The Urban Baby Bonnet project is the brain-child of Colette Palamar.
Colette's daughter, Sabine, was born in early October 2007. And the search was on for a perfect hat. Colette tried knit caps-- these were great in winter but still did not keep the sun off of Sabine's face. Sun hats seemed to have brims that were too floppy and were always covering her eyes and making her cry. Bucket hats were another choice, but these seemed to "ride" down the front of her face, especially if she was being carried in a sling or baby carrier.
One afternoon, Sabine's great-grandmother, Ada, came over with a special gift for Sabine-- a little bonnet that she made. It was adorable-- featuring a black retro floral fabric. But, it was too small; Colette was on a mission; the Urban Baby Bonnet Project was born.
After looking at some commercial baby bonnets, and determining the features she liked and did not like, Colette designed her own pattern for Sabine's first real bonnet. She went to her fabric stash (she'd been collecting fabrics for an installation project-- besides being a full-time mom, Colette is also an artist and a professor at Antioch College.) She found 4 fabrics that she loved and worked with them to eventually design the Vines & Goldenrod bonnet and *UB2* was BORN!! The picture above (to the left) is of Sabine at about 8 months old in that very first bonnet. The Urban Baby Bonnet Project is what happens when an artist's drive to create meets the constraints of new motherhood!
Soon after that first bonnet, Colette became an expert seamstress and was creating literally hundreds of bonnets in her living room using two machines-- a 5 thread Janome serger and a Shark Euro-Pro sewing machine. In just a few months, expansion of the project required a business license and wholesale fabric purchases. After about a year, she refinished a room in the upper part of her house and created an airy, open studio space with lots of room for fabric storage.
She began to ruminate about how this new bonnet work fit into her previous fine art projects as a painter, ceramicist, and installation artist. She wondered how this work fit into her professional development as a faculty member in departments of art, philosophy, and environmental studies. Just as it happens with all of her art projects, the rationale emerged in a flash of inspiration. One day, it just dawned on her: the bonnets ARE a project!! And this brought the project proper into existence. Just a few days later, she wrote the project statement and set about learning how to make the bonnets even more available. That's when she found etsy, an on-line arts & crafts site. Essentially, the *UB2* Project joins Colette's experience with color from her work as a painter, her sculptural abilities honed by her work as a ceramicist, and her philosophical expertise from her work with phenomenology and aesthetics.
Since the origination of the project, the bonnets have made their way all around the world to italy, sweden, france, england, germany, australia, canada, south korea, norway, puerto rico, cyprus, japan, ireland, and singapore, among many others. Her ultimate goal is to bring a bright spot of artist-designed color to people's everyday lives.
All of the bonnets sold on *etsy* are made by hand, by Colette. All wholesale bonnets are sewn by a team of work-at-home women in various stages of life. Everything made by *UB2* is handmade in the USA. All seams are professionally finished. These bonnets are DURABLE and will easily last through several kids. She has a couple of fabric combinations intended to be used by both boys & girls-- so the bonnets really can be passed between kids.
In fact, Colette hopes that the bonnets will become heirloom items for many people-- existing as one of the few treasured items saved in hope chests for grandchildren-to-be. She hopes that the project will transcend generations. The *UB2* bonnets truly are a postmodern twist on an heirloom classic!℠
As the project grows, Colette is committed to making sure that the bonnets continue to be handmade, even if she is not sewing all of them herself. She is also attentive to ecological concerns (she teaches art and environmental studies!), and has a line of ecoBonnets that feature the most environmentally responsible fabrics currently available. In addition, 1% of profits are donated to environmental, social, and children's organizations. You can be sure that your purchase is supporting environmental and social commitments to justice, living wages, & ecological protection. This year, we've chosen to support national public radio.
Now that you know our story, we'd love to hear from YOU! How did you find the ub2 bonnets? Do you have a funny story or an adorable picture to share? Email us!