Making Hats E-Book

Alison Hart

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

Hats finish an outfit; they make a statement, provide panache and lift your spirits. This book explains how to make your own hats, using traditional construction methods with both specialist millinery foundation materials and a range of fabrics and trimmings. It showcases twenty-six hats and headpieces, each with step-by-step photographs and instructions, some using ready-made elements, others that are made from scratch. Celebrating the versatility of hats, it introduces the wide range of styles and shapes that modern millinery has embraced. Explains the anatomy of the hat and how to fit a hat, and gives general millinery tips. Suggests sources of inspiration and design ideas. Introduces a range of hats and hat styles, from small, fun and fast headpieces to special occasion hats. Superbly illustrated with 534 colour step-by-step photographs.

Leseprobe

ALISON HART

First published in 2019 by The Crowood Press Ltd Ramsbury, Marlborough Wiltshire SN8 2HR

This e-book first published in 2019

www.crowood.com

© Alison Hart 2019

All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978 1 78500 494 0

Frontispiece A shaped bridal headpiece covered with silk and Chantilly lace. The hat is trimmed with a vintage-style silver and pearl brooch and has a semicircular veil that covers the forehead.

Dedication This book is dedicated to my family and my invaluable feline helpers. Firstly, my ever-supportive and understanding husband Gary who puts up with all my creative mess; to Snarf – my expert finder of stray feathers and chaser of unattended thimbles; to Tilly – to whom veiling is simply irresistible whether attached to a hat or not; and especially to all my family for always believing in me and all my mad ideas.

Acknowledgements I would like to thank a few people for their help and support in the process of writing this book. First, my husband Gary and my family for all their invaluable support, guidance and advice.

All the teachers who have shared their millinery knowledge with me, without whom I would not know any of these techniques. The teams of dedicated hat fans at the various millinery suppliers around the country who provide such high-quality materials and super-speedy mail order delivery, in particular Michelle and Fiona at Petershams, Baxter Hart and Abraham and Hat Blocks Direct.

The Shaws, Michaela Clegg and Lynn Kimber for loaning their completed hats back to me for the final photo shoot.

Pete Sellwood, Rhiannon Evans, Chris Moles, Gillian Boyd and all my colleagues within the BA Costume and Performance Design and BA Make-Up for Media and Performance courses at AUB.

Finally, a huge thank you to Snarf and Tilly my ever-helpful assistants.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION AND INFORMATION

  1 INSPIRATION AND DESIGN

  2 TOOLS AND MATERIALS

  3 TECHNIQUES

  4 HEADPIECES – SMALL, FUN, FAST

  5 1950s-INSPIRED HATS

  6 FLAT PATTERN HATS

  7 BLOCKED HATS

  8 OCCASION HATS

SUPPLIERS

INDEX

INTRODUCTION AND INFORMATION

Introduction

The purpose of this book is for you to learn how to make unique hats and headpieces to wear for special occasions or for every day, and also for the fun of creating pretty and wearable accessories. It is designed to inspire and enable the making of hats for everyday wear following traditional construction methods using both specialist millinery materials and a range of fabrics and trimmings.

A hat does not need to have any one specific shape – hats can be different sizes, colours and styles; with a brim or without. There is a shape to suit every head, hairstyle and hat-wearing occasion. They are limited only by the imagination of the maker and wearer. A special outfit is completed and enhanced by a fantastic hat, but everyday hats can be just as eye-catching by using bright colours, pretty trims and exquisite shapes – perhaps just with fewer feathers!

Each of the chapters in this book will introduce new ideas, different materials and fresh techniques to work through that show how the careful choice of each component can accentuate the hat. Each hat is a stand-alone project and the book begins with hats that are simple or fast to make. As you progress through the chapters, the required skills and techniques diversify, building to Chapter 8 where the hats are more complex, have couture overtones and require more time and skill to complete.

A fawn-coloured felt hat, blocked over an oval base and trimmed with fabric flowers that cover three-quarters of the surface of the hat.

You may have a particular occasion that requires a hat, or perhaps you just want the challenge of making something new. Whatever your reasons for reading this book, it goes without saying that exciting millinery draws attention and compliments, and makes everyone stand out in a crowd. So this book will help you to complete your own millinery projects to wear however you choose.

