Hat making?? Learning Millinery..

[belfastboy]

I received my vintage flanges bought on Ebay out of Quebec. Bought 5 - sized from 7 1/8 up to 7 5/8. All long oval, all 2 5/8" curved brim. They are in very good shape with just a few with nicks. I have coated them with linseed oil as the wood was very dry and they came out great.

Next I ordered 3 wooden blocks from a guy in Lodz Poland for a great price. Started dealing with Randal Alan on his Etsy site but he was a pain in the ass to deal with and he upped his price substantially in the midst of our discussion so that rubbed me the wrong way. This Polish guy's blocks are wooden and look great. The best part; just slightly more than the plastic ones from Randal. Will snap some pics when they arrive in about 4 weeks.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I received my vintage flanges bought on Ebay out of Quebec. Bought 5 - sized from 7 1/8 up to 7 5/8. All long oval, all 2 5/8" curved brim. They are in very good shape with just a few with nicks. I have coated them with linseed oil as the wood was very dry and they came out great.

Next I ordered 3 wooden blocks from a guy in Lodz Poland for a great price. Started dealing with Randal Alan on his Etsy site but he was a pain in the ass to deal with and he upped his price substantially in the midst of our discussion so that rubbed me the wrong way. This Polish guy's blocks are wooden and look great. The best part; just slightly more than the plastic ones from Randal. Will snap some pics when they arrive in about 4 weeks.

Do you have a link or contact information for your Polish block source?

 

[belfastboy]

Here is the first hat I made for someone else....a gift to my ex boss (I recently retired) It is a Tonak light grey felt It was fun, it was frustrating,
it was humbling and were I to try and sell it on the open market my wages would work out to about $3 per hour.

 

[humanshoes]

Here is the first hat I made for someone else....

Beautiful work bb! It's a great looking hat. It's funny, but I was immediately reminded of this song...

 

[belfastboy]

Beautiful work bb! It's a great looking hat. It's funny, but I was immediately reminded of this song...

Thank you. Most days I do still feel like a kid but the birthdate on my drivers license puts that to a lie. The hat fits him, looks great on him. The proportions near perfect as he is not a tall or big man. It felt good to give it to him as he continues to pay all the staff at his company even though revenue is slowed to a trickle. He told them all not to worry about the present or their future as the company is in good shape as he has been preparing financially for a turndown of some manner since he purchased the company. I think a stance like that deserves to be thanked and it is my bit of good news for the day.
I am thinking my niche may be to introduce custom hats to guys who would not have, in a thousand years considered a custom hat. My boss is now contemplating his next hat and I am thinking I can now turn him loose into the world of custom hats and he can romp like a kid in a candy store. I can take satisfaction knowing I helped create another hat collecting monster!

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Do you have a link or contact information for your Polish block source?

I am pretty sure that @belfastboy is working with Jerzy from HatBlocksPoland found on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HatBlocks...er-name&listing_id=613251568#shop-info-banner

 

[belfastboy]

I am pretty sure that @belfastboy is working with Jerzy from HatBlocksPoland found on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HatBlocks...er-name&listing_id=613251568#shop-info-banner

Yes, I have my order in with him for 5 blocks, I should be getting close to delivery. He has had the raw material for a few weeks now....should be getting close. Then just the wait for delivery. In times before the pandemic my wife received a wool carder from Russia...on the 8th day it was at our door. I bought some odds and ends from Guy Morse-Brown in the UK and it arrived at the UPS depot on the 3rd day and took another 14 days to travel the last 20 miles.

 

[belfastboy]

Well, I just received word my blocks from Poland are complete. The bad news is that the postal service is not handling shipments to North America except by boat which takes weeks to months. The alternative is via courier for an additional $75 plus they charge brokerage/taxes/handling at this end which would likely be another $75 to $100. I am going to wait a week and see how the wind changes and if it looks lengthy then will bite the bullet and ship via courier. The good news is they look fantastic.

 

[jlee562]

Well jumping into the pool finally. I've put in an order with Rick for the hand tools; have reached out to Randal Alan about a block and flange; and just got this box in the mail.



Had a good mother's day at the flower shop, so I went ahead and grabbed the most crucial component, a 'Cypress' FEPSA felt from Pure Beaver Hat Supply. This felt is gorgeous. There's more of a green tone in person that wouldn't photograph accurately. This is the same "green belly" ribbon I got from Art. Will probably use it for this build too. I keep going back and forth between a 51 or 52 block.

I don't have calipers, but with a ruler, this felt looks like it's about 2mm thick. This is a pre-pounced felt so, in a sense, this is more an exercise in hat 'assembling' than hat 'making' as I get the skip the step that requires the most skill. But as long as I don't mess up anything else, this is going to be a great hat.

 

[belfastboy]

Well jumping into the pool finally. I've put in an order with Rick for the hand tools; have reached out to Randal Alan about a block and flange; and just got this box in the mail.



Had a good mother's day at the flower shop, so I went ahead and grabbed the most crucial component, a 'Cypress' FEPSA felt from Pure Beaver Hat Supply. This felt is gorgeous. There's more of a green tone in person that wouldn't photograph accurately. This is the same "green belly" ribbon I got from Art. Will probably use it for this build too. I keep going back and forth between a 51 or 52 block.

I don't have calipers, but with a ruler, this felt looks like it's about 2mm thick. This is a pre-pounced felt so, in a sense, this is more an exercise in hat 'assembling' than hat 'making' as I get the skip the step that requires the most skill. But as long as I don't mess up anything else, this is going to be a great hat.

