Cley Messenger Bag, and have asked if it will be a sewing pattern. The answer is yes – I’m currently working on the templates and diagrams.
I was planning to write a blog about it when the pattern is available – probably late February – but as it’s ‘out there’ (so to speak) I’m writing this by means of a ‘preview’. The pattern will offer the cap in three sizes. It’s fully lined and makes up well in lots of different fabrics.
Inspiration behind the name
So, the Worthington Cap, as it will be called, is based on a traditional fisherman’s cap but with a Charlie’s Aunt vintage look. Its rather grand name comes from a remarkable gentleman I met while living in the village of Overstrand on the north Norfolk coast. John Worthington was a Royal Navy D-Day veteran, who joined the navy in 1942, and served with the Royal Naval Commandos. For a time, he was a crab fisherman and was also a lifeboatman.
Mr Worthington was a lovely man who I had the pleasure of chatting to if I met him on one of his walks round the village. In latter life, he would sit in the window of his seaside home and would always wave when I walked past. He passed away in 2021, aged 96. As you can see from the picture above (courtesy of Archant), he wore a cap along the same lines as the one I’ve designed here. You can read more about Mr Worthington in an article written by one of my ex-colleagues at the North Norfolk News/Eastern Daily Press.
Fabric choices
The first sample I made up was in navy blue English corduroy (available in the Charlie’s Aunt Etsy shop) with lovely traditional ‘naval’ style buttons in gold and navy, trimming either end of the front tab. We photographed the cap in spring last year (it’s taken a while to get to the point of working on the pattern, due to ill health). You can also see the semi-feral ginger Tom cat (aged approximately 16 years) crashing the pictures, as he has on many occasions during his long lifetime of being fed by my wonderful mum (Charlie’s nan).
In the background of some of the images, you can see a beautiful magnolia ‘tulip’ tree which we planted in memory of my lovely sister Sarah (Charlie’s mum). Tulips were her favourite flowers. There were also lots of daffodils in bloom at the time, many of which were set as a tribute to my late father (Charlie’s granddad). They flower in spectacular style each year around the old oak tree, which always reminds me of the strong and enduring impact my dad had on my life.
The other pictures were taken late autumn at the same location where we photographed the Cley Messenger Bag – Ebridge Mill pond. Personally, I like the cap made up in the herringbone tweed. I added a floral lining to give an unexpected feminine side to an otherwise practical hat – very much Charlie’s Aunt. I’m going to make one in a more patterned tweed fabric next before I release the pattern later this month.
To see other hat patterns in the Charlie’s Aunt range, visit our Etsy shop. Keep an eye out for updates on Facebook or sign up for our newsletter to be first with news of new products and offers.
