Constructing a Hat
The tools and materials you need to make a hat are determined by the hat you are intending to make.
Some hats require framing
Some hats need a stiff base
Some hats require very little structure and don't need to hold a shape.
One thing I have found from all my reading and research is that there is no singular construction method that applies to all hats. Nor is there concensus about what method was used for each hat. Some resources say pasteboard, some say stiffened fabric, and some say wire.
I've had to reconsider my former opinion about hennins, and instead of a wire frame, I think a stiff base is the more likely foundation with the outer layer being glued on (*gasp* Yes, things were glued together in period). While I really like the Hennin I've made (see previous entry), I'm not certain that the wire frame provides the amount of support that the hat really needs. Or, perhaps I need to add more vertical supports...Can you see why this is frustrating? Not only do I want the hat to look right, it has to feel right as well. It's sort of like picking up a mug, expecting the weight of glass, and spilling it down yourself because it's actually plastic and very lightweight.
Some hats require framing
Some hats need a stiff base
Some hats require very little structure and don't need to hold a shape.
One thing I have found from all my reading and research is that there is no singular construction method that applies to all hats. Nor is there concensus about what method was used for each hat. Some resources say pasteboard, some say stiffened fabric, and some say wire.
I've had to reconsider my former opinion about hennins, and instead of a wire frame, I think a stiff base is the more likely foundation with the outer layer being glued on (*gasp* Yes, things were glued together in period). While I really like the Hennin I've made (see previous entry), I'm not certain that the wire frame provides the amount of support that the hat really needs. Or, perhaps I need to add more vertical supports...Can you see why this is frustrating? Not only do I want the hat to look right, it has to feel right as well. It's sort of like picking up a mug, expecting the weight of glass, and spilling it down yourself because it's actually plastic and very lightweight.