Hat making?? Learning Millinery..

[Frunobulax]

Here is a progress report on my first "distressed' hat creation. My brilliant wife volunteered to hand sew a brim binding on it. She has never done this before (I am hopeful she will agree do it again!!) Solves my "oreo cookie" look on the undyed centre of the brim thickness. I compared her work and it compares most favourably to the custom hats I have with bound brims.....the girl has the knack. The hat is on the flange right now giving it just a slight cup. The brim is only 2". Suggestions please: Not sure to give it a traditional ribbon/bow treatment or go the full Fouquette on it......an old silk tie, feathers? View attachment 286351 View attachment 286351 View attachment 286353 (no matchstix though)

My vote is the full Monty. Why not? Dress it up good, put a contrasting ribbon on it.

Maybe shove a Zippo in the ribbon...

 

[belfastboy]

My other work is an old but not vintage US made Flechet that Deadly gifted me. It was beat up bad and destined for the dumpster. Hating to throw anything away let alone a gift I set about restoring it. Right now it is my favourite hat. I naptha bathed it, threw it in the dye pot with my 'distressed' felt after stripping it down. The felt came out with a wonderful soft very vintage feel. Maybe I will boil all my old hats if this is the result....it is great. Fixed the leather sweat, cleaned up the ribbon which had been factory assembled using of all things staples!!!! The worst was the hat was so broken down there was no real break between brim and crown. I did my best to restore that, it is not great but workable. Hat cost me nothing as I used all original parts. Fun beater hat. In the dye pot the felt came out about 1/2 shade darker it gave the colour some pop but the funny part; the acid dye is for protein fibres not man made so the poly brim binding stayed a lighter colour or even lightened a bit in the hot water.

 

[T Jones]

Here's an update on my Melton hat project. I've got the brim binding measured, cut to length, the ends sewn together, and slipped onto the brim. The color choice is Char Brown and it matches the color of the hat perfectly. It's basted down and ready to be sewn to the hat. My only hold up at this point is trying to find thread that matches the color of the binding. So it'll be a trip to Jo Ann Fabrics. They usually have a good variety of thread colors there. Anyway, here's what I have done so far...

Snapped the brim down to check the binding for tautness

After checking the binding for tautness I put the hat back on the flange, lowered the heat on my iron, and gave the brim another flanging, but with the flanging cloth loose this time instead of tied down as in my initial flanging. Just enough ironing to smooth things out a little. Afterward, I basted down my binding and it's ready to be permanently sewn to the hat...

 

[belfastboy]

Here are 2 pics of the finished 'distressed' model. Winchester beaver Blue Smoke.... 2" brim 5 3/4" open crown. Not sure if I will bash it or leave open. My wife wants me to make her one....go figure!

 

[belfastboy]

Here's an update on my Melton hat project. I've got the brim binding measured, cut to length, the ends sewn together, and slipped onto the brim. The color choice is Char Brown and it matches the color of the hat perfectly. It's basted down and ready to be sewn to the hat. My only hold up at this point is trying to find thread that matches the color of the binding. So it'll be a trip to Jo Ann Fabrics. They usually have a good variety of thread colors there. Anyway, here's what I have done so far...
What is your method for downsizing or shrinking a felt? I have 2 Barbisio stingy brims that Deadly gifted me but they are a large 7 1/2" to 7 5/8". I am thinking of reworking them and gifting them to two preteen girls that likely have small heads. ( I need to confirm their size). I am thinking of giving the felts a good boil in water to shrink them, turn them back into capelines/hoods and start from scratch. What would you suggest?

Snapped the brim down to check the binding for tautness

After checking the binding for tautness I put the hat back on the flange, lowered the heat on my iron, and gave the brim another flanging, but with the flanging cloth loose this time instead of tied down as in my initial flanging. Just enough ironing to smooth things out a little. Afterward, I basted down my binding and it's ready to be permanently sewn to the hat...

 

[Gobi]

Any tips on sewing the sweatband ends together? I've never really done this well.

 

[belfastboy]

Any tips on sewing the sweatband ends together? I've never really done this well.

sewing machine with a zig zag stitch does the best job. I am not skilled enough to do it neat enough by hand. I cut the band to fit, use a small piece of tape to hold it together while it is being stitched. I used a painters tape as it is thin and removable. A thicker tape with heavier glue base just gums up the needle.

 

[T Jones]

Shoot me a pm.

