If I Had My Own Blue Box:

This bonnet it all about lush from the beautiful velvet grapes to the vintage purple velvet ribbon to the green double faced satin ribbon. 

Available in my Etsy shop. 

I can’t believe I forgot to blog about this bonnet yesterday. 

This is the first 1840s bonnet off my original 1840s block!!!

It aught not surprise you that after Galaxy arrived, I kept looking at other blocks. A little wooden crown caught my eye. It fit the period lines oh so well. 

 Btw, this block came out of the box saying “I am Groot”

This is the first half off that block. It is 21 1/2″ around the brim, more round than my hand carved blocks. The flat top crown and smooth dipping brim are elegant with a bit of sass. 

It isn’t in my Etsy shop yet because I want to decorate this one. 

The question of the day seems to be “will I make veils?”

I don’t know. I had not intended to. I wanted to make another one for me and for display. I planned to give details on how I made mine. I thought, maybe, I would make another or so for friends if the right materials appeared. 

Here is what I am thinking.

Materials:

•  Silk net – $15 a piece or $10 if I can get a remnant again. Plus shipping. 
• 1 1/2 yards of appropriate silk lace – approx $15-$50
• There seems to be a cotton option. From memory the net is less, shipping more, lace may be less. 

Personal thoughts:

– By far, the most time will be spent finding the right lace. I am not well versed in lace. So, I am very cautious, maybe overly so and picky.  I need to buy a couple really good lace reference books. (The library is not an immediate option as the closing on Friday for a month and a half.) 

– I registered put nylon or polyester on a person’s face. It goes against every safety bone in my body. 

– At the same time, I do not want to use antique lace. First, it is antique. Second, it is likely fragile and not likely to hold up to wear. 

– I am not  completely happy with my stitches on the net. I do have an idea abohoe to do it better. But, I also know someone who would be far better at the fine needlework. 

I estimate, with the cost of materials, time looking for the right lace, and fine sewing time, a simple veil will need to start well over the $100 point. 

So, right now, I am going to say “No, I am not going to make veils. If I come across the right lace, maybe I will make one to offer.” 

The same will be true for hat lace. I can add a lace as I find the right piece. I can’t spend hours hunting. 

What does one do on a sunny, cool morning when a hat isn’t dry? A veil light study of course. 

My uber scientific method includes a straw bonnet with a deep brim, a stand, camera and assorted original and reproduction veils. Put bonnet on stand. Drape bonnet with veil. Slide camera up underneath. Take photos. While this doesn’t give an exact reflection of what light control the wearer feels,it is a start.

The backyard without a veil. 

Original hat veil. Fiber undetermined.

Black silk gauze, made by me

White silk gauze, made by Bevin.

Original silk net with light dots. 

Silk net trimmed in lace made by me.

When I unwrapped the one antique veil, I realized I have another somewhere in the house.I don’t know where. Hopefully, I was good and put it in one of the archival boxes with the winter bonnets. When I find it, I will try to replicate the photos, but the sun will be different. 

Another in would have liked to photograph through is Bevin’s green silk gauze veil. 

Personal Observations 

So far, I think I prefer the black silk gauze. I will have to wear both the gauze and the net a few more times to be sure. The gauze seems to soften the light more. The net seems to be a shade for the light. The white gauze softens some in low sun light. But, in bright sunlight it creates glare. The silk net has notably more body than the original, which is nearly as soft as the gauze. I was much more aware of it feel wise when I first put it on, compared to the gauze. The net was less disturbed, moved by the wind when I walked. 

The photos suggest more obscuring of vision than I find to be the case when wearing them. 

This was a popular, fashionable hat on display this weekend. It has a flatter crown with a curved brim. 

Find it in my Etsy shop.

I have an assortment of millinery I am bring with me to display a the the Genesee Country Village this week for their Civil War event, where I will be setting up a millinery in the insurance office. 

• A wide brim hat appropriate for recreational or dress reform impressions.(shown with a lace veil)
• A larger crown fashion hat.
• A smaller fashion hat that may also fit a child.
• A decorated soft crown, fancy plait bonnet.
• A fashionable bonnet with decorative plait.
• A plain spoon bonnet.
• A cottage bonnet.

Each of these millinery pieces will be available following the event. I have yet to decide which I will be decorating during the event. 

I will be dressing the shop in all sorts of millinery goods, band boxes, ribbons, veils, veil pins, etc. I’ll be available for millinery consultations. 

I will also give a talk in the Gallery on millinery selections from the Susan Greene collection. Time to be determined. 

You knew I could not hold out with the bonnet block tempting me. 

Last night, I went out to the kitchen to block this cottage style bonnet by hand with my own blocks. There it was, on the washer just crying out for attention. I wasn’t sure it it would work, being so many years apart. But, I gave it a try. I am glad I did. This gave a nice roomy tip and pretty round brim.

 Find it in my Etsy shop.

*Keep in mind next week I’ll need to pull several pieces for the demonstration at the museum.

This particular hat was a bit of a challenge. I met a woman at the GCV Jane Austen/1812 event who wanted to see me make a shape she called a “capote”. I have to admit, from My mid-nineteenth century perspective I had quite a bit of trouble wrapping my head around this shape that encompassed the back of the head with no brim. 

Of course, I had to look a little further. Looking at fashion plates and originals, I saw a few things. First, the word capote being used for soft bonnets in several shapes, often cap like, but not in straw. 😦 Next, originals in the shape she described made out of fancy straw plaits, an inch to two inches wide. Not the plait that is easily acquired, nor tried on a new shape. I also saw a few plates with similar shapes in straw. These were each called Chapeaux de Paille. 

From The Museum of London.

Working from the fashion plates, this is the bonnet/hat I created. As I started working with the straw, the illustration with the flared brim and green spray is where I leaned for the brim and front of the crown, while looking more towards the two with blue ribbons for the crown and tip. I used my new block to get the shape of the crown as I learned from the test block that it fit the head very nicely. 

I will get this listed soon. 

Here is the shop listing. (Sold)