Hatstruck Couture Millinery Diamond Jubilee Hat Submission

It is almost 5:00 a.m. and I'm exhausted.  I'm babysitting Ms. E'.  She's a one-year-old teenager, stays up all night and sleeps until midday.  I've danced to  the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse song for maybe six times or more, and I've gone  through the basic colors, numbers, and shapes with her.  No she can't talk (except for momma, daddy, no, and a few other words), but she can point.  Anyway, I started this post earlier yesterday, but lost it somehow, and I dreaded doing it over again.  So here I go.

Below are a few details concerning an international millinery contest I entered.  So, if you would please, vote for me by following this Talenthouse link or by clicking on the red hat in the right-hand column.  Your vote will be greatly appreciated.  

The Details

I entered into the the international Dillon Wallwork and HATalk e-magazine millinery competition in celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee--her 60 years on the throne.  The contest directive was to create a hat inspired by this wondrous event.  After a few weeks of daydreaming and purchasing materials I would never use for this contest, I finally created "Elegant in Red."

While in London in 1999 I remembered seeing Windsor Castle guards from a distance.  One of the most noticeable things, not including the enormity of the castle, was their red coats and straight backs.  From television and books I saw beautiful jewels, opulence, and elegance, all bundled up into what seemed a fairytale.  So, the hat I wanted to create had to be elegant, rich, and for me, something outside of myself--a fairytale.  I also had to represent 60 years of the Queen's reign on the throne.  I had purchased some rather nice red and blue velvet for this project, but I did not use it because I had thrown out  my original design(s).  I sketched another design and insisted to myself that this final design had to go forward because NOW!

The Final Design

As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to represent 60 years of the Queen's reign.  I didn't want to put a big 60 atop my hat because I wanted it to be a bit refined (not that she would even be caught in a dark room with it on).  I remembered from numerology that six and 60 still equaled 6.  So I sketched a stylized six and attached it to my display head.  Yes, yes that's it!  I thought.  From this point I carved a Styrofoam hat block to block my materials on.  The velvet I had purchased would not work for this project, at least not with the ease I would want it to for this shape.  With this design I needed something that was also malleable to accommodate my design.  Well, in walked Ms. Suede.  Actually she had been living with me for months and years.

I collect suede and leather scraps that are large enough to make hats.  Suede and leather are two of my  favorite materials to work with.  They can be easily shaped and manipulated, something that is not easy to do with almost non-stretch velvet.  Just a little note, I learned that leather and suede actually have a grain.  Yes, it stretches in one direction more than the another; try it.  I learned this while researching and making gloves.

I also purchased glass pearls.  Well, in one of my previous designs (I will not say how many I had) my plan was to construct an elaborate crown.  O.K., given the time I had left to make the contest entry deadline, this was just not going to happen.  Given the results of my final project, I'm  happy I didn't have the time.  So I decided to create a wire frame in the form of something.  The reason I say something is because I didn't know what I was going to construct.  All I know is that when my fingers stopped moving, I had an appropriate crown for what was to become a side-mounted cocktail hat, and atop that crown was a big diamond crystal.  Yes, I also purchased a diamond shaped crystal, but it was to be placed in that crevice you see in the bottom center of my Styrofoam block.  In that position the crystal looked horrible, but it looked fantastic atop my wire frame crown.

The Trim and Wire Fram

Although I purchased two strands of pearls in different sizes, if you will notice, I only used one pearl.  With me, less is more; less turns my head.  Actually, I've been known to put one crystal on a hat at a strategic location.  With the richness of the red suede, I had to use Swarovski crystals, but not so many as to overpower the red suede.  I wanted them to stand together equally.  I really need to take a photography class to better capture the details in my images.

For the underside of my hat I used black suede and trimmed it with crystal yardage, the same yardage I used to trim my large diamond crystal.  The crystal was supported by the wire frame crown I created, as mentioned above.  The frame was then wrapped in vintage chenille.  The wide horsehair braid complements the underside view and the outside view of the hat, yielding two themes, sort of like darkness to light.  As a child I feasted on King Arthur and Sir Lancelot novels--medieval times; that was a long time ago.  Thanks to my grandparents and aunt for letting me daydream all day, etc.  I really enjoyed this journey!

