If I Had My Own Blue Box:

While I have yet to see a flower breaking through the ground, I hear they are out there. This means spring is coming and it is time to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about my straw millinery….

Where can I find your bonnets or hats? My are only available through my Etsy Shop. I announce them here in my blog when I post them in Etsy.

When are straw bonnets or hats available? During the school year, I make about one piece per week. I sew more frequently in the summer while school is out (the very end of June through the end of August here.) 

How do I find out about new pieces? I post new pieces to my shop and blog first. The easiest way to see these pieces first, is to subscribe to this blog. (over on the right) This way you receive email notifications of new posts including the posts with new millinery pieces.

What makes your hats and bonnets different from those at merchants/sutlers? The straw hats and bonnets I make are made with straw plait, sewn in the round entirely by hand. Each piece is based on many years of research, using original pieces for study, and blocked on hand made and antique millinery blocks.  Mass marketed bonnets and hats are machine sewing on lesser plait, heat pressed, die cut, and machine edged in in-accurate shapes.

How do I know what size hat I wear? Most Civil War Era hats sit high on a person’s head. There are a few exception, such as the Mousquitiare hat. 

For Civil War era hats – Please measure around your head at your hairline. Subtract 1″ to 1.5″. This is approximately the circumference of the hat’s crown you will need. For example: I have a 21.5″ head. I wear a 19.5″ to 20″ low crown hat. (I wear a 20.5″ Mousquitiare hat.)

For Regency era hats – These hats sit further down on your head. Measure in the same spot. Choose a hat close to or slightly larger than your measurement. (remember lining can take up an good inch inside.)

For other eras – I will try to annotate these clearly.

Do you take Custom Orders? This year I will not be taking custom orders at least until the summer.

How can I pay for a bonnet or hat? All of my sales go through Etsy. I don’t mind paying Etsy their fees because Etsy keeps track of my sales, my sales tax, and makes doing my taxes easier.

Do I make drawn bonnets, sunbonnets, etc? – No. I do not make drawn bonnets any more.

I focus on straw millinery, sewn winter bonnets/hoods, and the occasional evening headdress.

Do you make doll millinery? Yes, I do make doll millinery. These are occasional pieces that I will make available in my shop. Please keep in mind dolls are harder to fit than humans.

 

 

 

This put a much needed smile on my face this morning.

I love the fabrics Beth picked out for her pin cushion. This little cushion is just so much fun.

Beth’s Bobbin’s Pillow Pin Cushion.

I had a question from a reader about whether the Mousquetaire hat would be appropriate for archery. Then there was a technical glitch. I don’t know if she got the second answer. 

Here is a section from The Lady’s Friend, 1864 on archery. Notice the shape of the hat. It is pretty close to the shape of the Mousquetaire. So, I think it would be okay trimmed simply for the activity. 

Mousquetaire hats have tapered crowns that rise about four to five inches, not quite double the height of other fashion hats of the early 1860s. The brim is shaped, with a curve dipping front and back. This brim is narrow, only a few inches wide. The decorations are primarily at the center front, reaching the height of the crown. A ribbon may or may not circle the crown with a bow or arrangement in the back. This shape is also called a Postilion Hat.

   Fig. 3 is a Mousquetaire hat of Leghorn or white straw. Round the hat is a scarf of blue ribbon, with a large bow and long fringed ends at the back; in front is a rosette of black and white speckled feathers, surrounded by an edging of blue flowers or bluets. The brim is edged with black velvet.  (Godey’s, August, 1864)

Fig. 7 is a Mousquetaire hat drab straw, trimmed by two narrow bands of scarlet velvet, and having in front a plume of black and red feathers, and one large ostrich feather. (Godey’s, July, 1864)

Hats of the Mousquetaire or Postillion shape from Godey’s 1864:

Hats of this shape from The Lady’s Friend, 1864. 

This month’s update may get a bit long….

Of course, I have to mention how I kicked off the month: I released my new book To Net, or Not to Net: Revisited. I am excited to make this deeper look at hair nets available. I filled it with photos and illustrations. Okay, maybe I went a little over-board.

