Now Forming! the Campaign Hat Corps

[deanglen]

Dean,

Nice brim adjustment! That's a great look, I have also tried to get the flat brim with moderate success. The lighter colored 1889 project I kept some of the original curl in the brim because it gives it some character as well.

-Max

Thanks, Max. Keep up the updates on your work. Look forward to each post!



dean

 

[liten]

Added a little swoop to the brim, not uncommon in period photos. Gives a more graceful line than the flatter brim I used to labor to achieve. I like it.

On original that gave me the idea:

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n197/deanglen/e40141b.jp






dean[/QUOTE] ibeing honest dean its looks like a cowboy hat brim

 

[deanglen]

ibeing honest dean its looks like a cowboy hat brim

Liten,

Yes, it does. For that reason alone I could easily flatten it out more. And I might. Every attempt at adjustment on my hats seems to have a an 'evolution' to it, and a 'devolution' as well. The thing that bugs me about the 'cowboy' hat look is that I prefer the unique look of these hats. Some did have a bit of a roll to the brim, but on the whole, they were flat or drooped 'fore and aft', slightly, which might be the next look for this hat. It's a work in progress!




dean

 

[Picard1138]

Liten,

Yes, it does. For that reason alone I could easily flatten it out more. And I might. Every attempt at adjustment on my hats seems to have a an 'evolution' to it, and a 'devolution' as well. The thing that bugs me about the 'cowboy' hat look is that I prefer the unique look of these hats. Some did have a bit of a roll to the brim, but on the whole, they were flat or drooped 'fore and aft', slightly, which might be the next look for this hat. It's a work in progress!




dean

Dean,

I think the best medicine for these brims is to just wear 'em, wear 'em, and wear 'em. Our boys in '98 wore 'em till they fell apart. Your brim will evolve with you, just keep wearing it!

-Max

 

[deanglen]

Thanks, Max. It's fun to experiment. I reribboned my early attempt at an M1904 model with punched star vents. too high!:eusa_doh: and modded it from a Dorfmann that had the right underwelt for the model, added one row to the existing stitching. The rayon ribbon is dark olive drab. Also drooped the brim a bit. Here it is, bad shot due to an unsteady hand:

dean

 

[Picard1138]

Dean,

Looking good! May I ask your technique for applying the ribbon?

-Max

 

[VetPsychWars]

As I gather ideas about how to shape mine, it occurs to me that the hats you see in the pictures weren't carefully shaped by the hatter, they were individually shaped by the soldiers after they were drenched in the rain.

There's a reason a lot of these look shrunken to the heads of the soldiers.

At least no one can tell you a certain shape was incorrect!

Tom

 

[Picard1138]

As I gather ideas about how to shape mine, it occurs to me that the hats you see in the pictures weren't carefully shaped by the hatter, they were individually shaped by the soldiers after they were drenched in the rain.

There's a reason a lot of these look shrunken to the heads of the soldiers.

At least no one can tell you a certain shape was incorrect!

Tom

Tom,

Indeed. Wear it and make it your own!

-Max

 

[liten]

Thanks, Max. It's fun to experiment. I reribboned my early attempt at an M1904 model with punched star vents. too high!:eusa_doh: and modded it from a Dorfmann that had the right underwelt for the model, added one row to the existing stitching. The rayon ribbon is dark olive drab. Also drooped the brim a bit. Here it is, bad shot due to an unsteady hand:

dean

yep that brim looks good dean , now kick it round the garden a few times , throw it in some dirty water and it will be perfect

 

[deanglen]

Dean,

Looking good! May I ask your technique for applying the ribbon?

-Max

Well, I have no idea how it was done then, so I simply did what I could to reproduce what I see in photos. First I secure a length of ribbon around the base of the crown of the hat, the join point on the left side of the crown where the bow will be, hiding it. Then just looking carefully it how they made the bows, I fold a length of ribbon into a small loop for the center of the bow, slipping around the length I put around the base, having only pinned the crown ribbon in place until I added the center bow loop. Then securing the crown base ribbon, I prepare the 'ears' of the ribbon separately, folding the ribbon to match the photos in span and shape, an iron works to flatten the 'ears' to hold shape as you work to build the bow through the center loop.. Took me a few times to figure out how the ends of the bow work through the center bow loop. When the 'ears' of the bow are finished, you have the style of bow you see in photos with ends protruding. Taking that and fitting it through the loop by doubling it over gently to fit through the loop, pulling it through so that the two 'ears' are equidistant and the ends make an even splaying on either side of the center bow loop, you can tack the points of the bow to secure it with a stitch at each point. The rayon grosgrain is designed for haberdashery work and gives a good snugness around the crown, and easy to build the bow with as well as insert through the loop. If you want to anchor the crown base ribbon with a stitch at a few points you can. I find the rayon ribbon really sits well so I didn't bother with it.



