Bonnets by no means follow the outline of the face, byt are simply lower in front than those which have been so perseveringly worn during the last two years. The sides of the bonnet
are very narrow, being almost close to the cheeks; so little space is left that there is only sufficient for one quilling of blonde at each side, or, if a colored crepe cap is adopted, for one narrow row of box, pleating. In some instances, the front is made very wide at the top, so as to allow a superabundance of trimming in the inside; but the more oval form appears to be
generally preferred. (Peterson’s, February, 1864)
A Year in Millinery Fashion – 1864
A Year in Millinery Fashion – 1864
A French Hat of Black
Velvet, from Mrs. Cripps, 912 Canal street, New York. The velvet is laid plain
on the foundation. Directly across the front on the top, is white illusion,
covered by a fullness of black thread lace, which droops slightly over the
front. From the inside on the right, over the joining of the velvet and lace to
the left where it extends down the side, in a roll, to the cape. On the scarlet
velvet, at the top of the cape, is a flower made of black thread lace, and one
to correspond on the folds at the top of the hat. They are something entirely
new. From under the velvet, on the left side, starts a white ostrich feather,
which falls over the front. The inside has full white blonde ruche on either
side; at the top are folds of scarlet velvet and white illusion intermingled;
on the right is a bow of white illusion, in the center of which is a bunch of
white velvet jasmines, with leaves and buds. Rich black strings. (Peterson’s, February, 1864)
FanU Paisley Fabric Swap!!
Today is the day to sign-up for the FanU Paisley Swap! 
For the Paisley Swap, Swappers will exchange early to mid nineteenth century appropriate cotton fabrics with paisley motifs. These can include organized paisleys, paisleys used in a stripe motif and others reproduced from the century. We will mail our fabrics on February 28th.
Please read all the details below.
To Sign-up, simply comment below with your email and mailing address. (I’ll erase those before approving your comment, so the whole world doesn’t have that info.)
What is a Swap?
This is a chance for to exchange fabric with a small group of people. Each group will have 8 people exchanging pieces of fabric. All you need is a half yard of fabric and envelopes along with your copy of Fanciful Utility.
To Participate:
1: Sign Up Day!
On sign-up day, groups will be assigned on a first-in basis; the first eight will be the first swap group, second eight in the second group, etc. **Please be certain you will be able to fully participate by mailing your fabrics on the Mail-Out Date.**
Romantic Swap Sign-Up Day: January 13th
Paisley Swap Sign-Up Day: February10th
Mini-Print Sign-Up Day: March 10th
Bonus Patriotic Swap Sign-Up Day: April 14th
2: Mail-Out Day:
Place a 9×9″ piece of fabric suited to the mid-19th century in envelopes for each of the 7 other people in your swap group, stamp them (be sure to double check at the post office, but the small 9×9″ pieces should mail in a regular envelope with a normal stamp), and send them off no later than the Mail-Out Day.
Romantic Swap Sign-Up Day: January 31st
Paisley Swap Sign-Up Day: February28th
Mini-Print Sign-Up Day: March 31st
Bonus Patriotic Swap Sign-Up Day: April 30th
3: Get Fanciful!
Use your Fanciful Utility templates and techniques to make a project from the book, or copy your own from 19th century sources. We’ll all look forward to seeing your projects! You don’t have to sew right away, but don’t keep us waiting forever to see all the fun things!
(If you need a copy of Fanciful Utility, you can purchase them from the publisher at www.thesewingacademy.com
Fabric Guidelines:
- For the cotton and silk categories, your fabric should be early to mid-nineteenth century appropriate. (If there is a want for an earlier or later group, we can do that.) Prints and motifs should reflect those available in the 1840s, 50s and 60s. Cotton should be 100% cotton. Silk should be 100% silk.
- To keep the swap and sewing possibilities interesting, please avoid solids as best we can.
