Initially, I was going to do a post today showing you the cute trio of doll hats I made with blocks I bought. Then, I realized some of you might be asking what is with the doll millinery lately? Why are you making doll hats? Where are the regular 19th century hats & bonnets?
It comes down to straw supply. I keep hearing from my millinery suppliers that there is a material shortage. Simply straw isn’t getting braided into plait, and they don’t have the plait I need. For the list of human hats I have on my wish list, I have a very limited supply of the straw in the upper right. I have been trying to order 6-7mm straw to match the witdh of the dyed straw plait available. My preferred vendor messaged they only had the widths a available at the bottom. One being a very durable plait that makes a strong hat, but can also be tougher on the hands. The other being the same width I have a stash of. I tried a vendor I previously used for years, ordering their 5-6mm straw. What arrived is the same as my growing stash of narrow plait.
I have quite the box of this narrow 4-5mm straw plait.
This narrow plait is great for small doll millinery.
So…. I started trying to make some doll millinery blocks and ordered a few. Luckily, I found a few at affordable prices.
I should back up. Previously, I have made doll size straw millinery. I even taught a Millinery in Miniature class. I have avoided selling them because I find doll heads difficult to fit. With their porcelain hair arrangements or apple shaped heads, accurately shaped bonnets don’t often fit. Bonnets need to be adjusted and distorted. Hats are a good bit easier.
Back to the present.
With a stash of narrow straw and what appeared to be a strong, positive response to doll millinery in the fall, I decided to make more doll pieces.
This week, I focused my work on the larger doll blocks that arrived. These are millinery pieces for dolls with 12″-13″ head circumference. As you can see, each piece nicely fits a modern 18″ doll. (I have 1 more block on the way.)
I sewed each as I would a full size hat or bonnet, starting with the crown and working forward. I tried to create the layering I would expect on the pieces if they were full size. Each piece took about 5 hours of sewing, blocking, and wiring. I used almost a whole hank to make the three pieces.
I did try to ease down the brim of the middle bonnet because the block was so similar to an original millinery block in my collection. The difference being the up turned brim front.
Yes, I will be adding these to my Etsy shop. I have to decide whether to over them as a set or individually.
While she was wearing the cute Paisley shawl, I took another photo with her spoon bonnet.
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 
Anna, the doll sized hats are all beautiful!!!! I am sure they will all sell very quickly.
Hi
Are you in the UK ?
Jen
No, I am in the US.