 Below is a video I've prepared showing multiple views of my hat. 





Good luck to all contest participants!

Foundations for My Cocktail/Fascinator Hats: Part II, Including Blocking Suede and Other Millinery Materials

I have a nasty habit of giving things away.  I picked this up from my grandparents, two extremely generous people.  I guess this is a good thing, after all I've gotten back more than I've ever given away.  You see, back in February of 2010, I brought you Foundations for My Cocktail/Fascinator Hats and promised, I think, to post a followup showing how to put the lining in the hat.  Well, someone wanted the hat even before I finished it, so I gave it to them.  Since that time I've received a number of emails asking me how to put a lining in a fascinator.


Since I haven't had any sleep in over 24 hours, I'm asking you to forgive me in advance for my more than usual number of typos.   Please read over Foundations for My Cocktail/Fascinator Hats and I'll start where I left off, almost.  Rather than working with a stretch material I will be covering this hat with two layers of suede, one of which will have to be blocked before it is sewn to the buckram foundation.  I will also block the lining.  


I'm growing tired of wining about seeing millinery fabrics that don't hug the frames they cover.  So, I can either stop wining or do something about it.  I have to tell you that every time I see fabric that does not fit a frame correctly, I have an internal tantrum, especially when I see it in a high fashion magazine!  I'm working on this.  If you ever want to cure yourself of something like this just listen to someone else complain about something similar without helping or offering a solution.  Not so cute is it?


When I started taking millinery classes we had to steam and block everything.  We had to block the buckram, the lining, and all fabrics that were not stretch fabrics.  To your right is an image that shows suede that has not been blocked.  This does not look professional at all.


To block suede or leather, mist the inside of the fabric with water.  I use a very fine mister.  Stretch the fabric over a hat block and let it dry.  To stretch fabric that has a bias, stretch the fabric on the bias over a block and steam it, readjusting the fabric re-pinning as you steam.  It's just that simple.  See lining, below right.  I don't steam buckram anymore.  I prefer to mist it or do a very fast dip in water and work the moisture three the fabric in my hands.  This way the buckram appears to dry harder than it was originally (same as steaming it).


Using a glover's needle (leather needle) sew the suede to the frame catching only the crinoline.  The second layer of suede, the black mesh, did not have to be blocked because it automatically hugged the frame.  However, I blocked the lining.  


Note:  If you are adding trim to your hat, sew the trim on before the lining is attached, if possible.  Use your best judgement.


After the lining has dried, lay it into the crown and pin it to the suede using fine quilting pins or millinery pins (fine quilting pins are easier for suede and leather).  Stitch the lining to the suede about  1/4 th inch down from the edge of the hat.  Trim the lining; it is not necessary to turn the lining under. 
  Note:  Every layer of fabric, including hat band, diminishes or adds to the inner or outer  side of a hat.  Although turning the lining under does not affect this type of hat, it will affect a full crown hat. Remember, by turning the fabric under you will have an additional layer of fabric.   I prefer to trim the lining down rather than turn it under no matter what type of hat I'm working with.
Swirl your  grosgrain ribbon (petersham in some places, sawtooth to some), pin it to the suede (remember that the lining is 1/4 th inch down).  stich it into place.  




Additional Images

Adding support wire for feather:  Added feet to the wire and stitched them under the black suede mesh.


































Feather Trim:  Feather curled in opposite direction of curve, using  my thumb's nail to pinch the spine approximately every 1/4 th of an inch.








Lining Fabric:

Lining Fabric:  Design created using my logo in graphics software and printing the fabric on my Epson printer  (fabric will have to be attached to paper before printing).


O.K., the label is a bit overkill!


