All about Hat Making

Okay this may be my first post but I thought I would get right in and start making hats. I am currently making a cocktail hat for my certificate 3 in Millinery and have decided to attempt to document it here. Being new at blogging I am sure my instructions and photos will get better as I go along – any tips for improvement are most welcome. The base I am making is made out of 20/20 but could be made out of similar millinery products such as lino or buckram. These are products that contain a stiffening agent so that when wet can be moulded and they retain their shape when they dry. The post will only cover the moulding of the base… future posts will cover the shaping, wiring, covering and embellishment of the base. 

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The tools I used to mould my shape are:

•  A dome hat block – a block stand would also be useful – I don’t have one so I used a can of soup for my stand.
• Cling wrap, scissors and tape (to cover and protect the hat block).
• 2 pieces of elastic sewn into a circle such that it fits onto hat block.
• 2 pieces of 20/20 fabric cut into a square approximately 25cm x 25cm.

Step 1: Cover the hat block with cling wrap…. cut where necessary to make smooth and tape to attach to block.

• Step 2: Wet one piece of 20/20 with warm water (it may take around a minute for the water to soak in and make the 20/20 easy to manipulate).

• Step 3: Put 20/20 on block – I pull it down at the corners first. Then I put my hand on top and pull down the sides.
• Step 4: put elastic onto the block to hold the 20/20 in place. Then smooth the 20/20 above the elastic, pull to remove any bumps.
•   Step 4: repeat step 3 and 4 with the second piece of 20/20.

• Step 5: Allow to dry.  

Note: do not use your good sewing scissors for cutting 20/20 unless you want to blunt them – I use the kitchen scissors (that are designed to cut chicken).