 

[T Jones]

EDIT

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Nice to see he’s branching out. He’s also selling hat blocks now in addition to liners, sweatbands, rabbit hat bodies, and beaver hat bodies.

https://millinerywarehouse.com/sweatbands

 

[belfastboy]

Here is my latest commission. Client wanted a black stiingy as the only hat he has ever owned is a Blue Bros costume grade stingy. I convinced him to extend the brim to just under 2 1/4" so still qualifies as a stingy just not as stingy. Part of the convincing...he wanted 1 1/2"....was to offer to trim the brim down if he felt overwhelmed by the wide brim. 4 1/4" crown front, just under 5" sides...Tonak rabbit

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Decided to order myself what will be a late Christmas book. I recently came across a book first published in 1981 called: From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking. Supposed to arrive mid-January, this is a millinery book but just looking to pick up a few techniques. I wanted the spiral-bound version but the only one I found was on Amazon for way too much money, so I ordered the paperback version.



Website: From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking (hatbook.com)

Below is the table of contents of the book, the bolded items in the TOC are the areas of particular interest to me. Really curious as to the differences in brim binding between men's and women's hats.

Table of Contents
The Preface
The Lessons

• Designing the Hat
  
  
• Materials and Equipment
  
  
• Stitches and Techniques
  
  
• Designing the Pattern
  
  
• Constructing the Foundation
  
  
• Covering the Shape
  
  
• Facing Brims and Binding Edges
  
  
• Trimming the Hat
  
  
• Finishing the Interior
  
  
• Working with Felt
  
  
• Working with Straw
  
  
• Making a Headblock
  
  
• Draping a Turban
  
  
• Renovations and Alterations
  

 

[belfastboy]

Here is my latest commission. Client wanted a black stiingy as the only hat he has ever owned is a Blue Bros costume grade stingy. I convinced him to extend the brim to just under 2 1/4" so still qualifies as a stingy just not as stingy. Part of the convincing...he wanted 1 1/2"....was to offer to trim the brim down if he felt overwhelmed by the wide brim. 4 1/4" crown front, just under 5" sides...Tonak rabbit View attachment 290343 View attachment 290344 View attachment 290345

There is a happy ending to the story. Clients loves the hat, it fits him perfectly. A slender built man just under 6' tall. The proportions looked great on him. For me that is a "hold your breathe moment" when he puts the hat on.......did I get the size right and then will he like my version of his vision. This time it worked!!!!

 

[belfastboy]

Decided to order myself what will be a late Christmas book. I recently came across a book first published in 1981 called: From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking. Supposed to arrive mid-January, this is a millinery book but just looking to pick up a few techniques. I wanted the spiral-bound version but the only one I found was on Amazon for way too much money, so I ordered the paperback version.

View attachment 290536

Website: From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking (hatbook.com)

Below is the table of contents of the book, the bolded items in the TOC are the areas of particular interest to me. Really curious as to the differences in brim binding between men's and women's hats.

Table of Contents
The Preface
The Lessons

• Designing the Hat
  
  
• Materials and Equipment
  
  
• Stitches and Techniques
  
  
• Designing the Pattern
  
  
• Constructing the Foundation
  
  
• Covering the Shape
  
  
• Facing Brims and Binding Edges
  
  
• Trimming the Hat
  
  
• Finishing the Interior
  
  
• Working with Felt
  
  
• Working with Straw
  
  
• Making a Headblock
  
  
• Draping a Turban
  
  
• Renovations and Alterations

Excited to get your review. I will hold off the purchase and see what you have to say about it. I would love to be set loose in the Seattle Milliner you mentioned. I would love to get my hands on some of his fancy blocks. It would be a fun day.

 

[T Jones]

Finally finished my Melton hat project. I sewed on a new brim binding and a 1 1/2 black ribbon with a slight upswoop to my bow work. It sports a straight taller crown that's creased to my preferred Teardrop. The brim is 2 5/8 wide. I'll have more pictures later...

Under a different light and closer to the hat's actual color

 

[humanshoes]

That's a real beauty Terry. Excellent work my friend!

 

[T Jones]

That's a real beauty Terry. Excellent work my friend!

Thank you Rick! My Rick Walker brim cutter special came in handy on this project. Cuts perfect every time!

 

[belfastboy]

Finally finished my Melton hat project. I sewed on a new brim binding and a 1 1/2 black ribbon with a slight upswoop to my bow work. It sports a straight taller crown that's creased to my preferred Teardrop. The brim is 2 5/8 wide. I'll have more pictures later...

Under a different light and closer to the hat's actual color

Flanged on your 810? What is the stated width of this flange?

 

[T Jones]

Flanged on your 810? What is the stated width of this flange?

Definitely my 810. I have other flanges but this one's my favorite. It's marked 2 3/4 but flanges out at 2 5/8 just as well.

 

[belfastboy]

Definitely my 810. I have other flanges but this one's my favorite. It's marked 2 3/4 but flanges out a 2 5/8 just as well.

I have a set of vintage 810's marked 2 5/8 but can take it out to 2 7/8" or down to 2 1/2" with no major issues. 2 1/4" are too narrow and i get zero cupping but luckily i only have received 1 order for that narrow a brim.