- Fabrics that do not work well for sewing cases should not be swapped. These include sheers, gauzes, heavy, thick, easy-to-fray, slippery and stretch fabrics.
- For the “crazy swap” category, think crazy quilt in a sewing case. This could include satins, velvets, textured fabrics. Quality synthetic fabrics are invited.
Swapper Guidelines:
- Please be certain you can fully participate in the swap before you sign-up.
- If something arises after you sign-up that will effect the date you are mailing your fabrics, please email your group so everyone is aware.
- If you fail to fully participate in a swap, you will not be able to sign-up for future swaps. (We do understand medical and family emergencies. I need to be able to ensure swappers will receive fabrics when they send fabrics out.)
Q&A
Yes, you can participate in 1, 2 or 3 of the swaps.
Yes, if we end up with multiple groups, you can participate in more than one group to swap more fabric. If you participate in 2 groups, you should swap 2 fabrics.
Yes, you can swap large and small scale prints.
Yes, you can swap now and sew later.
Yes, we would love to see what you’ve made with the swapped fabric.
Yes, you can use your own fabric in your swapped project.
FanU Romantic Swap Fabrics
This round of our Fanciful Utility Swaps was the Romantic Swap, focusing on fabrics from the Romantic Era, the 1820s through the 1840s. These are decades of vibrate color and playful to wild designs. This meant for some very fun fabics arriving in the mail.
Here are the fabrics we swapped. I had to take the photos with and without the flash, though neither really captured the fabrics in their true light. I hope I have the fabrics labeled right. I flip-flopped which group a couple belong in.
Group 1
Clockwise from the top:
- Juli Rothemel’s The Mill girls 1830-50
- Romantic Old Charleston by Julie Rothermel (group 2)
- Windham Dargate Botanicals 1830
- or this one is Windam Dargate Botanicals 1830
- Pink and white resist or discharge print with narrow stripes over top, likely a roller print.
- The General’s Wives – Blue on blue roller print
- Merchants Wife
- Dargate Botanicals 1830
- Barbara Brackman’s Terry Clothier Thompson 1830
Group 2
Clockwise from the top:
- Dargate Davinity c1830 by Margo Krager
- Grooms Quilt RJR for the Smithsonian c1830-40
- Prussian Blue
- (ooops should have been in the other photo)
- Dargate Botanicals c 1830
- New England Quilt Museum for In The Beginning Fabrics
- Toast by Jo Morton (should be in group 1)
- French General Series Rouenneries Deux in Oyster, c1800s
- Collection for a Cause – Mill Brook Seris c1835
Cindy already dove in with her swap pieces. Using the techniques in Fanciful Utility, she recreated the French sewing box I was obsessed with last fall. She made a great box. I am impressed that she lined up the stripes so well.
A Year in Millinery Fashion – 1864
The latest Paris creation we have heard of, is a bonnet with fancy net attached, in place of a curtain, and so conveniently arranged that the hair can be immediately placed in it, or relieved at will. As the hair is still worn in the waterfall style, we should think this resille, or net bonnet, an admirable contrivance; we have not, however, seen any. We chronicle all the fashions as we get them from the Paris journals, frequently long before they appear in this country.
To amateur milliners we would say that the most fashionable bonnet cape is almost a complete horseshoe, measuring at the back five inches, and at the sides three and a half. This allows for a tiny frill at the top, and two very shallow plaits at the back. We can answer for the set and style of this cape – always the most difficult part of a bonnet to arrange. (Godey’s, February 1864)
Looking Forward to Spring Millinery
With the past few weeks of frigid cold and oppressive snow, I know a good many of us are looking forward to spring. I certainly am.
During these weeks I’ve been sewing away. I have a sampling of straw millinery pieces to offer you.
Below, you can see an 1880’s straw bonnet on the right. This little bonnet is one of my favorite later shapes because of the curves the straw does. This bonnet is made from hemp plait. It is ready for you to decorate right now. If someone doesn’t pick it up soon, I’ll pull it down and decorate it. I have some fun ideas for it.
