[...] shop can turn out 10 hats in a day.
Kirkpatrick is counting on that production to meet her biggest enterprise so far.
Kirkpatrick Hatters has been sanctioned by the state to make 2,000 Montana Centennial cowboy hats.
“Cowboy hats are a real important part of our history,” she said.
The limited edition centennial hats will come in two styles — one with a “Montana crease” and the other with a “rancher crease” — and two colors — black and silver belly.
“We tried to span the 100 years of the centennial with the two hats,” Kirkpatrick said, pointing out the Montana crease, with a pucker at the front, “is the most perfectly designed hat for rain.”
“Silver belly,” a color used only by hat makers might be described as a silvery gray, but a gray like that of the sky before a snow storm.
Kirkpatrick said she already is taking orders for the centennial hats. But those who want a custom fit will have to visit her shop. She’ll measure your head, study your face and recommend which style and color best suits you.
Suppose your head measures 23 1/8 inches around. That’s a little bigger than a 7 1/4 off the rack, but slightly smaller than a 7 3/8.
That’s where Kirkpatrick’s special touch comes in.
“That’s what makes the custom fit,” she said. “Like you’ve had it on every day and it’s comfortable.”