Deadline for Millinery Competition Drawing Near; Burning Millinery Feathers; Preparing for a Competition I'll be Entering

By this time many of you are either excited about the Hatstruck millinery competition here, or you will be glad when it's over so that I can get on with discussing hat making.  Well I'm in both camps.  This post is written for three purposes:  (1) a reminder that the competition will be ending in a few days; (2) to share a few tips on burning feathers to use as millinery trim or for other purposes; and (3) to discuss what I will be doing for the next couple of weeks as I prepare for the competition I will be entering into--the Mad Hatters Society competition on FaceBook.
 
The Hatstruck Millinery Competition--Elegant, Fun Couture Hats, 2014

I have gotten messages from some of you stating that you will be entering the contest in the last hour.  I understand that because that is exactly what I do when I enter contests.  However, since one of the requirements for entering this contest is that you be a follower of this blog (you may unfollow it after the competition is over), it is important that you complete this process so that I may approve your entry for judging.  Please, I do not want to disqualify anyone.  There will be no exceptions.  Also, I need to be able to identify you if you are under a screen name other than your given name, so please make sure that you let me know who you are.  For competition rules and regulations, please visit the two linked 
locations in this sentence.

Please Note!!!

In order to obtain a higher score in the competition, don't forget to show the inside of your hat, etc; remember that the competition has a theme; review the winning categories to get an idea of what is needed to do well in the contest (presentation, theme appropriateness, workmanship, etc.).  Good luck!

The Competition that I'll be Entering

Yes I'm entering another competition.  You've heard it before--competitions force me to make hats; plus, they force me to design and make something other than what I would normally make.  Although I will be (or plan to) make three hats, I will only concentrate on one hat, the other two will be ordinary, boring hats.  So, for my extraordinary (in my head) hat I've gathered beads, silks, and velvet, and burned some feathers.  Many times I don't even use the materials I purchase for a competition, but this time I will, I must; at least a tenth of them.  I really should start selling some of these hats to recuperate some of my money.

Anyway, the theme for the Hatters competition has something to do with a mad hatter. So I'm using one of my candle holders--shown in the image above--to block my top hat form over.  Usually I pin and nail into my bowls, candle holders, etc. (not my hat blocks!), if I can, but this time I will not be doing so because I like the holder and I don't want to destroy it.

Well, I've draped some bias strips onto the holder using my favorite millinery material, buckram.  Buckram is perfect for this shape because it sticks to itself, therefore I don't have to secure the buckram to my alternative, makeshift hat block.  The resulting form does not have to be perfect because it will be mulled (padded/covered) with another material to smooth it out in order to ready the form for its final outer cover material.  So, why didn't I create a perfect flat pattern?  Because I'm lazy, and when you know how to, you don't have to....

Anyway, the form is drying now, and when it has dried I will remove it from the candle holder, wire it, and mull it, etc.  I'll share those images with you as I proceed.  In the background of the image you'll see the feathers I burned, plus a few other feathers I may use on my EXTRAORDINARY design.  Because it's a top hat and it has been around for at least a couple of centuries, worn by men and women, I don't see how I could improve very much over many of the beautiful ones I've seen over the years.  Plus I figured since I'm always writing about couture hats, I should at least make one every once in a while.   I must also note that I didn't have to make a top hat to satisfy the theme for the competition; I could have gone another route--not so literal, abstract.  I just wanted to make a top hat.  Speaking of feathers, I thought I would share a few tips on how I improved the appearance and texture of my burnt feathers.  I should mention here that, although I have a sketch and a general idea of what I will be making, I can't guarantee you that any of these feathers or jewels will be on the hat,; we'll see.

A Few Tips on Burning Feathers for Millinery Trim 

Okay, by now some of you are familiar with the term feather burning.  Simply stated, it is the removal of portions of the feather (lesser barbs) with a caustic substance; in the case of feathers burning, the caustic substance is bleach. Today the word Clorox and bleach have become synonymous, no matter its manufacturer.  Just a little note here, I pin many resources on my Pinterest board because there is more room there than it is here on the blog.  While you are doing your millinery research, feel free to visit it and to also follow me, as I update the millinery boards quite often.  Above is an image of the anatomy of a feather.  Just by viewing it you may get an idea of the portion of the feather that will burned away (I'll call the areas "the lesser barbs"--the more fragile parts of the feather).