dean

 

[deanglen]

yep that brim looks good dean , now kick it round the garden a few times , throw it in some dirty water and it will be perfect

:eusa_clap:eusa_clap Indeed! I like the drooped brim, too. Going to take a second look at my M1898!








dean

 

[liten]

:eusa_clap:eusa_clap Indeed! I like the drooped brim, too. Going to take a second look at my M18







dean

dean have you ever consided making up a 76 spec hat?

 

[liten]

you have probly seen this one online , its an orignal and what im baseing my lastest attempt on

 

[deanglen]

you have probly seen this one online , its an orignal and what im View attachment 7087 baseing my lastest attempt on

Liten,

I have, but aside finding the right overwelt, (difficult, but not impossible) I don't know of a source for those Bracher vents with tiny fans in them. I think somebody got some from Dirty Billy's Hat Co. but I'm not sure, otherwise, I'd love to do one of those!



dean

 

[Picard1138]

Hot off the press, my second 1889 conversion hat is complete. I received the grosgrain ribbon from Britex yesterday afternoon, and finished the ribbon, bow, and brim stitching about an hour ago. Sewing the bow on was a challenge, but I think everything turned out OK. The brim stitching was a pleasure to do with the handcrank Singer, as before. Let me know what you think:



-Max

 

[liten]

Liten,

I have, but aside finding the right overwelt, (difficult, but not impossible) I don't know of a source for those Bracher vents with tiny fans in them. I think somebody got some from Dirty Billy's Hat Co. but I'm not sure, otherwise, I'd love to do one of those!


dean

the mesh vent guy on ebay has the bracher type vent , there used and off scraped helmets

 

[deanglen]

Hot off the press, my second 1889 conversion hat is complete. I received the grosgrain ribbon from Britex yesterday afternoon, and finished the ribbon, bow, and brim stitching about an hour ago. Sewing the bow on was a challenge, but I think everything turned out OK. The brim stitching was a pleasure to do with the handcrank Singer, as before. Let me know what you think:

View attachment 7146 View attachment 7147 View attachment 7148 View attachment 7149 View attachment 7150 View attachment 7151 View attachment 7152 View attachment 7153 View attachment 7154 View attachment 7155

-Max

Max, one word: Professional! You have my unqualified appreciation! Campaign hats off to you! The bow and ribbon are terrific! Now...will you try a spec sweatband? What color ribbon did you buy? What is the diameter of the vent on the crown? Your stitch job is very good, by the way.



dean

-Max[/QUOTE]

 

[Picard1138]

Max, one word: Professional! You have my unqualified appreciation! Campaign hats off to you! The bow and ribbon are terrific! Now...will you try a spec sweatband? What color ribbon did you buy? What is the diameter of the vent on the crown? Your stitch job is very good, by the way.
dean

Dean,

Thank you, and thanks again for the ideas on how to attach the ribbon and bow. I wound up doing the bow completely separately rather than try to slide the ends of the ribbon through as well. The color I chose for this hat was "Taupe," but I also had "Cappuccino" and "Light Brown" from Britex as well. I would get "Nutmeg" as well, since it seems like the ribbon colors varied quite a bit from hat to hat.

As for the sweatband; I left the original Stetson sweat as it is still pliable, and seemed very close to the 1889 sweats I've seen. I will be replacing the sweat in the darker 1889 project hat as it has hardened and cracked in several places.

The diameter of the snowflake vents are approximately 1.5"

-Max

 

[Cattus Petasatus]

Campaign hats off to you!

Mine too. Nice job.

 

[Picard1138]

Mine too. Nice job.

Thank you all, it has been a labor of love. I may replace the rayon grosgrain ribbon with real silk grosgrain. Apparently Mokuba still carries it, so I will stop by their store in Manhattan and hunt for the right stuff.

I'm still toying with the idea of making a few of these hats to sell, or a conversion service if you find a hat and want to send it to me. Out of respect I won't do it until Jim at Eureka Arsenal has fully retired as I do not want to snipe business from him.

-Max