Final Notes:  Please take advantage of the free online resources in the sidebar of this blog.  Also, purchase a reference book.  My first millinery book was "From the Neck Up." You can find it on the author's site, on Amazon, Ebay, etc.  I didn't go into detail as far as stitches, etc., are concerned because I really feel that if you are new to millinery, you should do some exploration and experimentation on your own.  If possible, take a class.  


If you do not have a block, purchase a wooden bowl of similar shape and block and make frames using the bowl.  

Have fun!!

Whether You Call It a Fascinator, Cocktail Hat, or Whimsy, a Little Trim Goes a Long Way

When I published the poll results showing the tutorials you would like to see here, I was a little disappointed with the results (disappointed is too strong), although they were anticipated.  After all, how many people would like to make buckram frames and cover them--a labor-intensive process on larger hats?   As you can see, the highest score went to trim. So, for this tutorial I decided to use two things that almost all of us have access to, feathers and horsehair (crin).

I like to make flat pattern, buckram frame hats; wire frame hats, large brimmed straw hats.  I'm in a meditative state when I'm hand sewing an intricate design, or solving a design issue, or experimenting with a new technique.  I never give trim that much thought.  I put very little trim on my hats.  Most of the time I prefer to make my own trim.  Other times simplicity, line, and contrast are my friends.  Trim, in some cases, would only obscure them. This only applies to my design style, for I like many different design styles.  Thus, I was hoping that flat pattern buckram frames would be the high scorer.  So, I looked on the positive side, and I pulled out all of the stuff I continuously collect, like fabrics for flowers, leaves, feathers, etc., etc.  After all I'm always putting off making the trim I do use.  The journey will be fun.

I didn't plan to put a veil on this fascinator, only the feather.  While in class, (I've been taking classes for a few decades now), I was laughing and talking with my classmates and not paying attention to what I was doing.  I had originally planned to put the prettiest section of my swirled crown to the front of the hat.  Coming off from those swirls was a length of cascading, unraveled horsehair.  Well, I put the front to the back by accident, so I cut off the cascading horsehair and added the veil you see here. The back of the hat is where the grosgrain ends and begins.  That reminds me, I should always have you to mark the center front and center back when constructing your hats.  This is intuitive to me but may not be to someone new to millinery.

On to the tutorial....

You will need a fascinator base, of course.  See the sinamay base tutorial or the buckram base tutorial, if you would like to make your own, or purchase a read made one; horsehair, an ostrich or other type of feather, a paint marker or acrylic paint (optional), and a hat elastic; including scissors, needles, paint brush, and thread.  See last post.

The Feather

I presented two YouTube tutorials in the last post, Working With Feathers 101 and Cutting Feathers.  I added these two tutorials because they dealt with stripping and cutting feathers.  The important thing here is the cutting of the feathers.  Note that the feathers are cut from the top down, very important.

Not so noticeable in these images is the pointed tip on the feather.  So, strip the feather and leave enough on the feather for a point.  Cut the end of the feather from the top down on each side, forming a spear shape.  Pin the feather to your ironing board as shown in the image.  Now, without touching the feather, run your steam iron along the length of the feather.  After the feather has dried, remove the pins.   The feather will hold its shape.  The point here is that feathers can be shaped by bending them into position and steaming them.  Of course there are other methods, and I will address them at another time.  Plus, you may also go to YouTube or other locations on the Web for videos on the subject.  Research, practice, experiment.

 If you have a colored feather, paint its sides where the stripping has removed its color.

Because I wanted my feather to appear as if it was floating on my hat, I used a small hand drill to drill holds in its side of the feather.  After which, I painted the the holes with a marker.  I should have drilled the holes before I painted the feather sides--a senior moment.  After the feather had dried I sprayed it with shellac because the acrylic had dulled the finish.  Also, notice the transparent thread I used to sew my horsehair and feather onto fascinator base.  This would be considered unorthodox...oh well.