My own passion for hats began with wearing them regularly as a teenager. I had several hats that I wore all the time, matching them to my everyday outfits, and I loved wearing them. I was hooked on hats and, having always been creative, began to wonder about making my own. I was offered the opportunity to learn how to make couture hats by attending a course in London. That course was at the London College of Fashion and was run by the late Andrew Bristow. Under his careful guidance and abundant enthusiasm my passion for making hats flourished. I realized that with some instruction I could learn to make hats properly, using the correct millinery techniques. This appealed to my fashion and textiles background, so I attended many subsequent courses. I also completed NCFE (Northern Council for Further Education) qualifications in millinery, during which I met another inspirational millinery tutor, Hillary Peach, who was instrumental in furthering my millinery education.

A midnight navy felt hat worn at an angle with a tapered crown and a luxurious scattering of rose-gold Jaipur lace flowers and foliage.

I continue to attend courses and use millinery books – old and new – to learn new and refine current techniques whilst experimenting with materials to discover new ones. I enjoy making and experimenting as you can never stop learning new creative techniques.

A Brief History of Millinery

‘People don’t wear hats anymore’ is a statement that is often said; but, happily for those of us who love hats, it is no longer true. The twenty-first century has seen a resurgence in interest for wearing hats through celebrities in the public eye wearing more hats, hats being seen in films and new trends in high street fashion. Music stars such as Paloma Faith, Pharrell, Boy George, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars all regularly wear hats in their performances and TV appearances; this kind of exposure helps to make hats more desirable and acceptable. Other stars who famously and regularly wear hats include Sarah Jessica Parker, Christina Aguilera, Johnny Depp, Justin Timber-lake, Jennifer Lopez, Samuel L. Jackson, Noel Fielding, Elton John and Olly Murs.

Throughout history hats and headwear have been important for many reasons. We use hats differently today – and their use continues to evolve – but hats still make us feel special and have the ability to change how we feel.

The history of the hat and hat-wearing goes back to the earliest dress records with early hats being more like head coverings, for example veils used for religious or ceremonial purposes. Whilst this has not changed, the hat has also emerged in different areas of our lives. Throughout the centuries millinery has evolved and changed. It used to be social convention for people of all classes to keep their heads covered all the time and to not be seen without a hat or head covering of some kind. It was socially unacceptable not to wear a hat and an outfit was not considered complete until a hat was added. Women would have day hats, which were casual caps or bonnets, and evening-wear hats that were much more elaborate and made to match the outfits worn to social events or gatherings. There were even caps that were worn when sleeping.

Even during the twentieth century the attitude to hats has varied through the decades, with styles changing radically from the 1900s to the 1990s. Women’s fashions changed faster and more regularly than men’s throughout the twentieth century; the same can be said for millinery styles. In the 1900s ladies’ hats were wide-brimmed to complement the S-shape silhouette of the fashionable figure. Hats were flamboyantly decorated, and the more feathers a hat sported, the higher the social status of the wearer. The fashionable headwear for men in the 1900s were top hats for formal occasions and straw boaters, bowlers and fedoras at all other times. With the onset of the First World War, ladies’ hat brims became more practical in size and the men wore more military caps.

By the 1920s styles were relaxing after the war. The most restrictive of corsets were going out of fashion and the masses were cutting their hair and wearing close-fitting hats such as the cloche and turban. Men’s top hats were shorter and less formal, with homburgs and panamas becoming popular. Flat caps and bowlers were styles that were still worn in most situations.

In the 1930s the cloche remained a favourite style, but ladies’ hats began to reduce in size and to perch on the head at an angle. Hats had asymmetric brims and were trimmed with elegant bows. Brimless toques and Tyrolean-style felt hats – brimmed hats with a crown that tapered to a point – were popular too. The trilby was introduced for men, with the bowler being ever popular and the cap also continuing to be a staple headwear style.

During the 1940s war years, ladies wore military caps and, increasingly, practical headscarves. Hats were not rationed like other items of clothing; however, they remained small in size and perched on the side of the head. The pillbox style became popular and was worn on the top, side or back of the head. Men’s hats were mostly military caps, but homburgs, fedoras and the pork pie hat were also popular.

