About Carol
I am a hat maker, designer, leather artisan, and lifelong entrepreneur. I design and craft every piece by hand in my studio in Montville, Maine. My work is rooted in the belief that function can be beautiful. I have been designing and making hats for over 30 years, developing my own approach that blends time-honored techniques with naturally inspired methods.
At its heart, my work is simple: I use sustainable fabrics and existing materials to intentionally create handcrafted accessories. Sustainability, to me, means knowing where materials come from and choosing natural, regenerative fibers whenever possible. I am forever thinking about how to collaborate with nature in a sustainable way.
Whether I am shaping a signature felt hat or building a reclaimed leather pouch, I let the materials lead. Wool, leather, natural fibers — they all carry their own character. That’s what makes each piece one of a kind. The process keeps me closely tied to the earth and reminds me that what I create is part of something bigger. . . balancing craft and art in service to nature.
I celebrate the craft and my own heritage, Along the way, I discovered that my maternal great-grandmother, Hetty Anderson, was a successful hat maker in the late 1800s. While my family history was surprising to learn, it turns out that the art of hat making is within me and naturally expresses itself through me.
Pictured left: Hetty Anderson, Carol’s great grandmother
. . . branches on the forest floor become buttons; sheep wool becomes hats; hides become coveted clutches; scrap leather destined for the landfill are transformed into whimsical pouches.