The Horsehair Vail

Horsehair is an amazing material that can be manipulated in wonderful ways.  It can be cut and torn as shown in this video, also from the previous post.  It can be blocked on a hat block or it can be blocked using a pressing iron.  You're only limited by your imagination.  Experiment, experiment, experiment.

Making the veil is pretty straight forward.  Simply stick your finger through the horsehair and rotate it until the hole is as large as you would like it to be.  Using your iron with a protective foot attach and steam (I use steam) or a damp pressing cloth with steam turned off, press over the holes.  They are now set in place.  For a little challenge, put in the ripples around the edge of the veil.

The point here:  know the materials you are working with so that if you don't find a technique in a book or from an instructor, you can achieve the goal you set out to achieve.  Just by knowing that it is possible to block (form, shape with steam, dry heat, hand manipulation, etc.) horsehair, it is easy to figure out how to create the holes in it.  Take note that you don't have to do something exactly the same way someone else do it.  Your goal is to achieve sound results that will hold up over time, leaving you with a light, neat, and well made hat.

The Horsehair Swirl (crown)

In order to form the crown, simply pull the horsehair down and out while pressing it.  You'll get the hang of it after practicing.  Press both edges.  Do not press the center.


Finishing Up

So, you have your fascinator base, I used a sinamay base from the last tutorial.  All you have to do now is attach your crown, veil, and hat elastic.  I'll let you figure this out.  It'll be your challenge.

Remove the thread from the edge of the horsehair.  It will not ravel!

Below is a cute video showing various ways of trimming a hats.

FASHION FEATURE (click on black box to start movie)

How to Make and Trim a Fascinator Even Kate Middleton Would Love

First, Happy Mothers' Day All!!

OK, so maybe Kate wouldn't love this hat, but I think it's cute.

Some of you still have time to rush out and purchase a few millinery supplies if you would like to make that Mothers' Day Fascinator!  Well if you need a little help, this post is for you.



When a Web surfer enters a query into Google or any other search engine, they are given a list of sites that satisfy that query.  So, over the past week my site statistics have shown that the majority of the queries that led to my site asked the questions:  "How to make a fascinator?" and "How to make a fascinator base?"  Today, since it has been some time since I've been in touch with you, I'm making a hasty post; I'll address the fascinator base (frame, foundation).



I've touched on the fascinator before when I introduced the buckram fascinator frame in a previous post, but this time I'll show you how to make a very easy fascinator base using sinamay, no traditional foundation blocking  needed.  Don't forget those fascinator tutorials published by Threads Magazine; they were absolutely wonderful.  Also, check out how to make a bow, including how to make faux feathers.  Don't leave the site until you've queried on  millinery, hat making, hat trimming, and hat embellishment for even more millinery tutorials.

If you don't want to make your own frames, besides being an excellent source for vintage millinery supplies, California Millinery manufactures buckram frames on site of all types, shapes, and sizes and at reasonable prices.  Here is a link to some of their smaller frames.  These frames do not in any manner represent what they have in stock.  You will have to call them for more information, since the site is incomplete.  It would probably be worth your while to order frames from California Millinery even if you don't live in Los Angeles, especially if you are interested in purchasing frames in bulk; they will ship anywhere.  Diego is fabulous!!!

I've just published my first YouTube video, and I'm so excited!!  The video demonstrates how to swirl grosgrain ribbon.  I've noticed that many of you new to millinery have gathers and gaps in your headbands, your sidebands do not hug the side of your hats, and the edges of your hats have the same issues.  Knowing how to swirl your grosgrain ribbon will help to solve this problem.  Also, please realize that natural materials cut on the bias can be swirled.  As a matter of fact, you may want to cover the edge of your base frame with sinamay bias strips.  Do a little homework, explore the free online millinery books listed here in the sidebar. If you are not familiar with bias, swirling the ribbon, grosgrain, etc., it can all be found here just by following the reference links in the sidebar.  I hope you enjoy the video..


Now to the tutorial....

First make a circular (or other shape) pattern and from three layers of sinamay, cut out the desired size.