The 1950s brought Dior’s New Look and hat brims began to broaden to complement this new style. Brims were either straight and shallow or angled down over the eyes. Trims were simple bows and flowers. In the 1960s the beret, always a popular shape, became famous for being teamed with the Mary Quant miniskirt, whilst headscarves and androgynous caps remained popular styles. Simple wide-brimmed felt hats were worn, along with the craze for pillboxes following the trend-setting of Jackie Onassis and Audrey Hepburn. More elaborate hairstyles began to overtake hats in popularity and hat-wearing began to decrease.

By the 1970s the trend for wearing the hair long and flowing for both men and women decreased the wearing of hats, except for simple oversized hats with large floppy brims. In the 1980s hats were simply seen as attire for formal occasions, though celebrities such as Diana, Princess of Wales regularly wore beautiful hats. A keep-fit craze swept far and wide and leisure clothing was the style, so sweatbands and baseball caps were the most popular forms of headwear.

Two bright blocked felt hats. The blue hat has a hand-manipulated brim and a royal blue petersham trim. The orange mini trilby is blocked over separate crown and brim blocks before being trimmed with contrasting navy petersham.

The 1990s saw a resurgence of high-profile millinery on the catwalks of the world with couture designers featuring sculptural and outrageous headwear. For the general public, though, hats remained attire for formal occasions or a practical way to combat the weather. The twenty-first century has, however, so far seen a revival in the wearing of beautiful hats, both for formal occasion wear and more everyday styles.

In the past hats were worn more frequently and were a socially accepted staple of any outfit. Classic examples of outstanding millinery for us to look back on include the many different styles worn by Audrey Hepburn in her films; the simple bowler hat, made even more famous and iconic through the films of Charlie Chaplin; the different colours and sizes of pillbox hat worn by Jackie Onassis, making it the hat to wear for the chic and beautiful; and the hats worn by Winston Churchill and Frank Sinatra, and while these men were very different characters, they both influenced trends that epitomize their respective eras. They all continue to influence trends today.

Another set of famous hat-wearers is Queen Elizabeth II and the British Royal Family. The Queen has worn hats in all colours throughout her reign, and she has found a style – with a small brim and a crown with some height allowing for different kinds of trims – that really suits her. Rachel Trevor-Morgan is one of the most recent milliners to have made hats for the Queen and has now made more than eighty for her. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, have worn some elaborate and sculptural hats on formal occasions.

The younger Royals such as Zara Phillips and the Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie often wear beautiful and elaborate designer hats to social gatherings. They also advocate more subdued and subtle styles that are exquisitely made and can be worn more casually. However, it is Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge who has taken hat-wearing to a whole new level of sophistication, favouring hats and headpieces made by the crème de la crème of both young and established millinery designers. With her image and sense of style being photographed so regularly, she is definitely putting millinery firmly back on the accessories must-have list all around the world. Kate has made the perching saucer hat and the modern pillbox her go-to shapes. These are both stylish and chic whilst being practical and wearable.

Ascot Races is famously and traditionally the annual showcase for the most elaborate and elegant hats, with Ladies’ Day being a special opportunity for fans of millinery to both wear and see wonderful examples. Some hats are outrageous and headline-grabbing, whilst many are simply beautiful examples of this elegant art.

Now, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, hats are used for two main purposes: the practicalities of warmth and comfort where we wrap up against cold, wet or sunny weather; and to mark special occasions. We will wear a special hat to a party or a wedding, and these can be as elaborate, colourful and fussy as the occasion demands.

Hats are an essential accessory – probably the best accessory for the way in which they can transform an outfit and make the wearer feel special for a special occasion. They enable us to feel dressed up, looking our best and the centre of attention. However, hats are such a versatile part of an outfit or a look that they should be considered for more everyday wear too. There are so many styles and shapes, materials and trimmings, that modern millinery really has no limits.

The Anatomy of a Hat

A hat can be split into different sections with each section having its own name. Regardless of the construction method or material that the hat is made from, the names for these sections are the same. The main parts of a hat are usually the crown and the brim. All hats have a crown and some have a brim too. A brim is not required on all hats; it depends on the style of the hat.