On one of my Pinterest boards, "How Other Milliners and Hatters Do It," there is a pin on burning feather; more specifically, the direct link is here.  The tutorial came from a very good costuming site, Costumes by Lynn McMasters.  So basically I followed those instructions, but I went a little further because my feathers didn't look as professional.  After I burned my feathers, the remaining lesser barbs were stiff and some were stuck together.  So I thought that I didn't rinse them well enough.  Then I thought, after a few experiments, that not rinsing enough was not the issue.  So I hurt my little brain (thinking) trying to figure out the problem.  It came to me that when we dye or bleach hair (or bleach clothing for the purpose of removing color), we have to neutralize the bleach--stop the process of eating away at the material (causing the lesser barbs to melt together).  So in order to stop the process, I had to find out what would neutralize bleach, soda--from my research on the Web.  So for me this worked better.  After burning, rinsing, drying, steaming, and coming, the results is shown above.  The feathers at the top of the image have not been neutralized, while the feathers at the bottom have been neutralized.  Also, I found that the regular bleach is better because the non-splash type bleach is harder to rinse from the feathers because of the bleach's thickness.  Although the feathers above have a medium burn, you can leave them in the bleach longer to obtain more burn--a more wiry look.

Happy bleaching everyone!

Another Hat Block Alternative: The Candle Holder

In less than two weeks, July 16, I have to deliver my hats to the county fair for the millinery contest. I always submit paperwork for five hats, but I've never met that goal.  Further, I suddenly realized that I'll be attending my family reunion on that day; actually, it's a three-day reunion that I've been very much aware of.  So I was day dreaming about whether or not I should leave the reunion and drive over an hour to deliver my hats, or should I leave home a day later and deliver them on my way to the reunion?  Life is just so complicated, especially when I have not one hat started!  Last year I wasn't satisfied with my hats, so I vowed to work at least two weeks on them rather than three days, oh well.  Since I can't focus, I thought I would share some of the stuff I have laying around on hat blocks, forever.

The first thing I'll show you is my candle holder block.  I picked this up at Ross Dress for Less.  In everything I see a hat block.  I'll just go into a store to look for something I can block a hat on.  Why can't I be like normal women and buy cute shoes?  I  have plenty of hat blocks, but I use them more as collector pieces than what they should be used for.  I just enjoy finding odd things to block hats on.  I saw this candle holder and I just had to have it.  It will accommodate a size 23 head size without adjustments.   I steamed a fur felt hood and secured it to the candle holder with wide rubber bands.  Then I used a blocking cord to block the dent in the middle where the candle would be placed.  I could have left this step out since I decided I didn't like the dent in the top of the hat.

What's nice about fur felt is how easy it is to work with.  I can re-block it over and over again without any problems.  First I thought I liked the rubber band marks, but I think I'll steam and brush them out.  Who knows  what I'll end up with.  My finished hats always surprise me.  No promises when I will finish this; stay tuned!

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.

How to Copy a Hat Block

I spend more time experimenting with prospective millinery materials and techniques than making hats.  So, when I had the opportunity to work with a material I had read about in a costuming book, Fosshape, I just had to get my hands on some.  Just by accident a couple of weeks ago when I was out and about, I ran across a costuming supply store, Richard the Thread, located in Culver City, California.  I had seen their Web site some time ago while looking for millinery supplies.

Inside the store there were very large rolls of fabrics used in costuming: buckram, Fosshape,  Miracle Net, Ice Wool, etc., stuff I'd never heard of before.  To make a long story short, I purchased the Fosshape and went on my merry way.  Around  the same time Mrs. King, one of my millinery teachers--on and off for the past 25 to 26 years--brought a hat block to class that I absolutely adored.  So, with Fosshape in one hand and the block in another, coupled with a little steam, my copy of this fabulous block was born.

I'm short and full figured, so although I loved the block I knew that the shape, as it was, would not look well on me.  I blocked a straw hood over the block and formed the rounded edges into sharp edges by shaping in the hand (pinched the folds between my fingers) after the fabric had been removed from the block.  The result  was stunning.

I had a black vintage blimp (very large hood) fur felt that I was itching to block on this gorgeous block.  The hood was dark black, soft, very thin; simply lovely.   This time I did not manipulate the folds on the hat, but I was very pleased with the results.