Using a buttonhole or whip stitch, attach millinery wire as shown in the buckram fascinator tutorial.

Swirl the grosgrain ribbon as shown in the video below.  Note that the ribbon should be a natural fiber ribbon or at least 40 to 60 percent natural.  Here in the States, at least in my vicinity, this ribbon is called millinery grosgrain or sawtooth ribbon.  I'm sure there are other names for it.  This ribbon has a "tooth" and it is not smooth on its edges.

Using a stab or catch stitch, attach the grosgrain ribbon.  See the list of  stitch videos in the sidebar.  Sorry, I have a tendency to misname stitches; I'll correct this in a future post and or revise this one.  I just do it, no thought, second nature. 

Over a bowl or a hat block, any concave surface, steam the fascinator base using your pressing iron.  Since the sinamay is sized (don't use unsized sinamay for this project) and because sinamay is a very pliable fabric, it will form to the curve of the mold.  Also, it will be stiffer than it was before it was steamed.

Take one of your bases and trim it to your desire.  For the hat above I've sewn one of these bases inside of the hat.  Please note that you do not have to cut your bases out in the same shape.  You could cut out bases of different shapes.

I prefer a hat elastic for attaching fascinators to the head because it can be positioned to almost any position without removing it.  If you don't have hat elastics (elastics with metal points on the end), take a large eyed needle, thread it with elastic, run it through the grosgrain, and anchor it with a stitch and a knot on each side of the base.  This actually works better than hat elastics because the metal tips have a tendency to slide off the end of the elastic.  Also, to avoid the metal slippage, I will crimp the metal with my wire cutters or my jewelry crimps.

For my non-English speaking friends that use a translator on my site, I will have to explain a few things that may not be clear in the video, since instructions appear written across the video frames.  For the edges of your hats and fascinators

Threads Magazine: How to Make a [Facinator] Hat Base

There are certain magazines that I have to pick up every month, depending on their content for that month.  Threads Magazine is one of those magazines.  I've been loving it for years, and now even more so.  You see, Threads is featuring millinery tutorials, and from what I've read there will be more such tutorials down the road.  Millinery information is in great demand today, so take advantage of every source you come across.  There is always something to learn.

The image to the right, from the Threads' site, is just one example of what is being offered.  Check out how to make the bow for this hat, including how to make the faux feathers.  When you're on the site query on millinery, hat making, hat trimming, and hat embellishment for even more millinery tutorials.

Please note that, in the sidebar to your right, there is a link to Threads noting to check out their stitch videos.  Just query on your stitch of interest.  Have fun!

Millinery Inspiration From Our Natural Environment: The Pomegranate Hat Project

In her Pomgranate Hat post mon bibi stated, "Wouldn't it be lovely to have a hat as nice as a pomegranate?" So I commented saying, more or less, yes, lets make one--a pomegranate hat.  Well she was working on another project but gave me the OK to pursue this fun task.

When I took silver jewelry making classes some years ago, I purchased a jewelry making text book, including a Dover Publications reprint jewelry making book that I believe was first published in the 1920s.  Both of these books gave examples of jewelry designs from our natural environment, from the literal to the abstract.  I used what I learned (the thought process) from these two books to assist me in creating the two hats shown in the fruit bowl above.  I must add here that I also have a very vivid imagination.


The blue hat was my first attempt at making the pomegranate hat.  I was practicing on  my straw braid sewing machine, and I was extremely excited about how easy it was to shape the Toyo straw while sewing it.  I imagined that the pomegranate had exploded, filling the black bowl with delicious, beautiful, sparkling seeds--really, really I did imagine this.  This theme was also carried on to the red hat in the bowl.  Here, rather than adding yellow stamens in the center, I added seeds (rhinestones).

The Process

Blue Hat:  The blue hat was sewn on my straw braid sewing machine.  A vintage black straw braid bowl and a piece of blue braid was sewn to side of the hat.  Rhinestones were added to the bowl using tacky glue, a sweat band was sewn in, and finally a hat elastic added to hold the hat on the head.  I hope to put together a basic straw braid tutorial soon; stay tuned.  

