+1Nik, 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.
+1Nik, 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.
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
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The coarse/rustic weave along with the wheat straw color variences (was it just the pic?) do add so much texture as CWV noted.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..
Thx Art. I like the variations."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.
It looks very similar to one that I saw when I went to your shop. I like the ribbon on this one more though.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
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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?Sure Tropicalbob, How about a western?
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This one took a lot of work with a 4" curled brim
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.
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.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.