The Technique

My first approach was to steam the Fosshape and then pull it over the hat block.  This is how I would approach felt, straw, and sometimes buckram.  This did not work for me--I never read instructions.  So, my next approach was to pull the fabric over the block and then secure it to the block as usual. After the material was secured with blocking cords, I steamed it.  When Fosshape is steamed, it becomes hard.  After the Fosshape had dried, I finished the copied block as I finished the Styrofoam block I carved (wood filler, white glue mixed with acrylic paint, etc).  However, my final step for this block was to paper  mache its inside to give it extra strength during blocking.  At this point I've only added one layer of paper mache, but I'll add additional layers after each layer has dried.

The more experienced milliner may ask, "how is it possible to remove the felt and straw from this copy?"  Well it depends on a number of things.  In this case, although the straw was blocked on the original block, I did not take the block apart.  Why, because parasisol is very flexible, and unless it is heavily sized, it will not hug the block tightly.  The vintage fur felt was also very flexible and did not hug the block tightly.  The final factor is that this block sloped forward.  Usually when a block slopes forward, it is usually made into a two-section block rather than a five section one, as this original block.  Also for those of you that may have a paper mache hat block from the 30s/40s that slope forward and flair out at the front, it's easy to understand how this works.

Notes:  
Hat blocks are usually made into sections when the head size is smaller than the tip. 

The straw hat was sized on the outside with millinery sizing after it had dried.

Check out the following resources, and find others on the Web.  Experiment, Experiment!

Fosshape Tutorials:  Cosplay Supplies, Richard the Thread
Hat Block Tutorial (video):  Torb & Reiner
Hat Blocking (video):  Flat Felt Felt Pillbox 1 and 2
How to Block and Drape Felts and Straws (slow to load, but worth it)
How to (video) Make Paper Mache Paste
How to (video)  Paper Mache

Carve Your Own Utility Hat Block

I have an extremely large head--my head size plus big hair equals extremely large head.  All I'll say is that my largest utility hat block is a size 24.  I pad this 24 with felt to increase its size, or I'll stretch the finished hat with a hat stretcher.  I wanted a block specifically dedicated to my head size; so, I decided to carve one.  I prefer to save my money for more exciting purchases like the block below, my latest acquisition.  Now that's a hat block!  Sorry, I'll get back to the purpose of this post--teaching you how I carve a utility hat block.

Carving a hat block is pretty simple.  Many times you will be concerned with creating curves.  In order to create a curve, you would cut your foam or wood edges diagonally; at least that's how I start.  When one edge is cut, you are left with two edges, these two edges are also diagonally cut, forming more edges and those edges are cut, and so on and on.  This is demonstrated in the image above.

I purchased a large Styrofoam cube and scored an "X" on the top and bottom of it (a line from corner to corner), dividing the  foam into equal sections.  I traced my size 24 head size plate onto paper and added 1/8" inch to the traced pattern.  Adding 1/8" to your pattern equals 1/2" to your head size; 1/4" equals one inch, and so on. Unfortunately, this 17" x 17" cube was not large enough for my head size.  I'll get back to this fact later.  The pattern is moved to the bottom of the cube without turning the pattern over.  So, under the bottom of the cube, after moving the pattern down, you will not see the pencil markings on the pattern, but you will be able to see them slightly through the paper because you did not flip the paper over.  These two tracings should be in the same position on top of the cube, as well as on the bottom side.

 Using two straight-edged knives--a large one for mass carving and a small one for detail carving--I removed the excess foam.  My next step was to sand the foam with medium sandpaper.  Always wipe dust from block after sanding.   I applied a lite coat of wood filler and let it dry.  After the filler dried, I sanded the block again.  I applied another coat of sealer, but this time the coat was much thicker.  Remember I said that the foam was not wide enough to accommodate my head size and that 1/8" would increase the block size by 1/2 inch.  Well, the second coat of sealer was a thicker one that also added girth to the block.  This was followed with another sanding.

After letting the filler dry, I added some acrylic paint to some white glue for color.  I added the glue for extra protection and to give the block a softer, springier feel--nice to pin into .  This was followed by two coats of  polyurethane, letting each coat dry before adding another.  Overkill; yes.  I could have stopped after I carved the block, providing it was the correct head size,  but the block would not last as long without some type of protection.  I could have painted on the white glue and nothing else.  I could have used paper mache.  Experiment.  I also like adding the polyurethane because I don't have to worry about heat.  These blocks, when protected with some type of covering, are just as durable as a balsa wood hat block and the cost is much less than a balsa block.