Red Hat:  The red hat consists of three layers (leather, buckram, and suede).  First I prepared my hat block by carving a Styrofoam bump to attached to my tomato pin cushion, using stick pins; I covered this with plastic.  Next, the suede was dampened (on the wrong side) and laid over my tomato hat block and pined while I pulled the fabric on the bias.  Each layer was done in the same manner (leather dampened on wrong side also).  

When the layers were dry, the blocked hat was removed from the block; the bump on the top was slit into sections with a razor blade; and finally, the slits were flared out by hand.  The hat was set aside and a separate bump was blocked on the same block, but only suede was used.  This time, only a small amount of fabric was blocked over the bump, with a small amount extending beyond it.  After the bump had dried, I cut around it leaving a little of the extended fabric.  I attached rhinestones to the bump using tacky glue (this is one time I do use glue).  I also put glue around the extended section of fabric around the bump and pushed this bump, covered with rhinestones, up into the center of the hat.  I did this because I did not want stitches to show on my leather.  

A note here, the edge of the hat was wired and crinoline attached over the wire as shown in my post Foundations for my Cocktail/Fascinator Hats.  However, I had to pull the suede and leather layers back from the buckram, cut some of the buckram back, and proceed as usual.  Finally, a sweat band was put into the hat, followed by a hat elastic to hold the hat on the head.

I had so much fun making these hats.  Sorry I didn't add pictures for each step, and I did this for a purpose.  Sometimes we look for things in books (blogs) and they are not there and never will be there.  People figure out how to do something, and then someone writes a book, and then this becomes the written word, and then "it has to be done that way."  So, when I want to do something that's out of the ordinary, I visualize the process before I even start it; some sketch.  What is important is that the end result is neat and lite. For those  new to couture millinery, learn hand stitching and basic millinery.  I have added links to hand stitch videos and free online books in the upper right hand side of this blog under Speedy Resource Access.  Finally, practice, practice, and practice to make it yours.

Notes:

If you have to use a glue on buckram, use rubber cement (mucilage?); it will not buckle the buckram.  I used tacky glue on the rhinestones because the amount I used would not penetrate the suede, and if it did it would not compromise this design.

Some of my couture millinery teachers would not have agreed with blocking three fabrics together, but I wanted to achieve a certain look and feel, and it was achieved by using this method. It was said that cheap hats were made this way.  Well, some of those famous designers/milliners didn't get the message, especially those making hats in the fifties, sixties, seventies, etc.

The Balsa Wood Utility Hat Block: My Favorite Working Block

Recently I needed a hat for a special occasion, and I was just not going to pull out the steamer, a set of hat blocks (crown and brim), millinery wire, sizing, etc.  After all, I only had an hour or so to make this hat...and it was not like I was making it for anyone but myself. In other words, I was not going to be the perfect couture milliner today.

So what was a girl to do?  Well I reached up and pull down a balsa wood hat block in my head size.  It wasn't glamorous like the ones I set out for display--the blocks I call my sculptures, the blocks I would not dare to nail  into.  Hold your head up Ms. Balsa.  All of those other hat blocks may be eye candy, but if I needed to make 100s of hats and was given the choice to choose one out of  those other blocks, it would be you, girl!

Why? Look around when you enter a store.  How many 1920s - 1940s (my blocks of choice) hat shapes would you find there.  Usually the crowns are round and the brims are plain.  Given a utility block, I can style a fedora, a pixie, a 1920s cloche, all the cocktail/fascinator hats I would ever possibly need and in any shape--well almost.  Using the excess fabric (felt or straw)  draping from the crown, I could create a sailor brim, a deep cuff brim, a symmetrical brim, an asymmetrical brim, etc., and that's without a brim block.  I could add all types of shapes to the balsa block because it's soft and easy to pin into, thus creating hundreds of hat shapes.  Just think about it!  From couture to not so couture, this block is the one.

