taking a shot at millinery

[bend_gules]

As part of my long-term Cranach gown project, I've started first steps towards a hat, following instructions by Mistress Rowan of Lochac, who visited over the summer. She sat with me, to walk through the project, and sketched out instructions on how to model the brim, create the crown, and sew the layers together (I've posted pics of her sketches

Comments

[xrian]

There are knitted hats where the brim is made in two to four *separate* pieces. Each is a portion of a circle but has square ends. Because of the flare of the circles used, they usually slightly overlap at the places where they meet, but it looks like a notch if you can't see the overlap, as you can see here. I wonder if that's what's going on?

IIRC this diagram is of a 16th century knitted and felted hat that is smaller than your example and *not* from Germany, but I thought it might be relevant.

[sismith42]

I agree-- a heavy felt (knitted then fulled or just plain felt, like cloche hats used to be made from) might do what you need it to, G. Good luck!

[bend_gules]

It is! (relevant that is)

My Long-Term Plan(tm) is to knit & felt a large-ish red flat hat w/ 4 brims, as your pattern on the yahoogroup suggests.

I've just finished my first attempt at a flat hat w/ a continuous brim, but it isn't yet washed and fulled and added to my Ravelry projects. :-) It's also a mixed gray colour, not red.

For this project, I thought I'd try a wired brim to get the look, and add more accessories as I go.

But I may swap fabrics - I'd intended to go w/ red velvet, but perhaps a sturdy wool is in order.

I have a splendid heavy black that would serve, but most of the Cranach ladies are wearing red, not black, hats.

[my_stitching]

When you sew the millinary wire to the edge of the buckram, you can use pliers to sort of "crimp" it into a corner before sewing that part down. Once you cover that with flannel, you won't be able to feel the wire but it will stay nicely. (and be somewhat bendable even after the hat is made!)

[nusbacher]

To me it doesn't look like a wired brim at all. In fact, because of that notch I think it's a stiff felt brim. i also don't see why the notch would be repeated in the back. It seems too much like an imitation of a utilitarian notch meant to accommodate a bowstring or some such.

I nearly bought a lot at the Rouleaux sale but ended up restricting myself to a lot of wide ivory petersham for tippets and some cool gimp.