Try carving other shapes and other materials.  To your right is a block I carved in wood with three interchangeable tip.  I learned a big lesson when I carved this block.  I learned not to carve the block on the trace line, but to carve outside of the line.  Sawing or carving on the line reduces the head size, and sanding further reduces it.

Two notes concerning this finished block:



1.  If you click on the image to your left to enlarge the image, you will notice that the block is in profile.  There is actually a bump on the back of the block, as on the back of the head.

2.  In order to get a finer grain on your block, use better sandpaper than I did.  I used old sandpaper because I didn't want to go out to purchase more.

Don't forget to mark the front and back of your block; there is a difference unless you use a round headsize collar rather than an oval as I did.

Always use a dust respirator when sanding wood and  foam.

Always measure your block from top to bottom when carving and sanding to maintain consistent measurements.

Don't forget to coat the bottom of the block with a sealer also.

A more economical material to use for block carving is the sheet foam house insulation.  However, I personally prefer the regular craft Styrofoam, not the soft flower foam.

Remember that an extra one fourth of an inch will add one half of an inch to the head size of a block.



Also, try carving fancier shapes; doing so could mean that your hats would not look like all the others'.  It's really easy.  Enjoy!!

 Check out the two videos below.

Styrofoam Hat block from Al Ojeda on Vimeo.

Millinery Straw Braid and Hat Pins

Hello all; it's good to be back.  I thought I'd touch bases with you and thank all of you for returning to my blog for a look-see over the past two months.  I see you looking in, so please take a moment every once and a while to leave a comment; I really would appreciate it.  So what have I been doing?  Recovering of course, but besides that I've been playing around with all things millinery--revisiting old techniques and learning new ones.  After 26 years I've never gotten bored with millinery because I've never stopped learning and experimenting. 

I'm often asked why I hand sew my hats when it would be easier and faster to sew them on a sewing machine, especially when sewing wire on buckram frames, putting in headsize ribbons, etc.  Well, I hand sew them because doing so is therapeutic and extremely relaxing.  I  view the end product as a piece of art--art that I've created.  I only have to please myself and I can take forever to complete a work.  Fabulous!  So, enjoy the following. 

Technique:  Candy/Cello Straw - Hat #1

The hat to your right was sewn in-the-round, row-on-row by hand.  I wanted to give it an asymmetrical look.  In order to accomplish this, I ended the hat after half completing the fifth row; the opposite side of the hat only has four rows.  I must note here that the hat was first shaped and pinned on a balsa hat block (no steam needed) and then removed from the block and sewn.  The top of the hat has been left open.  When sewing this straw, it should be slightly overlapped (this time I put the bottom rows on top), the needle and thread should be inserted into the wrong side of the braid (inside of the hat) and passed through the loop in the upper braid.  By doing this, the thread is totally invisible when viewed from the right side of the hat.  After completion, I placed the hat back onto the block and steamed it.  Never iron this type of straw because ironing would flatten it.  I put in a headsize ribbon and moved on to trimming.  For the trim on this hat, I used feather yardage for the brown portion and some dark packaged feathers for the center.

Technique:  Hat #2

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! 

Hat Block Alternatives

You would think that if I started a blog that I would have projects lined up for posting; not so.  Sure I had a few ideas, but as always I'm more creative at the last hour.  As I looked around my room I studied felt, straw, and buckram material tied to traditional hat blocks that had been neglected for months, even a year or more, but the most exciting thing in the room was the the the ceramic hourglass vase covered with buckram foundation material. You see not only do I collect traditional hat blocks I also collect wooden bowls, metal bowls, ceramic vases, and just about anything I think would yield a beautiful hat.

Thrift shops, and most recently, HomeGoods--a discount store, are the places to shop!  My makeshift blocks cost anywhere from under a dollar to around $15 dollars.   A block the size of the large dark bowl above would cost anywhere between $120 and $250 or more dollars.  Additionally, I do not pin into my traditional blocks unless I absolutely have to.   These are my sculptures, my works of art..., but I will push pins into these bowls, etc., without a second thought.

My hat making material of choice is buckram (the material covering the vase).  Buckram is a heavily sized cotton material, that when dampened and stretched over a block, conforms to the shape of the block.  Of course it's also used dry for flat patterns that will be covered with various materials, as is the dampened, blocked, and dried buckram.  Knowing how to work with buckram will allow a milliner to create any shape she desires.

Sooooo, stay toned. I can't wait until I post again.  Now which one of those bowls, etc., will I use to create my next hat.