I purchased the same colour felt as this from Tim. Had it sent to Deadly along with a bunch of other stuff to repackage and forward to me. It may be a month before I get the felt in my hands but excited as I finally can add a Fepsa beaver to fill out the collection. I also found a millinery supply house out of the UK that offers felt seconds for about $12 a piece. I figure I can practice on the $12 ones and toss em if I screw it up. Have you decided on a general style for the Fepsa? If I can get enough brim I am thinking a bit of a pencil roll and a country gentlemens cross over style.

 

[jlee562]

I purchased the same colour felt as this from Tim. Had it sent to Deadly along with a bunch of other stuff to repackage and forward to me. It may be a month before I get the felt in my hands but excited as I finally can add a Fepsa beaver to fill out the collection. I also found a millinery supply house out of the UK that offers felt seconds for about $12 a piece. I figure I can practice on the $12 ones and toss em if I screw it up. Have you decided on a general style for the Fepsa? If I can get enough brim I am thinking a bit of a pencil roll and a country gentlemens cross over style.

Well, I forgot where I saved this hat from, but knowing me, odds are on Alan, Justin, or Daniel.


So that's kind of the inspiration, mid ribbon, dress western, fray ribbon. But I do also like the 51 block look with a bit of taper, my Junior Cowboy is blocked on a 51 and I get a lot of compliments in it. So I could also see a gus crown, curled brim hat.

Edit to add:


Yeah, maybe 51 with a gus.

 

[belfastboy]

Finally my blocks arrived from Poland. It took just a few days shy of a month but then I had them shipped Postal Service to save a few bucks. They came through with no tax/duty surcharge ….couriers always charge the tax and duty so saved another $100 or so. The blocks are beautiful. Jerzy at HatBlocksPoland (Etsy) was great to work with.

 

[belfastboy]

The 2 short blocks in front were ordered short as I intend to build the lowers myself. I saved another $100 or so by doing it this way. I can cut and glue and sand the bottom portion of the block but decided I could not carve the domed top....left that to Jerzy. By cutting 2 - 2"x8" wood to the same contour.....gluing together and sanding smooth I now have a 6" tall block for less than half the cost of a full one of Jerzy's. I also discovered that an easy way to lower the block's height was to raise the floor! The hat I am blocking sits on a 6.5" block and I can only get about 5 3/4" out of it so cut a hole in a 3/4" plywood to match the block contour and sat it in the hole....voila turned it into a 5 3/4" high block.

 

[belfastboy]

Here are my two latest efforts. The green hat is a Winchester Nutria, a very nice felt. The other hat is a Resistol beater than I stripped and reblocked. Both my first attempts at a pencil roll on the brim. The pink stitching showing is just my baste stitches...haven't gotten around to the final sweat sewing. I have left them unbashed for now til I decide but right now I kind of liking the big boxy shape and just may leave them as is.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Here are my two latest efforts. The green hat is a Winchester Nutria, a very nice felt. The other hat is a Resistol beater than I stripped and reblocked. Both my first attempts at a pencil roll on the brim. The pink stitching showing is just my baste stitches...haven't gotten around to the final sweat sewing. I have left them unbashed for now til I decide but right now I kind of liking the big boxy shape and just may leave them as is. View attachment 241098 View attachment 241097

Outstanding! Looking forward to seeing more.

 

[belfastboy]

Question: To the amateur hatters in the Lounge...what do you do for your liners? I have a logo ready to go but when I priced out screen printed or embroidering on them the price was way tooo high. I am going to try the heat transfer on the material. It is cheap enough to give it a go. I make my own liners so can do the heat transfer before I sew the top to the sides. Anyone have experience in this?

 

[humanshoes]

Here are my two latest efforts. The green hat is a Winchester Nutria, a very nice felt. The other hat is a Resistol beater than I stripped and reblocked. Both my first attempts at a pencil roll on the brim. The pink stitching showing is just my baste stitches...haven't gotten around to the final sweat sewing. I have left them unbashed for now til I decide but right now I kind of liking the big boxy shape and just may leave them as is. View attachment 241098 View attachment 241097

Beautiful work bb!! They look great on you and your pencil curl work appears to be very well executed. Bravo!

 

[belfastboy]

Beautiful work bb!! They look great on you and your pencil curl work appears to be very well executed. Bravo!

Thank you.

 

[Emilis]

View attachment 228994 View attachment 228994 View attachment 228996 View attachment 228997
Here is the first hat I made for someone else....a gift to my ex boss (I recently retired) It is a Tonak light grey felt It was fun, it was frustrating,
it was humbling and were I to try and sell it on the open market my wages would work out to about $3 per hour.

WOW! Wish my first will be as gorgeous as yours!!

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Question: To the amateur hatters in the Lounge...what do you do for your liners? I have a logo ready to go but when I priced out screen printed or embroidering on them the price was way tooo high. I am going to try the heat transfer on the material. It is cheap enough to give it a go. I make my own liners so can do the heat transfer before I sew the top to the sides. Anyone have experience in this?

Nice work, the hats look great.

What curling shackles/irons are you using? Pictures?

As for your question on liners. I either buy some generic ones from Hats by Leko (www.hatsupply.com), or I purchased a handful from lounge member @DOGMAN, and I have made my own. I have not done any with a logo on them. I do like using fabric other than satin. I think jacquards and brocades are a great option, you see that done by Black Sheep Hatworks fairly regularly. I have considered buying some liners in bulk with a logo on them, and would probably get them from NES Enterprises. They have a website that basically says to call them to find out what they offer.