If I Had My Own Blue Box:

Today’s Millinery: Rustic Plait

When the citizens of the southern states began facing shortages, some women and girls taught themselves to plait and made their own hats and bonnets. They plaited wheat, rye, and even palmetto. There are a few remaining examples in museum collections*. Of those examples, many have a rustic sawtooth edge plait.

This plait is very dense and tough, making sewing it difficult. The sawtooth edge, while it doesn’t seem sharp to the touch does wear on the skin while working with it. It does seem notably stronger than much other plait. I decided not to wire this bonnet because the example I was referencing was not wired, and the straw naturally holds the curved shape of the brim and cheektabs.

This piece will not be going into my shop. Instead, it is the first piece for next year’s”make-up and shortages” display for the millinery. I will be making a hat with the other hank. I will decide later if I will make those for sale.

*Examples in Museum Collections:

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on August 8, 2017 at 6:01 pm Leave a Comment

Tonight’s Millinery

Brown Straw hat with Marie Stuart-esque brim.

Find this hat in my Etsy shop.

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on August 6, 2017 at 7:49 pm Leave a Comment

Today’s Millinery: A Black Straw Bonnet

Black can be fashionable as well as for mourning. This black straw bonnet was blocked on my original bonnet block.

Find this bonnet in my Etsy shop.

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on August 5, 2017 at 2:57 pm Leave a Comment

Today’s Millinery

This fashionable hat has a shallow brim that is wider in the front than the narrow sides. It is best for an average to larger head with a 22″ around crown. The crown rises 2″ in the front. The whole hat is just 9 1/2″ wide, with a 2 1/2″ brim in the front.

Find this hat in my Etsy shop.

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on August 2, 2017 at 12:57 pm Leave a Comment

Today’s Millinery: A Copper Brown Spoon Bonnet

This fashionable copper brown spoon bonnet was blocked on Serenity, my original plaster bonnet block.

Find this bonnet in my Etsy shop.

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on August 1, 2017 at 5:55 pm Leave a Comment

Today’s Millinery: Green Straw Marie Stuart Soft Crown

Sorry, this one is not available. But, it is too cool not to share. This section of green straw was determined to be unique. I think it looks great with the Marie Stuart dip to the brim.

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on July 27, 2017 at 4:20 pm Leave a Comment

Tonight’s Millinery: Blue Straw Bonnet

I wanted to beat the sun so I could photograph this bonnet outside to capture the jewel tone blues in this straw. The inside lights will have to do.

The blue straw spoon bonnet was blocked on an original bonnet block.

Find this bonnet in my Etsy shop.

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on July 26, 2017 at 9:42 pm Leave a Comment

Today’s Millinery: Large Crown Hat

Several have been asking for a hat with a larger crown. Here is one!

This crown is 22″ around with a shallow 1.5″-1.75″ rise. The brim dips fashionably in the front and back. The brim measures 13″ front to back.

Available in my Etsy shop.

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on July 25, 2017 at 6:28 pm Comments (1)

Soft Crown Bonnets

Here is an assortment of soft crown bonnets I have made.

Tonight’s Millinery

This copper brown straw soft crown bonnet features Silk velvet ribbon stripes on the sheer organza soft crown, while vintage rayon ribbon edges the sheer organza bavolet. Vintage velvet pansies fill the copper straw brim.