Alison Hart - Making Hats

ALISON HART

First published in 2019 by
The Crowood Press Ltd
Ramsbury, Marlborough
Wiltshire SN8 2HR

This e-book first published in 2019

www.crowood.com

Alison Hart 2019

All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978 1 78500 494 0

Frontispiece
A shaped bridal headpiece covered with silk and Chantilly lace. The hat is trimmed with a vintage-style silver and pearl brooch and has a semicircular veil that covers the forehead.

Dedication
This book is dedicated to my family and my invaluable feline helpers. Firstly, my ever-supportive and understanding husband Gary who puts up with all my creative mess; to Snarf my expert finder of stray feathers and chaser of unattended thimbles; to Tilly to whom veiling is simply irresistible whether attached to a hat or not; and especially to all my family for always believing in me and all my mad ideas.

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank a few people for their help and support in the process of writing this book. First, my husband Gary and my family for all their invaluable support, guidance and advice.

All the teachers who have shared their millinery knowledge with me, without whom I would not know any of these techniques. The teams of dedicated hat fans at the various millinery suppliers around the country who provide such high-quality materials and super-speedy mail order delivery, in particular Michelle and Fiona at Petershams, Baxter Hart and Abraham and Hat Blocks Direct.

The Shaws, Michaela Clegg and Lynn Kimber for loaning their completed hats back to me for the final photo shoot.

Pete Sellwood, Rhiannon Evans, Chris Moles, Gillian Boyd and all my colleagues within the BA Costume and Performance Design and BA Make-Up for Media and Performance courses at AUB.

Finally, a huge thank you to Snarf and Tilly my ever-helpful assistants.

INTRODUCTION AND INFORMATION

The purpose of this book is for you to learn how to make unique hats and headpieces to wear for special occasions or for every day, and also for the fun of creating pretty and wearable accessories. It is designed to inspire and enable the making of hats for everyday wear following traditional construction methods using both specialist millinery materials and a range of fabrics and trimmings.

A hat does not need to have any one specific shape hats can be different sizes, colours and styles; with a brim or without. There is a shape to suit every head, hairstyle and hat-wearing occasion. They are limited only by the imagination of the maker and wearer. A special outfit is completed and enhanced by a fantastic hat, but everyday hats can be just as eye-catching by using bright colours, pretty trims and exquisite shapes perhaps just with fewer feathers!

Each of the chapters in this book will introduce new ideas, different materials and fresh techniques to work through that show how the careful choice of each component can accentuate the hat. Each hat is a stand-alone project and the book begins with hats that are simple or fast to make. As you progress through the chapters, the required skills and techniques diversify, building to where the hats are more complex, have couture overtones and require more time and skill to complete.

A fawn-coloured felt hat, blocked over an oval base and trimmed with fabric flowers that cover three-quarters of the surface of the hat.

You may have a particular occasion that requires a hat, or perhaps you just want the challenge of making something new. Whatever your reasons for reading this book, it goes without saying that exciting millinery draws attention and compliments, and makes everyone stand out in a crowd. So this book will help you to complete your own millinery projects to wear however you choose.

My own passion for hats began with wearing them regularly as a teenager. I had several hats that I wore all the time, matching them to my everyday outfits, and I loved wearing them. I was hooked on hats and, having always been creative, began to wonder about making my own. I was offered the opportunity to learn how to make couture hats by attending a course in London. That course was at the London College of Fashion and was run by the late Andrew Bristow. Under his careful guidance and abundant enthusiasm my passion for making hats flourished. I realized that with some instruction I could learn to make hats properly, using the correct millinery techniques. This appealed to my fashion and textiles background, so I attended many subsequent courses. I also completed NCFE (Northern Council for Further Education) qualifications in millinery, during which I met another inspirational millinery tutor, Hillary Peach, who was instrumental in furthering my millinery education.

A midnight navy felt hat worn at an angle with a tapered crown and a luxurious scattering of rose-gold Jaipur lace flowers and foliage.

I continue to attend courses and use millinery books old and new to learn new and refine current techniques whilst experimenting with materials to discover new ones. I enjoy making and experimenting as you can never stop learning new creative techniques.

People dont wear hats anymore is a statement that is often said; but, happily for those of us who love hats, it is no longer true. The twenty-first century has seen a resurgence in interest for wearing hats through celebrities in the public eye wearing more hats, hats being seen in films and new trends in high street fashion. Music stars such as Paloma Faith, Pharrell, Boy George, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars all regularly wear hats in their performances and TV appearances; this kind of exposure helps to make hats more desirable and acceptable. Other stars who famously and regularly wear hats include Sarah Jessica Parker, Christina Aguilera, Johnny Depp, Justin Timber-lake, Jennifer Lopez, Samuel L. Jackson, Noel Fielding, Elton John and Olly Murs.