A hotel is so much more than just somewhere to drop off your bags and plant your head when you travel. If you’re lucky it’s a home away from home, but also somewhere that lets you tap into the local character of a place and experience it, almost as if you were living there. But, let’s be honest, it’s rare that a hotel can pull this off. It’s a pretty tall order!
However, a recent visit to Pier One Sydney, an Autograph Collection hotel, showed me exactly what that’s like. If you’re not familiar, Autograph Collection is a boutique collection of hotels designed to be unique reflect the fact that so many of us want a local, different experience when we travel, but with the convenience of a regular cleaning service. In Sydney, Pier One does that so well, set in a stunning heritage listed Wharf building, with views right onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The rooms have beautiful exposed beams and are decorated in a simple modern style, almost like the decor I would chose for my own home. And, to remind you that you’re well and truly in Sydney, you can lie in your bed and watch the boats sail past. What a dream!
As part of my stay in Sydney, the team at Pier One asked me to create a DIY project that reflected the heritage and character of the hotel. After sitting on the balcony and practically being sailed away by a huge boat as it travelled under the Harbour Bridge( and true to my enduring love of straw hats), I decided to make a hat with the embroidered words ‘sail me away’. A simple project that’s perfect for summer, or a cruise around Sydney Harbour. Here’s how.
DIY Word Embroidered Hat
1
Use the pen to sketch out the words you want to apply to straw hat. Then thread your embroidery needle with ribbon.
2
Following the letters you marked, carefully stitch down the ribbon, using the straw of the hat to keep the letters in place. To finish each word, knot the ribbon inside the hat. Go over each word a second time if you want the letters to be heavier.
Nicola and I had such an amazing time on the water around Sydney Harbour, talk about a buck list experience.
Wearing: Paddo to Palmy Dress (all the dresses in this post are by these guys!), DIY Hat, The Simple Sandals in Tan
And now a few pics and video from my stay in Sydney. Let’s just say I didn’t want to leave!
Video
This post is in collaboration with Autograph Collection. Photos by Nicola Lemmon.