I finally started working on straw for the season with this two tone Civil War era hat. It is nice to start sewing straw again. It is quite relaxing for me with the focus and the rhythm. (It would be nice to solve the straw on the rug problem though. Tis the season of the over-worked vacuum.) I really like the shape of this new hat block. I still need to give it a name.

I have Galaxy out, the 1840s block, so I can make a couple 1840s bonnets in honor of the coming exhibit at the Wehle Gallery: Victoria’s Closet. Look for those soon.

 

The Coming In April

• April 13th – Opening day of the Victoria’s Closet exhibit at the Wehle Gallery at the Genesee Country Village and Museum, during their Antique Show and Sale.
• April 28th – I’ll be talking about Millinery in Situ during the 140th’s Civilian Seminar.
• I am still working out some details on special projects this year. Hopefully, I’ll be able to share those soon.

Dress Projects

I have two dress projects I am pondering for myself. The first being an 1850s or 1860s dress from my birthday fabric. I pictured a larger scale when I saw the image online. I tend to get scale off when looking at a screen. I wanted a fabric that would be a fun challenge to work with. The bold red stripe over the subtler, smaller stripes fit the bill.

Leave it to me to buy an 1850s-60s fabric for my birthday and moments later decide it would be good to make an 1840s dress to go with the Victoria’s Closet exhibit. Yup. Go me.
1840s….. dropped waist that is allusively small, bias galor, gathers from the shoulders across the bust, sleeves more full on the bottom… pretty fabrics…

For me, I have a couple hurdles – I don’t exactly have a small firm waist and will have some trouble with the appropriate corset for that. Second, my short arms are upside down for the ideal, rather fluffy on top and smaller on bottom. Both hurdles will need to be worked with and around.

Here is one possibility. I am picturing this is a bold semi-sheer that I think I have at home. I think. I like the asymmetric opening and gathering, as well as the control over the pleats. I think a semi-sheer will gather or pleat in with much less bulk. Those sleeves just aren’t going to cut it though. Sure, fitted bias at the top. But from just above the elbow down, it needs some fullness. Oh, and maybe not that white extension from the collar.

 

Did you know you can have OfficeMax or Staples print your paper copy of To Net, or Not to Net or Paisley, Plaid, and Purled or From Field to Fashion? Not only printed, but printed and bound.

You simply upload the file that you downloaded from Etsy,  select the printing, paper and binding. Then pick your printed copy up from the store. Piece of cake.

For To Net, or Not to Net and Paisley, Plaid, and Purled, I would suggest color printing and one of the spiral, coil or comb bindings. For From Field to Fashion, the booklet format in black and white may suit better.

A couple tips:  – Be sure to check if either store has a discount available.  – Check to see if you have a local print or computer shop that offers this service as well.

This is a beautiful hat.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Hat-1870-Tall-Crown-Straw-Ribbon-and-Feather-Trim/202251371300?hash=item2f171f0324:g:cFsAAOSw6T9anunX

Some younger. Some older. Some earlier. Some later. Mostly their real hair. Maybe a rat here and there.

February flew buy more so than any other month. Before I knew it, I completely missed my monthly update. 

Let’s see, February. I didn’t get started on straw season as planned. We didn’t go on our birthday & anniversary get away as planned. Both due to a stressful domestic twist. But, I did get my wool rug finished and I did finish To Net, or Not to Net: Revisited. 

March is off to a good start. It is what, the 4th? So far…. I’ve launched the new book and been asked to serve on the district Superintendent interview committee. This weekend has been filled with a great day judging for National History Day followed by sewing a bunch of walnut thimble holders, lots of Clara cuddling, making Milli and Marie a pair of belts with vintage buckles and….. many will be happy to hear, today I sewing straw for a special project. This isn’t quite millinery for the shop. But it is straw and it is millinery. 

Here are some of the walnuts: 

I was planning to get some writing done for a mini-book project. But, I was distracted by a couple boxes of family photos. Look I was young once:

I really do like the photos Dad took of me more than “formal” ones like this. Yawn. 

I can’t share photos of the special straw project, but I can share the cuteness of Clara…