Hats straight off the block

  

 

 

  

      

       

 

      

 

 

It's been a busy day in the shop but I managed to take some photographs this morning of three hats one of which sold this afternoon.!
The top hat is a knotted straw crown, fine straw brim and silk trim.
A very classic little hat but can be worn with so many styles so always great to have on my hat wall.
The red straw is an over sized beret with a hand tooled red silk flower. It's the type of hat that someone doesn't need but just wants.
The final pictures are of a really unusual block that I bought from Milliner Rachel Skinner in London, when I started my business. It's very different and can make some great shapes. Here it was used for blocking pinopok then sculpted after blocking to create a striking hat on a small base. It sold this afternoon.I shall make another but not the same.

Neopolitana Ice Cream Hat

A classic hat for a formal event is trimmed with a wide petersham ribbon bow. It's made from fine straw in two colours and a silk band in ivory, so could be worn with any of the three tones.

The difference between petersham and gross grain is that petersham has a wavy edge and gross grain a straight edge. Milliners use petersham to sew into the brim of hats sewing every third ridge, this creates the band that is worn close to the forehead.