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Vintage Silhouettes Custom Hats - Official Affiliate Thread

Rabbit

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,561
Location
Germany
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.

UwudpM7.jpg
 

Art Fawcett

Sponsoring Affiliate
Messages
3,717
Location
Central Point, Or.
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
20160511_113737.jpg
20160511_113702.jpg
20160511_113628.jpg
 

ChicagoWayVito

Practically Family
Messages
699
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.
 

Art Fawcett

Sponsoring Affiliate
Messages
3,717
Location
Central Point, Or.
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

I'll Lock Up
Messages
11,201
Location
milford ct
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

Sponsoring Affiliate
Messages
3,717
Location
Central Point, Or.
"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

I'll Lock Up
Messages
11,201
Location
milford ct
"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

New in Town
Messages
28
Location
Medford, Oregon
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

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,954
Location
miami, fl
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?
 

ChicagoWayVito

Practically Family
Messages
699
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.
 

EstherWeis

Vendor
Messages
2,615
Location
Antwerp
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.
 
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tropicalbob

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,954
Location
miami, fl
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.
 

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