Make your own vintage inspired hats

[Isis]

Is there a spray on stiffner for felt, and if so what's it called?Geiamama, you hat is lovely, I'm going to have a go at that Pathe idea too!

I have used spray starch to good effect. Of course, the hat can't get wet, after. And test spray to see how tha fabric react to it first. Friend of mine stiffened with spray glue, but I have never dared to try.

Thank you all for posting pictures and tricks for the Vintage Vogue hats. You have all done a wonderful job! I'm currently trying to decide if I want to make the C or the D hat.

 

[W-D Forties]

I did get some spray fabric stiffner, the stuff you use for blinds. The hat certainly holds its shape better now although I did need to tweak it a bit as it was drying. I will eventually get round to posting a pic!
Tip: if you are spraying with this stuff DON'T do what I did, which is spray over the bath! It was a couple of weeks ago and I still can't get it off the bath surface!!

 

[Isis]

Tip: if you are spraying with this stuff DON'T do what I did, which is spray over the bath! It was a couple of weeks ago and I still can't get it off the bath surface!!

Duly noted.

I may have missed it when I read the thread, so if I have, I apologize, but there are a couple of free millinery books on Vintage Sewing:

http://vintagesewing.info/index.html

The only one I've read so far is the one from 1952, which has patterns as well as instructions for several types of hats, but I am sure the other books are of interest too. Not just the ones on millinery.

 

[Hatstruck]

Hi ladies,

Just thought I would show off the the last hat I made. Also, checkout the millinery tutorials on my blog at http://hatstruck.blogspot.com.

 

[Hatstruck]

I did get some spray fabric stiffner, the stuff you use for blinds. The hat certainly holds its shape better now although I did need to tweak it a bit as it was drying. I will eventually get round to posting a pic!
Tip: if you are spraying with this stuff DON'T do what I did, which is spray over the bath! It was a couple of weeks ago and I still can't get it off the bath surface!!

Milliners use felt spray or the multipurpose spray that allows you to spray felt and straw. However, hatters use shellac. However, we don't want to go through dissolving shellac flakes. So, go to your local hardware store and purchase some Zinsser Bulls Eye Shellac, the spray type. Woodworkers use this stuff. For a felt hat, spray a section of the INSIDE OF THE HAT and brush the section to eliminate any beading, continue until you complete the entire inside of the hat. For straw hats, spray the OUTSIDE OF THE HAT. it will not only stiffen the hat, but it will also give it a shine. Before you resize any hat, give it a good brushing to eliminate dust, etc. By the way, shellac is used in food stuff. So it is not toxic like millinery spray. However, when they put it into the spray can with other stuff, they added back in a little toxicity. So spray your hat outside. You could also purchase the brush-on type and dilute it with alcohol (regular rubbing alcohol). I hope this helps. Oh, the shellac is less than half of what the millinery spray costs, plus you can find it in your local hardware store.

Additional Note. Don't over spray your hat. A light spraying will do the job in most cases.

 

[Isis]

After much teet gnashing I managed to finish the infamous hat from Vinatge Vogue V7464:

I took pictures of all the steps and have made a little guide, in two parts, on how to make it. I hope someone will find it helpful:

http://fortieswardrobe.blogspot.com/2011/08/illustrated-guide-for-making-vintage.html

http://fortieswardrobe.blogspot.com/2011/08/illustrated-guide-for-making-vintage_11.html

 

[Land-O-LakesGal]

After much teet gnashing I managed to finish the infamous hat from Vinatge Vogue V7464:

I took pictures of all the steps and have made a little guide, in two parts, on how to make it. I hope someone will find it helpful:

http://fortieswardrobe.blogspot.com/2011/08/illustrated-guide-for-making-vintage.html

http://fortieswardrobe.blogspot.com/2011/08/illustrated-guide-for-making-vintage_11.html

Bang up job and thanks for the guide links!

 

[crwritt]

After much teet gnashing I managed to finish the infamous hat from Vinatge Vogue V7464:

I took pictures of all the steps and have made a little guide, in two parts, on how to make it. I hope someone will find it helpful:

http://fortieswardrobe.blogspot.com/2011/08/illustrated-guide-for-making-vintage.html

http://fortieswardrobe.blogspot.com/2011/08/illustrated-guide-for-making-vintage_11.html

It looks lovely.Quite a puzzle, wasn't it?