Fitting a Hat to the Head

Hats sit on the head over the hair and this can affect the style and the fit of the hat. The style of the hair must therefore be considered before deciding on a style of hat for the occasion and measuring the head. Modern hairstyles can be complicated and bulky and some hat styles will not fit on or over them. For everyday hats the hair may be tied up or in a ponytail, and this will also affect how the hat sits on the head. For special occasions the wearer may have their hair in a totally different style to usual, so it is important that the hat is comfortable to wear and fits in with the hairstyle to avoid the wearer feeling that they need to take the hat off. The main aim is to ensure that the wearer is comfortable and feels happy whilst wearing the hat.

Some hats are smaller than the head and will not fit around the entire head. These are described as perching hats and can be attached with a variety of methods. Choosing the right way to attach the hat is important, as it needs to be secure but without the hairband being too tight or the teeth of the comb digging into the head or pulling on the hair, for example. If the hat is to fit around the circumference of the head – for example, a cap – the head will need to be measured.

The most important aspect of making millinery is the head fitting. This should be considered at every stage of hat making, but especially at the beginning and the end of the process. Every hat begins with the head of the model or recipient being carefully measured. This will ensure that the finished hat will fit comfortably and sit correctly on the head. The circumference of the head should be measured just above the eyebrows at the front with the tape measure then going around the fullest part of the head. If the head measurement is taken too low, the hat will not fit over the fullest part of the head.

Crown. The crown is the part of the hat that the head sits inside and is made up of two parts: the tip and the sideband.

Brim. This can be a continuous part of the crown or a separate piece that is stitched to the crown. The brim has a right side and an underside, but some brims are angled or turned up, so sometimes both sides show on the finished hat.

Under Brim. This is the inside of the brim and is usually a feature when the brim is constructed of two layers of fabric.

Tip. The tip is the uppermost part of the crown. Hats can be constructed with this as a separate piece from the sideband. The tip is usually oval in shape and can be flat or curved.

Sideband. The sideband is the side part of the hat that forms the sides of the crown and encircles the head. When the hat is constructed using a flat pattern method, it is joined with a seam at centre back.

Stand. This forms part of the brim when the brim and crown are split into two separate pieces. It allows the brim and crown to be sewn back together once they have both been blocked.

When blocking hoods in two pieces, the whole hood is blocked over the crown block.

The sideband and tip are sewn back together once they are both blocked. The crown goes over the stand and these two pieces are sewn together to complete the hat.

Another important aspect to consider at this stage is how and when the hat is to be worn. If there is going to be a bulky hairstyle or hairpiece worn under the hat, this may dramatically change the head fitting measurement. Even a small amount of gathered hair can change the head measurement, so take care to always measure the head exactly at the point where the hat will be sitting on the head. For example, just adding 0.5cm to the circumference of the head fitting will alter the measurement by 2cm.

How to Measure Head Sizes

All of these measurements are essential to ensuring that different styles of hats fit and sit on the head in the correct place.

Measure the head around the whole head just above the eyebrows. Keep the tape measure at the same level around the head. To allow the hat to fit correctly, add a bit extra to the measurement by putting a couple of fingers between the head and the tape measure to create some ease. This will also make allowances for the thickness of the material to be used, which can alter the size of the hat. This is the head fitting measurement.

The second measurement to take is over the head from ear to ear.

Finally, measure from the hairline above the forehead, back over the head to the nape of the neck.

CHAPTER ONE

INSPIRATION AND DESIGN

Inspiration Sources

Hats can have themes and whole designer collections have been created with a single theme linking each design together. Alternatively, the starting point for a hat might be a particular shape that you know suits you, a need for a comfortable, practical hat to wear, or a special occasion that needs some more individual design thought.

The inspiration for hats can come from any source and can create very different hat designs. There may be a clear source of inspiration: the design could be inspired by a fabric, a trim or the desire to showcase a special show-stopper feather. The end use for the hat can also advise the choices of materials, colour and trims; a hat that is to be worn to a wedding may be made to match an existing outfit, so the colour could already be decided. However, there are other points to consider when designing any hat.

Art Deco-inspired blocked felt hat with diamante and feather trims.

Fabrics and Materials

The material that the hat is made from is an important factor. There are many different materials used in millinery to create the base of the hat. A hat can be blocked in the final fabric or it can be constructed and then covered with a top fabric. Felt, straw and sinamay can be used not only to provide the structure of the hat but also the final finish. These materials are available in different finishes and many different colours.

