Vintage Silhouettes Custom Hats - Official Affiliate Thread

[RJR]

Nik, I've always admired your sense of color and style, but the pairing of the black cherry hat with that beautiful blue suit is particularly inspired.

+1

 

[Art Fawcett]

Good to hear from you again Nik, my pleasure on the pics. I can't think of anyone more suited to be featured on my site than you in your attire. You wear them well Sir!!!

 

[Rabbit]

Thank you, Gents. Very kind of you to say so, Art. Feel free to use the new pics if you like. Here's a Panama for good measure.

VS Montecristi 1250wpsi with 2 3/4" brim. 1947 mustard linen jacket (out of a suit) and 40s brown rayon trousers, 40s tie.

 

[Art Fawcett]

I don't often post "fresh from the workbench" photos but I've just finished one of the more unusual examples of my Milan Straw designs that I thought I would share. This one was SO much fun to build and happens to be for a celebrity in both craft and in TV with his own show about tree houses. They are just cell phone pics so please forgive the quality and background ( behind my shop since it's sunny today). Bowler with 4 1/4" crown, 2 3/8" brim

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

I don't often post "fresh from the workbench" photos but I've just finished one of the more unusual examples of my Milan Straw designs that I thought I would share. This one was SO much fun to build and happens to be for a celebrity in both craft and in TV with his own show about tree houses. They are just cell phone pics so please forgive the quality and background ( behind my shop since it's sunny today). Bowler with 4 1/4" crown, 2 3/8" brim
View attachment 49584 View attachment 49586 View attachment 49585

Very interesting Milan. I like bowlers in general so I do like this one as well. The texture is intriguing. Thank you for sharing, would love to see more from the bench photos.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Thx for sharing Art. Its a beauty. Add a center dent and some pinches and it would be right up my alley.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Will do Bob, I don't get to make many Bowlers.
Kevin, what you are seeing is the original material used for Milan straws. Originally it was designed to use immature wheat stalk woven into a plait then sewn into the hat body. It is still done the same way as far as technique but with easier and cheaper materials like hemp, toyo, and now plastic ( polyurathane? sp) . No one can get the immature wheat anymore so it is now harvested first for the seed, then woven into plait in a region of China. As far as I know only Graham of Optimo and myself are doing it this way..

 

[Bob Roberts]

Will do Bob, I don't get to make many Bowlers.
Kevin, what you are seeing is the original material used for Milan straws. Originally it was designed to use immature wheat stalk woven into a plait then sewn into the hat body. It is still done the same way as far as technique but with easier and cheaper materials like hemp, toyo, and now plastic ( polyurathane? sp) . No one can get the immature wheat anymore so it is now harvested first for the seed, then woven into plait in a region of China. As far as I know only Graham of Optimo and myself are doing it this way..

The coarse/rustic weave along with the wheat straw color variences (was it just the pic?) do add so much texture as CWV noted.

 

[Art Fawcett]

"was it just the pic?"
Nope, that's the actual material Bob. There is quite a bit of variation from spool to spool of plait so I try to match the shades up as well as possible. This particular hat is one continuous spool of plait for the entire hat, no breaks or additions. Not every one is that way.

 

[Bob Roberts]

"was it just the pic?"
Nope, that's the actual material Bob. There is quite a bit of variation from spool to spool of plait so I try to match the shades up as well as possible. This particular hat is one continuous spool of plait for the entire hat, no breaks or additions. Not every one is that way.

Thx Art. I like the variations.

 

[Mason Rudesheim]

I don't often post "fresh from the workbench" photos but I've just finished one of the more unusual examples of my Milan Straw designs that I thought I would share. This one was SO much fun to build and happens to be for a celebrity in both craft and in TV with his own show about tree houses. They are just cell phone pics so please forgive the quality and background ( behind my shop since it's sunny today). Bowler with 4 1/4" crown, 2 3/8" brim
View attachment 49584 View attachment 49586 View attachment 49585

It looks very similar to one that I saw when I went to your shop. I like the ribbon on this one more though.

 

[tropicalbob]

The real Milan straw is truly beautiful. As the hat gets older the color matures into various shades of golden brown in striated patterns.. It's especially nice in bright sunshine. I guarantee that once you get one of these you'll never look at one of the mass-produced ones again.
Art, how's about some shots of those styles, so I can forget all about my financial responsibilities and get another one?

 

[RJR]

That is beautiful!

 

[Art Fawcett]

Sure Tropicalbob, How about a western?

This one took a lot of work with a 4" curled brim

 

[tropicalbob]

Oh, man. You're evil, Art.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Sure Tropicalbob, How about a western?
View attachment 49608
This one took a lot of work with a 4" curled brim

Looks great Art. After your post yesterday I looked up more about Milan straw. Is it correct that the plait comes as a braided "ribbon" and then you have to turn it into a hat body?

I must say that the Milan Straw might look much better on the Western than Dress hats. I am really liking that Western hat.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Yes Kevin, exactly. Here is my work station for it. In fact, the opening page of my website pic was taken while making a Milan. The sewing machine is a Singer 25/56 dating 1912 for the sole purpose of making Milans. Please pardon the mess, it's that time of year.

 

[EstherWeis]

View attachment 49623 Yes Kevin, exactly. Here is my work station for it. In fact, the opening page of my website pic was taken while making a Milan. The sewing machine is a Singer 25/56 dating 1912 for the sole purpose of making Milans. Please pardon the mess, it's that time of year.

Lovely, it makes me feel better about mine, it looks very similar.

I managed to drop one of my neatly rolled packs of straw and ended up rolling and untangling it again for about an hour.

I agree on the changing colors of the straw, very beautiful.

I haven't cracked the freehand technique yet, I seem to go back and check on the block from time to time.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Thank you Ma'am, I'm still trying to master freehand myself with varying degrees of success.

 

[tropicalbob]

Looks great Art. After your post yesterday I looked up more about Milan straw. Is it correct that the plait comes as a braided "ribbon" and then you have to turn it into a hat body?

I must say that the Milan Straw might look much better on the Western than Dress hats. I am really liking that Western hat.

I much prefer the Milan straw dress hat to a regular white Panama. I think it's far more distinctive and interesting. I used to look with envy on those vintage straws that I'd see members here occasionally picking up and that I couldn't find (because I'm a 63), but Art's Milans are as close to those old beauties as you're going to find today.