The block shown here is my latest balsa acquisition.  It is a size 28; huge!  I'll use it as a veiling block (block used for blocking veils).  I found this one on EBay for around $39 plus shipping.  These blocks retail upwards of nearly $200.  So, before you purchase one, do some research.

So, for all of you out there that are new to millinery, on a limited budget, and feel that you have to amass a million hat blocks to start a small businesses or to make your own hats--and I've talked to some of you--start with a simple balsa block and a head size collar ($10).  The average woman's head size is 22 1/2.  If you need a larger block, say a 23 to 24, just block felt (must have wool content) over the block to increase its size....

Technique for making the finished hat?  I selected the balsa block in the size I needed, including a headsise collar (see drawing below); in this case, a straw capeline (over-sized, brimmed straw); a fine spray water mister (bottle); a pressing cloth, a blocking cord (see video below on tying your own); and an iron and ironing board.  I covered my block with plastic so that it would not be damaged by steam and/or water, misted the inside of the straw, and placed the straw on the block.  After determining my desired crown depth, I tied the crown portion of the straw to that depth using a blocking cord.  After which  a damp pressing cloth was placed over the crown and only the crown pressed.  Set the straw aside to dry.  After drying, mark the center front of your crown, remove the straw from the block, place a headsize collar inside the crown and press around the collar to set the 90 degree crown/brim angle; press the brim.  Don't forget the pressing cloth; you don't want to scorch your straw.  This straw came heavily starched; so it was perfect for a floppy brim without a wire.  I ironed the brim edges back, put the hat back onto the block to finger-set the pleats.  Finally I sewed the trim on.  Yes, that's leather on a summer hat; it was my daughter's suggestion, and I liked it.  I made the leather rose when I was teaching myself how to do bead embroidery.  Sorry, but I'll have to put the headsize ribbon in latter.


Have you ever wondered how to make a blocking card?  Well, the slip knot is my favorite method.  I tie a knot on each end of the rope so that it does not slip back through the main knot.  I use polyester clothe line rope for  my blocking cords.  View the YouTube video below.  Enjoy

Notes:  

1. Check out the Free Online Books from my previous posts for additional help.
2. Don't forget the Los Angeles County Fair Millinery Contest; you must adhere to posted dates.  More detail is in one of my previous posts.
3. If you believe in prayer, please take a moment to send out a prayer for me on Monday, the 24th, as I will be involved with serious medical issues on that day.  If prayer is not your thing, please send out wonderful positive thoughts.  At this point, I don't know how long before I will be able to post again; hopefully within the next three weeks.

Thanks, Lee




How to Tie Your Own Blocking Card:  The Slip Knot Method

Images From My Last Draping Class

I can't tell you how much I enjoy teaching millinery, and when the students are as enthusiastic as those that were in my last draping class, it's an extra added bonus.

Many times a full-size hat covers too much hair.  No wonder that this is why the fascinator/cocktail hat is so popular today.  So I made this small suede and vinyl hat for class show-and-tell, thus making draping relevant to current fashions.

A student's work should always outshine her/his instructor's, and that was certainly the case in this class.  To the  right is Colleen's beautiful draped pillbox.  This image does not adequately show the intricate details in this lovely hat.

Gladys is quite an accomplished clothing designer, and it shows in her lovely little cocktail hat. 



Thanks ladies.

Draped Vase Hat

I enjoy couture millinery because it's such a relaxing hobby for me.  I would prefer to hand sew a hat than to sew it by machine any day.  Most of the hats I make are similar (construction and material wise) to the hats that were referred to as "piece good hats" in earlier centuries.  These hats were made from bits and pieces of fabric that were used to cover willow or buckram hat frames.  Piece good hats are economical to make, fitting for the times we're living in today.  There are other types of couture hats that I like.  I'll discuss those in future blogs.  I estimate my material costs for this project to run between four and six dollars, not including the vintage Weiss brooch that I've attached to it. Of course the time I put into making this little cutie was priceless.  It doesn't hurt that I live near a wonderful discount fabric store either; so I don't have to skimp on fabric quality. 