Felt comes in an almost endless range of colours and provides a solid colour base that can be subtle pastel shades or fiery bright colours. Sinamay can be blocked into large but light shapes that are easy to wear and hold their shape. Sinamay is semi-transparent and different colours of sinamay can be layered up to match a dress fabric. This is an especially useful technique for matching a fabric where two colours are woven together, such as a shot silk. For almost any other kind of fabric, a buckram or Paris net base can be used flat to construct a hat from flat pieces, or blocked over a hat block to create the shape and then covered with the fabric.

Fabrics and millinery materials can be inspirational when designing and making hats. A trim may be the inspiration for a whole hat. There are some unusual and dramatic feathers and flowers available and these can add to or finish a hat perfectly.

Historical Themes

History is always a great source of inspiration for new hats. The shapes, styles, colours and fabrics from historical eras can either be echoed or used as an inspiration for a whole new style of headwear. The black felt hat in the photograph is inspired by the styles of Art Deco in the 1920s and 1930s. The shape is a blocked oval hat designed to perch right at the front of the head. The surface of the felt has a pleat in it to give a ridge that runs the entire length of the hat; this is to reflect the draped fabric turbans that were also very popular at this time. The hat has a black arrowhead quill for drama and black coque feathers that add movement and fun to the hat. The popular dances of the time would have made these feathers bob in time to the jazz music. The hat is finished with a fan of feather pieces in greens and yellows and a diamante and button trim. The fan shape was used regularly in Art Deco styles and is synonymous with the era.

Using historical inspiration for modern hats gives the opportunity to observe a different era and to look into the themes and trends of the time.

Practicalities

Hats are also worn for practical reasons such as keeping warm in the cold winter months. The inspiration for hats such as these can be fabrics such as velvets, wools, tweeds or the softest, warmest fleece fabrics. Some modern fleece fabrics are soft and have a flat, even surface, while others are textured and similar to teddy bear fur. This fabric can be incredibly warm and is surprisingly easy to work with. SeeChapter 6 for berets made with velvet and fleece fabrics.

Practical hats are those that are often the favourite and comfortable shapes that can be worn every day, such the berets and the other flat pattern hats in Chapter 6. These are easy to wear and as well as keeping the head warm and protecting the hair from the weather, they are stylish and comfortable. Another practicality of berets is that they can be rolled up and shoved into a bag without having to worry about storing the hat safely. They will not lose their shape and are ready to wear again as soon as you take them out.

Time

We all lead busy lives where time is of the essence. Luckily there are trims, accessories and hat ‘ingredients’ available to buy that can create almost instant and diverse headwear. This is a great resource and the components are perfect to work with when time is short. Chapters 4 and 5 have examples of how these ingredients can be used in different ways to create headpieces that are easy to make and unique. The first hat in Chapter 4 uses a simple striped ribbon as the main decoration, which is offset by a feather bundle. The third hat in Chapter 4 has a purple silk flower with a spray of purple veiling. The ingredients are fairly simple, but the finished hat looks sophisticated.

Hats for Occasions

The length of time that a hat will be worn needs to be considered when assessing comfort and practicality for the wearer; a heavy hat will not be tolerated for long, and an uncomfortable wedding hat will be discarded after the ceremony. Smaller lightweight hats tend to be more practical to wear and can still create impact.

Special occasions are a great time to wear something out of the ordinary: a wide-brimmed hat or an explosion of feathers that create movement and drama with every step taken; a splash of colour; or a sophisticated shape.

A collection of basic but useful items including pins, thread, a tape measure, a polystyrene head and hat bases.

Recording Ideas

It is important to record all of your ideas. You may look back on an older idea and be inspired in the future. The design journey can start anywhere and has lots of different avenues to explore.

You can create a mood board to gather many different ideas together and include different colours, textures and even fabric swatches. A mood board can be (but doesn’t have to be) an excuse to break out the scissors, glue and scrapbooking skills. However, if this fills you with dread, there are many easy-to-use online versions of pinboards where you can collect your ideas in one place. You can even have a series of pinboards for different hat ideas.

