Pumpkin Hood

I have decided to share select pieces from my winter hood/bonnet collection. Every few days, I will post a new piece. My collection currently spans most of the 19th century, though lightly at the very beginning and end. The pieces I share will be from the early and mid-Victorian eras, roughly 1830s through the 1870s. All but one of my pieces originate from the United States. (I do have to retake some of tonight’s photos. My phone camera just doesn’t play well with lights.)

Tonight’s winter millinery pieces is the classic pumpkin hood.

Okay, a little play on words tonight…. A Pumpkin hood on Halloween… Haha?

First, let’s talk about the name: pumpkin. When I first started hearing people call these fluffy hoods “pumpkin hoods” I was skeptical about this being a period name. But, if you hop over to HathiTrust or Google Books, you will find a speckling of search results for “pumpkin hood” including entry and donation lists, as well as references to “old fashioned pumpkin hoods.”

This pumpkin hood is made with a light weight, soft matte black silk taffeta exterior. Inside is a brown cotton lining that may have once been polished and a silk faille facing with soft ribs. Beneath the silk exterior is a light color lining. This style hood is constructed with a single brim/crown piece and bavolet. (in some pumpkin styles a small piece is used it the very back.) There are 5+ softly filled channels that feel as though there may be down inside. Between each loft is a corded channel sewn with a running stitch. A ruffle is formed at the edge of the brim in front of the cord.

The back most loft channel is gathered together as many pumpkin hoods. This lower portion of the channel is turned inside creating the taper on the outside. This makes an elongated heart or teardrop on the back of the hood. This is topped with a ribbon arranged in a bow. This is the same design ribbon used for the ties.

The bavolet was constructed separately of elongated trapazoids, silk and lining. The finished top edge was gathered tightly and attached to the bottom edge of the crown/brim. This technique makes a look similar to gauging.

Inside, the neck edge is covered. Notice the hem of the bavolet with the very even stitches.

Here is the front interior edge showing the cotton lining, silk faille facing, and silk taffeta ruffle.

This is the interior looking at one of the corded channels. This cord is approx 3mm thick, based of feel. It is not overly stiff.

Note 1 – Additional Winter Millinery can be found in posts from September though November, 2019 using the search term: Winter Millinery Series or clicking here.