On the left is one of two straw forms suitable for 1859 through 1864. These are whole straw plait, meaning natural straw plaited in whole strands. The one in the photo has a moderately high brim, while the other has a high brim.
In the middle and bottom left is a late 1870s through 1880s hat worked in the hemp plait. It is decorated in a crinkly brown ribbon and an arrangement of feathers. This is my first piece that I hope to step into Steampunk and Whimsy with.
On the bottom right is a fashionable 1860s straw hat for a youth (or young lady with a smaller head). I enjoy this shape quite a bit. It will be fun to decorate and wear.
This year I plan to work with real straw in a variety of plaits and fineness. I prefer the natural body of the real straw as well as the wonderful smell it has. I have a beautiful fine French plait, a black English plait coming for mourning, an uber-fine, narrow plait for doll pieces and the classic whole straw plait. The four pieces I made this month of the hemp plait is the very last of that plait I have.
Almost forgot. Pricing for the year. 1850s-1864/5 bonnets will start at $85 for whole plait straw. Special plaits or shapes will be higher. Smaller hats for the 60s through 90s will start at $75 depending on how long the shape takes. Special shapes will depend on the time needed and the cost of the plait.
A Year in Millinery Fashion – 1864
Bonnets rather lower in front and less exaggerated in form, than those which were in vogue during the past summer; they are not decidely Marie Stuart, but partake somewhat of that character; the curtains are deep, and in many cases pointed in the center. Plaid ribbons threaten to become common, so great is the furore for them, the large blue and green plaid being even more popular than those composed of brighter, gayer colors. Chenille fringe is very much worn around the brims of bonnets, and velvet flowers and leaves are also extremely fashionable. If feathers are used, they should be of the same shade as the most prominent colors in the plaid, and flowers should likewise follow the same rule. Velvet flowers, with brown grass and heather, have a good effect in the caps of bonnets which are trimmed with plaid. Black felt bonnets look well ornamented with bright plaid velvet ribbons; these are sometimes disposed in straps at the top of the brim, the straps being fastened down with small jet ornamental buttons.
Black bonnets are very generally worn this winter, even by those who are not in mourning; it will be considered quite sufficient to enliven them with a colored flower, to render them suitable for any dress. For example, a black crepe bonnet, embroidered with jet beads, and trimmed with a tuft of barabout feathers, with ostrich introduced at the tips, would require a moss-rose in the cap, and pink strings. If the bonnet is in black velvet, with a fringe of black chenille around the edge of the brim, and chenille ornaments at the side, the cap would be formed with a spray of sky-blue narcissus, wih opaque white beads in their centers, the trings being sky-blue velvet with white edges. Pinke is also very fashionable for bonnets, and we see many made entirely with pink plush, and a tuft of marabout feathers, with ostrich tips placed in the center of the fronts. Pink velvet bonnets, with bouillonnes of white tulle; pink terry bonnets, with bows of white blonde, with rose-buds intermingling, are also general. (Peterson’s, January, 1864)
Figs VIII, IX, X, and XI – Velvet and silk Bonnets in various styles, all from the establishment of one of our most fashionable milliners, Mrs. Cripps, New York. (Peterson’s, January, 1864)
A Year in Millinery Fashion – 1864
Black velvet bonnet, trimmed with a fall of black lace and black feathers. The inside trimmings consists of pink roses and blonde. (Godey’s, January, 1864)
FanU Romantic Fabric Swap
Today is the day to sign-up for the FanU Romantic Swap! 
For the Romantic Swap, Swappers will exchange reproduction cotton prints from the Romantic Era, 1820s through 1840s. This era is full of fun, wild even, colorful prints. We will mail our fabrics on January 31st.
Please read all the details below.
To Sign-up, simply comment below with your email and mailing address. (I’ll erase those before approving your comment, so the whole world doesn’t have that info.)
What is a Swap?