A mood board is a great place to be inspired and to refine your thoughts and ideas. Sometimes this collecting of ideas can really help with the design process. You may end up with more than one idea from this exercise.

Another useful way to collect ideas is to keep a sketchbook or notebook. Inspiration can strike at any time so ensure you can record the details as you find them. Quick sketches and even individual words can jog your memory and remind you of an idea you had. The drawing does not have to be perfect or even finished; it is the idea that matters. Linking words together and seeing where they take you is another option.

Try looking at the colours people team together with outfits, the texture of tree bark, the structure of a flower or how a plant grows new leaves – could you recreate that with fabric and stitches? This can be recorded digitally on phones or tablets, or with more traditional paper notebooks.

Design Considerations

Some shapes of hat suit or do not suit certain face shapes, so this needs to be taken into account. Some faces suit smaller hats that perch on the side of the head and some are better suited to hats with brims large or small. There is a hat shape to complement each face shape and it is especially important that all hats are fitted to the head and sit in the correct place.

Elsa Schiaparelli, who designed and made iconic hats and clothing ranges in the 1930s and 1940s, is quoted as saying: ‘one can add pads and bows, one can lower or raise the lines, modify the curves, accentuate this or that point, but the harmony must remain.’

Everyone has a style and shape of hat that suits them. The key is to find that shape. Each hat or headpiece is unique and the details of size, colour and trim is decided by the milliner and the wearer. As the maker or wearer of the hat may have a clear idea of what the finished hat is to look like, the key is ensuring that it suits the wearer and the occasion.

Navy knotted ramie straw sun hat with a stitched headband.

Inspiration can come from anywhere: a historical shape may be inspiring; a fabric may lend itself to a particular shape or design; you may want to show a pattern or a colour; sometimes a hat will match, complement or contrast with an outfit. But a golden rule to follow is that the hat must always flatter and complement the wearer.

The hat should be easy for the wearer to situate on the head without the maker being there to place it. It should be comfortable to wear, with the time that it will be worn taken into account, and it must stay in place without falling off or unduly getting in the way. For example, if a wedding guest wants to wear their hat all through the ceremony and the wedding meal, they should be able to do this and still be able to eat. The hat should be comfortable to wear so it is almost forgotten about – it is only the compliments the wearer receives that should remind them they are wearing such a fantastic hat!

The design of the hat or headpiece should mostly be a result of the discussions with the person who will wear it.

Balance and Symmetry

Balance is the most important area to get right with hat design. The hat size, shape, colour, materials and trims need to be appropriate for the occasion, and more importantly, the hat should suit the person who will wear it. In millinery boutiques in the height of hat-wearing eras, hats were always made especially for and fitted to each customer individually.

Here are a few guidelines I have learned to follow for designing a successful hat:

• Look for balance and symmetry in the trimmings; when using feathers or flowers, a rule of 1–3–5 works well. A single feather by itself can look very sophisticated and can be a real design feature. Otherwise, always have bunches of flowers or feathers in odd numbers. Three flowers will sit back to back very neatly nestled together and will have the added bonus of hiding any stitches or stems with their petals.

• Feathers also look very effective in bundles. These can be held together at the base out of sight or added into the design one by one. Feathers are either left-handed or right-handed, and have a natural curve to them depending on which side of the bird they came from. Keep this in mind when creating a bundle of feathers and use their natural curve to enhance the design. Some styles of feathers, such as coque feathers and goose biots, can be curled; this also adds another design feature to the feather.

• Feathers can add height and graceful movement to a hat without adding bulk to the design. Some feathers, such as coque feathers, bob as the wearer walks and can accentuate a beautiful hat. Fixed feathers can also add impact without adding movement. Some people do not like feathers of any kind and will specifically request none at all.

• Try not to overload the design with too many trims. It is possible to have too many flowers or feathers on one hat, making the hat seem too heavy.

• Millinery of all sizes, styles and materials can be made in a rainbow of colours from monochrome to pastel shades, brights to metallics; but choose carefully so that the colours work for the hat and are not overpowering. Contrasts of colour can work as well as those that match tonally.

• When designing a hat that is to match an outfit, pick one or more of the colours from within the outfit and echo these colours with carefully chosen trims. This will tie the hat and outfit together and create a symbiosis between them.