Remember that vase from my last post?  Well, I felt that this extremely waisted (concave center) shape was perfect for a draping project.  I took tons of images to demonstrate the process only to scale them back so that I wouldn't bore you to tears.  So, if you have questions just leave them in the "Comments."

 First,  for those of you that are not familiar with millinery and millinery terms, Vintage Sewing.Info at http://www.vintagesewing.info/index.html is a Web site that offers free on-line millinery books.  I'll pass on the names of other sites in future posts; enjoy.   


To start, the buckram frame (see previous post) was cut from the vase using an extremely sharp knife.  

Next, the center back of the frame was sewn from top to bottom using a whip stitch.  Both top and bottom edges of the frame were wired with #19 millinery wire.  Although wire can be attached using a whip stitch, I prefer to use a buttonhole stitch because this stitch does a better job of keeping the wire on the frame's edge.

The crown tip (see the small round circle in the top right image) was whip stitched to the top of the frame.  Bias strips of crinoline were used to cover the top and bottom edge wires using a stab stitch for the top of the frame and a running stitch for the bottom edge of the frame.

Sheet wadding (quilter's batting for this project) was used to cover the buckram frame. Milliner's sheet wadding is used to pad millinery frames;  it was optional for this project.  However, if the cover fabric is thin and/or there are imperfections in the frame that affect the aesthetics of the cover fabric after it has been stretched onto the frame, the frame should be covered with wadding before draping to obtain a smoother outer cover fabric.




I prefer to use quilter's batting rather than milliner's sheet wadding because of quality issues.  Purchase the thin batting and split the single layer into two layers to make it even thinner.  Never cut the wadding/batting; tare it so that the fibers smooth together perfectly.

The tip and headsize were covered with fabric (see image at left).

The buckram frame was draped, first starting from the top center back of the frame down to the waist (middle) and then from the center back of the bottom opening up to the waist (one bias strip for the top and one for the bottom).  Six-inch bias strips should work.

The fabric was gathered into several folds.  Starting at the edge where the folds start, pin the fabric to the frame.  Maintaining the folds in the fabric, pull the fabric around the frame, pinning as you go.  After the top and bottom of the frame have been draped, place a few strategically placed stab stitches between fabric folds (see image at rite for inside view). 

The excess fabric was cut away from the waist.  A bias strip of cover fabric was placed around the center, over the draped material where top and bottom drapes meet (see final image at bottom of post).  Finally, the edges of the center bias strip were overlapped and sewn together.  This overlap was placed in front of the hat because the trim was to be placed over it, thus hiding the stitching.

 A lining was constructed from a triangle of fabric that was folded in half twice, and then the it was cut to its center along one of the folds (see dash--cut line on the right).  The two cut edges were overlapped until the square shape became a cone shaped.  


The cone shaped lining was adjusted until the it fit perfectly at the headsize.  One side of the lining's raw edge was folded under so that it would not show (see below right).  The overlapped edges were pinned together and the excess fabric extending beyond the headsize was cut away to just below the edge of the headsize opening.  The lining was removed from the hat and a circle was sewn around the tip of the cone (wrong side of fabric) and pulled together (see above right for sewing line and  below right for completed lining).  The lining was placed back into the hat and whip stitched into place one-fourth inch from the edge of the headsize opening (see below right).  This is probably the easiest lining to make.  The drape and lining are now complete. 

Next the headsize ribbon was swirled (curved).  The more times the ribbon is swirled the move it curves.  This swirling of the ribbon is extremely important because it is this extreme curve that causes the ribbon to hug the side of the hat.  After the headsize ribbon had been completed, the hat elastic was attached.  The metal pointed elastic edge of the elastic is pushed through the fabric under the ribbon and lastly through  the crinoline.

Finally, I attached the trim.  Usually I would do this before I put the lining in, but in this case sewing on the trim did not interfere with the lining. 

One more unfinished project completed!