Creating a Top Hat Without a Top Hat Block (continued)

Continuing with my little top hat project from my last post, it has been a wonderful journey.  Because I didn't have a top hat block, I figured out a simple way to flare the tip (top) of the hat without such a block.  So the next challenge was to taper the crown down to the smaller head size, and also to create a more attractive curve from the edge of the tip to the head size.  I was pleased with the outcome, and I learned a few things along the journey.  Because of what I learned, my next step will be to create a cardboard or foam transition block rather than using my protein powder can.

I can't emphasize the importance of  experimentation in order to improve one's skills.  Had I asked someone how to do this, and if they would have told me how to do it, I would have missed out on all of the things learned in-between--hits and misses--including the new applications learned that could be applied to other projects. 

Anyway, above is an improved version and to your right is the first version of my top hat; note the taper, plus I decided to flatten the tip.  The technique for tapering the sideband came from my Pinterest board, How Other Milliners and Hatters Do It, the pin on creating a Fosshape top hat.  When you think about it, Fosshape has some of the same properties as felt, it's a non-woven material that stretches under steam and heat, etc., (1. non-woven material, 2. stretches under steam and heat).   So given that they share some of the same properties, it's intuitive that the sideband of the felt would be shaped in the same manner as the Fosshape top hat, correct?  Anyway, wonderful tutorial, but my tip was created in a much simpler manner.  I will be teaching how I created my flared top hat in my upcoming class on March 8, join us.  Wow, I just told you how to do it!  Pretty easy if you don't focus on how I did mine.  I can think of several other ways of doing this, and I'm sure that many of you can do much better than I did.

Forgive the lousy pictures; I'm having camera issues.

Upcomming Millinery Class for Men and Women Straw and Felt Hats

I just received an email that stated that I was only giving a hatting (men hat making) class, and to please inform "me" when a women hat making class was being given.  I don't know where this came from, but the upcoming class (August 27th and 3rd) is a straw and felt blocking class, women hats included. A gentleman attending my class is interested in making hats for men, and of course, I'm more than pleased to accommodate him because the fedora is my favorite hat.  We will be touching on the most important hatting techniques.  As a matter of fact, I use some hatting techniques when making my hats, especially felt hats.  If it's anything I hate is a dead unpolished felt hat.

Also, as I've mentioned to those inquiring about a class schedule, I do not have a schedule; I do not give regular classes; and I probably will never give regular classes.  As much as love millinery, there are many other things, including my furthered millinery learning, I have to explore before I leave this earth, if God is willing.  This class was scheduled because of the large number of people requesting a class.   Unfortunately, most of those have not responded, and I put off a trip out of state.  My family has aged and is passing away, and I would really love to move about without having other commitments holding me back.  So catch me when you can, or if there are those out there that would like some referrals, I would be more than glad to refer out.  This does not take anything away from me.

Back to This Class

For all of those that say "I know how to block straw and felt,"  well more goes into it than steaming material and pulling it over a hat block and tying it down--classic YouTube.  It includes a knowledge of how hat blocks work and how they are used, and how they are underutilized.  If you're new to millinery and many of the not so new, I know you think you already know all about that.  Well, the hat to your upper left looks nothing like the block it was blocked on, yet many will leave the hat just as it came off the block (although anything goes), because they just don't know any different.  I have a pretty common cap block, and when I see some others block on it, I often wonder why they've left the hat unfinished.  It's because they don't understand how to use the block.

Although I don't make hats entirely how I was taught, there are many critical techniques I will never abandon.   For example, I would never leave this type of brim (purple hat) unfinished and razor flat.  You may say, it is finished, and if you said that, chances are you were never taught how to finish a brim that doubles back under when taken from the hat block.  That's why this brim stands at attention and will always do so when finished correctly, because of the structure behind it.  The same goes for many small hats and the underlying structures that many milliners fail to incorporate into those finished hats today, especially those hats made on vintage blocks.

So how do you polish your felt hats, or how do you conceal your machine stitching when sewing felt hats by sewing machine or by hand to get that rich finish look, rather than that manufactured look. How do you finish your cut felt brims?  What do you remove from your felt hats after you block them to remove some of that dull look before polishing?  Unless you are using a European style hat block (having no rope lines, usually pinned underneath) rather than an American style block (having real estate for rope lines), you should understand why all of that pinning may not yield any better results than a single rope or two, thus saving your blocks from destruction.

Do you know what an open crown block is?  No it's not a hat block with a hole in the middle.  But many men use them to block their unshaped hats, only to put the details in by hand.  This is a great technique to incorporated into women hats for those of you that are so dependent on hat blocks and are frustrated because you feel that you have to purchase every block that comes along, but you don't have the budget to purchase them. 

Finally, if you look at your blocked felt or straw hats and they look like they have cellulite (they're not smooth after blocking), their brims are undulating and look like they are frozen in a 120-mile wind storm, you still have more to learn about felt and straw blocking.

(1) Class Reminder: Couture Millinery Fascinator Class, October 15th; (2) Learning from the Past: My First Bird-of-Paradise

Couture Millinery Fascinator Class Less Than Two Weeks Away!

First, I would like to thank those of you that dug your way through my wordy, confusing class registration instructions to pay and register for class.   I'll do better next time.  For those of you still having problems figuring out how to pay/register, here is the short and skinny.  If you would like to pay through PayPal, just email me at lduncan@hatstruck.com.  In the email, provide me with the email address associated to your PayPal account, and I will send you an invoice for payment.  If you are sending a check, email me for my address.  The check must clear before class begins.  You also have the option of paying by money order before the day of class start.  There are a few seats left; first come, first served.

Learning from the Past:  My First Bird-of-Paradise

I  know, you think I've taken leave of my senses, especially when I tell you that I've had an overwhelming urge to travel to downtown Los Angeles (California Millinery) to purchase these vintage broken, faded birds.  Well, some of you would think that I was "touched," but some of you would identify with this urge.  It is the urge to learn something new, the urge to grow my craft, the urge to improve.  I've felt for some time that I have been driving on a four-lane highway, with all of the cars horizontally lined up.  I've been feeling the urge to move forward lately; this is a good thing.  I invite these feelings.  

Although I give credit to my instructors and my millinery library for some of my growth, I have to give myself credit for having that itch that moves me forward.  How else would my skills have grown so much over the years.  I say these things to encourage you to move beyond that which has been taught you and that which will be taught you. These vintage birds are also my millinery instructors.  All of them have been made with different supporting materials.  All of them look different.  There is no one way of doing anything.  If you subscribe to this notion, your growth will be stunted.  

I love visiting California Millinery because there I can purchase and/or study artifacts that will never again be made with such skill.   I have heard some call these artifacts junk.  What a shame....  After all, this junk taught me how to make my first bird-of-paradise.

Fascinator Construction:  Buckram frame covered with black suede, and sprinkled with large vintage amber-colored rhinestones.