A cerise pink oval sinamay headpiece showing the importance of designing hats with balanced trims.

CHAPTER TWO

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

This chapter discusses the tools and materials needed to complete the different projects described in this book.

There are certain simple tools that are invaluable when making any kind of hat, such as pins and a needle, thread in a colour to match your fabric and a thimble. There are, however, different methods to use when making hats that require different equipment. If you are constructing flat pattern hats, there are certain materials that it is best to use, but the equipment needed can still be found in a normal sewing kit. Other millinery methods, such as blocking, are more specialist and require particular equipment to complete. The wooden blocks used for blocking create certain hat shapes, but these can be added to your collection as you need them and as you progress through the various techniques and styles of hat. Blocks are not needed for the first few chapters of this book and many different styles of hat can be made without blocking.

Tools of the trade: tape measure, ruler, household pins used for blocking, dressmaker’s pins, bridal pins, glass-headed pins, toothbrush, clear adhesive, fabric scissors, fabric shears, pinking shears, paper scissors, snips, pliers, round nose jewellery pliers, pattern notcher, hat elastics, closed-ended thimble, millinery needles, tailor’s chalk, beeswax.

Fabric choice is so important in millinery. Most fabrics can be used if the right base construction method is chosen.

General Tools and Equipment

Beeswax

This is a vital tool for coating threads to stop them knotting or breaking, especially when sewing buckram or sinamay as these materials tend to shred threads.

Chalk

Tailor’s chalk is useful for marking on felt or fabric.

Clear Adhesive

A clear glue that will dry as invisibly as possible is very useful for attaching flowers and other small trims. The glue is always covered, so it is not seen on the finished hat.

Cotton Tape (25mm Wide)

This is used for wrapping tightly around a blocked shape that needs to dry. This ensures the hood dries in the correct shape and the binding pushes the hood into the shape of the block. This method can leave binding marks that can be brushed out with a toothbrush.

Fabric Weight

This is a small fabric bag filled with uncooked rice used to weigh down a hood into indented details on a block, and is left in place until the hood is dry.

Hat Elastic with Metal Ends

This is a quick way to attach smaller hats to the head. The metal prongs have points that go through edging tape and are then hidden inside, leaving a neatly finished attaching method.

Hem Turner

This is a long metal stick with a rounded ball on one end and the other end squared with a hole in it. This is a very useful tool for turning sewn pieces the right side out, hiding the raw edges and untidy seams. The tool is most useful for pushing out the corners of the shape.

Invisible Thread

This is a clear plastic thread and is used when any other thread will show on the finished hat.

Needles in Different Sizes

Different-sized needles are used for different tasks. Sometimes a tiny, thin needle is needed to make invisible stitches in delicate fabric. At other times a long, strong milliner’s needle is needed to sew through many layers or through a feather quill.

Paper

Use clean paper to cover the work table and to keep the hood clean whilst you stiffen it. There also needs to be clean paper or a table covering for the hood to sit on while it dries.

Pattern Notcher

This is a useful tool to use when creating patterns as the notches make the pattern pieces easier to match up when sewing the pieces together, especially on rounded or curved edges.

Pen with Disappearing Ink

This is useful for marking top fabrics as the ink will disappear over time.

Pins

Household pins are best for blocking as they are shorter, stronger and less likely to bend. Drawing pins are sometimes used when blocking, but they leave round indentations, especially in felt, and can leave rust-like marks on buckram and sinamay, so are not ideal for millinery use.

Dressmaking pins are thin, long and good for using with the finer fabrics used in millinery, such as silk.

Bridal pins are longer and thinner than household pins and are useful for pinning finer fabrics as they leave smaller holes.

Glass-headed pins are sturdy and strong and are useful for pinning buckram pieces together before sewing.

Pliers

A pair of heavy-duty piers are used for cutting millinery wire and flowers that have metal stems. Jewellery pliers with longer points are also useful when bending and shaping wire as they can produce neat corners.

Pressing Cloth

This is a piece of folded fabric that is stitched around the edge to form a tube and is used to protect the hands from heat when ironing into rounded or three-dimensional shapes.

Ruler

A ruler is used for measuring fabrics and trims, creating patterns and checking sizes before cutting.

Sandpaper

This can be used to smooth the cut edges of felt to give a softer finish.