This is a chance for to exchange fabric with a small group of people. Each group will have 8 people exchanging pieces of fabric. All you need is a half yard of fabric and envelopes along with your copy of Fanciful Utility.
To Participate:
1: Sign Up Day!
On sign-up day, groups will be assigned on a first-in basis; the first eight will be the first swap group, second eight in the second group, etc. **Please be certain you will be able to fully participate by mailing your fabrics on the Mail-Out Date.**
Romantic Swap Sign-Up Day: January 13th
Paisley Swap Sign-Up Day: February10th
Mini-Print Sign-Up Day: March 10th
Bonus Patriotic Swap Sign-Up Day: April 14th
2: Mail-Out Day:
Place a 9×9″ piece of fabric suited to the mid-19th century in envelopes for each of the 7 other people in your swap group, stamp them (be sure to double check at the post office, but the small 9×9″ pieces should mail in a regular envelope with a normal stamp), and send them off no later than the Mail-Out Day.
Romantic Swap Sign-Up Day: January 31st
Paisley Swap Sign-Up Day: February28th
Mini-Print Sign-Up Day: March 31st
Bonus Patriotic Swap Sign-Up Day: April 30th
3: Get Fanciful!
Use your Fanciful Utility templates and techniques to make a project from the book, or copy your own from 19th century sources. We’ll all look forward to seeing your projects! You don’t have to sew right away, but don’t keep us waiting forever to see all the fun things!
(If you need a copy of Fanciful Utility, you can purchase them from the publisher at www.thesewingacademy.com
Fabric Guidelines:
- For the cotton and silk categories, your fabric should be early to mid-nineteenth century appropriate. (If there is a want for an earlier or later group, we can do that.) Prints and motifs should reflect those available in the 1840s, 50s and 60s. Cotton should be 100% cotton. Silk should be 100% silk.
- To keep the swap and sewing possibilities interesting, please avoid solids as best we can.
- Fabrics that do not work well for sewing cases should not be swapped. These include sheers, gauzes, heavy, thick, easy-to-fray, slippery and stretch fabrics.
- For the “crazy swap” category, think crazy quilt in a sewing case. This could include satins, velvets, textured fabrics. Quality synthetic fabrics are invited.
Swapper Guidelines:
- Please be certain you can fully participate in the swap before you sign-up.
- If something arises after you sign-up that will effect the date you are mailing your fabrics, please email your group so everyone is aware.
- If you fail to fully participate in a swap, you will not be able to sign-up for future swaps. (We do understand medical and family emergencies. I need to be able to ensure swappers will receive fabrics when they send fabrics out.)
Q&A
Yes, you can participate in 1, 2 or 3 of the swaps.
Yes, if we end up with multiple groups, you can participate in more than one group to swap more fabric. If you participate in 2 groups, you should swap 2 fabrics.
Yes, you can swap large and small scale prints.
Yes, you can swap now and sew later.
Yes, we would love to see what you’ve made with the swapped fabric.
Yes, you can use your own fabric in your swapped project.
A Year in Millinery Fashion – 1864
Left– White uncut velvet bonnet, with a falling crown of purple velvet, and trimmed with fern leaves.
Right – Bonnet of white silk, trimmed with lace and crimson carnations (Godey’s, January, 1864)
Beginning the year, we already see the trend of using trim to add height to the bonnets at the tip of the brim. In the image on the left we see not only height, but a projection forward as well. This projection of the “spoon” as we often call it, has varied in the previous years. In ’64, we will see it move forward, then begin to drop to the top of the head allowing the trims on top to do all the work for height. The fern leaves on this bonnet are part of a movement for leaves and grasses you will see throughout the year. The line of the purple velvet, dropping from atop the crown downward, is also the beginning of this line which will extend from the top of the high top brim, flowing down to beyond where we have previously seen the bavolet. Note in the bonnet on the right, we still have a bavolet, in this case in a lace, topped with carnations.
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 