 

[Stray Cat]

Isis,
how in a world could you make that?! It looks AMAZING! You are a sewing genius! (You must be!)
..Now I want one! lol

 

[Isis]

Thank you all!

crwit: It certainly was!

Stray Cat: Oh no, I'm a very oordinary sewing person, I promise. And it's not so hard to make hats on your own, though perhaps this particular pattern isn't the best to start with...

 

[W-D Forties]

Isis - I have just posted in another bit of the forum about your hat before seeing this post! I will now go back and read your guide.

And, I will, eventually post some pics (when I work out how to!)Mine looks a little different from yours, probably the materials (and all that stiffner!!) I have had lots of nice feedback for the hat, but it was like making an origami puzzle, wasn't it? The instructions were awful and if it wasn't for help from other Loungers I'dve given up.

 

[Isis]

Isis - I have just posted in another bit of the forum about your hat before seeing this post! I will now go back and read your guide.

And, I will, eventually post some pics (when I work out how to!)Mine looks a little different from yours, probably the materials (and all that stiffner!!) I have had lots of nice feedback for the hat, but it was like making an origami puzzle, wasn't it? The instructions were awful and if it wasn't for help from other Loungers I'dve given up.

LOL. I'm one step behind you, because I just answered you at that thread... Please, do post pictures of yours! I agree, it was a bit like origami to make an dthe instructions just plain horrible!

 

[Hatstruck]

Hi Ladies,

If any of you are interested in attending a hat making class, in Torrance, California (L.A. County), I'm giving one on October 15, 2011. For details, please visit my blog. Gentlemen are also welcome. To view my portfolio of skills, please visit my Web site.

Thanks

 

[Hey_Laaaaaady!]

How would one make this hat?

Hi ladies, I've been wondering if you all have any advice on making a hat like one of these:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/7741651...age=2&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_facet=vintage

http://www.etsy.com/listing/7647091...age=2&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_facet=vintage

http://www.etsy.com/listing/7696106...age=3&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_facet=vintage

I don't know exactly what they're called, either headband hats or fascinators or something like that, but I think they are adorable and I'd like to make one to match one of my dresses. I don't know much about millinery but I already know how I'm going to decorate it, I just need some ideas on how to make the basic "frame"...any tips?

 

[crwritt]

You could start with a buckram frame like the one called "bridal Headband"
http://www.hatsupply.com/buckram.htm
Cover the edges with ribbon and then add your fabric as you like.
It looks like an easy shape to make, by cutting Buckram to the shape you want,
and stitching wire around the edges.

The underneath views of the black hat and the white hat give a good idea of
the framework on those hats.

 

[Juliet]

I am posting only a link, as opposed as to pictures with narrations, due to a severe lack of time. And I do apologise for that!. But I think, it's pretty self-explanatory, as every forum these days is. It's a thread in a Russian forum about vintage-themed hats. Pictures and patterns, magazine scans!

http://club.season.ru/index.php?showtopic=26947

If any questions, just PM me, so tha I'll notice it for sure!

 

[Deco-Doll-1928]

Wow!! I'm sorry I didn't find this thread sooner! I feel inspired to make my own hat again (after giving up the first time around). Thank you ladies!

 

[Isis]

I recently made a tilt hat:

It was very much an improvised hat, but I made a tutorial on how I did it here:

http://fortieswardrobe.blogspot.se/2012/06/tutorial-for-40s-style-tilt-hat.html

 

[Flicka]

Oh, gorgeous! I think my hat making will have to wait until autumn (because I want to make the most of summer) but that IS inspiring.

Tell me, where do you get your supplies? Is there anywhere in Stockholm that carries millinery supplies? I order mine from the UK and I'd love to be able to browse in a real store.

 

[Isis]

Oh, gorgeous! I think my hat making will have to wait until autumn (because I want to make the most of summer) but that IS inspiring.

Tell me, where do you get your supplies? Is there anywhere in Stockholm that carries millinery supplies? I order mine from the UK and I'd love to be able to browse in a real store.

Thank you! My hat is the creative result of one week with bronchitis...

Most of my millinery supplies was inherited from my grandmother (30+ capelines, grosgrain bands en masse), but if need be I order from UK as well. I have looked for hat making supplies in Stockholm, but found nothing. No Swdish webshop either. There is a company who sells supplies, but only to stores and companies. I do wonder which stores... I'd love to browse as well!