Make Your Own Hats Part 10

These are made from a smaller circle of material than the apple--satin or velvet would make a charming cl.u.s.ter. The method used is the same as for the apple, except that there would be no st.i.tch in the center. They should also be filled until they are hard. Use tie wire for the stems.

PLUMS--

These may be made from a piece of plum-colored material on a true bias, two and one-quarter inches long and one and one-quarter inches wide. Sew the ends together on the wrong side. Turn, gather one end one-eighth of an inch from the edge. Pull the thread up tight and sew. This makes the "blow" end. Turn the lower edge in one-eighth of an inch and gather.

Fill with cotton to which a piece of tie wire has been attached and pull close to wire and sew. Add as much cotton as necessary to procure the right shape before finis.h.i.+ng.

RAISINS--

These may be made from gathering a folded circle of plum-colored material one-eighth of an inch from the edge, but used without filling with cotton. Sew to the end of looped tie wire and wind the wire with brown gum tissue. Arrange in a cl.u.s.ter. Always warm the tissue before using so that it will adhere.

GRAPES--

These are made the same as cherries, except a cl.u.s.ter would have several sizes. They are beautiful made from black velvet. A cl.u.s.ter of grapes to sew flat to hat may be made by covering different sizes of b.u.t.ton molds and arranging them on a hat to look like a cl.u.s.ter.

MOURNING MILLINERY

Hats worn when one is in mourning are nearly always small and made of black crepe with a few folds of white crepe near the face. The covering of crepe is always lined, preferably with sheet wadding to give the soft appearance desired. The tr.i.m.m.i.n.g is of milliner's folds or flat flowers made of the crepe.[98-1] The mourning veils used may have a simple wide hem sewed down by hand or an applied hem. The applied hem is much the handsomer finish.

APPLIED HEM ON A VEIL--

For a hem three inches wide, cut a strip six inches in width and long enough to reach around the edge of the veil plus three inches for each corner. It takes that much extra length to mitre a corner of a rectangular veil.

Fold this strip lengthwise in the middle and baste with fine running st.i.tches one inch from the fold to hold the fold flat. Measure this strip at the edge of the veil to locate the place where the fold must be mitred at the corners. Cut a V-shaped piece from this fold to within one-quarter of an inch of the fold. Cut through both thicknesses. Sew these raw edges together in a seam one-quarter of an inch deep and the result will be a mitred corner. Each corner should be carefully planned and mitred before sewing to the veil. Next turn both raw edges down toward the inside one-quarter of an inch and baste separately. Slip the edge of the veil between, pin carefully in place, baste and slipst.i.tch the edges to the veil. Both edges may be st.i.tched at the same time. If this work is carefully done, the result more than repays the time spent upon it.

The veil is a very important part of the hat and may be adjusted in any becoming way. It may form part of the covering of the hat, and is then arranged in becoming folds toward the back and allowed to fall to any desired length. It makes a becoming background for the face. Mourning millinery is not used as much as formerly, but those who desire to adhere to the custom will find the style little changed.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 98-1: See chapter on "Flowers."]

CHAPTER IX

REMODELING AND RENOVATING

STRAW SHAPES--

BRIM--Brush well to remove all the dust. If the brim is too wide, a few rows of braid may be removed from the edge, and the edge refinished with one or more rows of ornamental braid of the same color. If it seems necessary to use an edge wire, this last row of braid may be made to cover it, or a bias fold of satin, silk, velvet, or ribbon may be sewed over the wire.

CROWN--When the crown of a straw hat is found to be too low for the present style, the crown may be ripped from the brim, a narrow piece of buckram sewed to the bottom of the crown and then sewed back to the brim. Of course tr.i.m.m.i.n.g must be planned to cover up this buckram. If the crown is too high, a few rows of braid may be removed at the bottom of the crown, enough to give the desired height.

TO PUT A STRAW HAT INTO SHAPE--

If the general outlines of a straw shape are found to be good, or if it only needs slight reshaping, it can be done at home with satisfactory results. It is really home-blocking by the use of heavy cardboard. A rounded crown can be made flat on top, and a slightly rolling brim can be made into a straight brim by using this method. It is a joy to take an old, discarded, battered straw hat and make it into a fresh-looking and up-to-date hat, a piece of work which any one may well be proud of.

Cut from a piece of heavy cardboard the exact shape and size of which the crown top is to be made. Cut another the exact height of the crown and long enough to fit around the head, allowing the ends to just meet.

Sew these pieces of cardboard together which will make a crown the exact shape you wish. Dampen the straw crown sufficiently to make it very pliable and pull it into shape over this cardboard crown. Turn the crown upside down on a flat surface and place a weight in the crown. A flatiron or a small stone jar will make a good weight. Bind the outside firmly and smoothly with a cloth, pin in place, and leave to dry. After it is thoroughly dry, remove the cloth, and before removing it from the block, cover with a coating or two of some good coloring which may be bought for the purpose. This can be procured in several colors, but must be put on with a stiff brush and rubbed in well in order to produce an even shade.

If the brim is rolling and is to be made flat, dampen it thoroughly, press it down flat on a smooth surface, and cover with weights; leave until dry, when a few coats of coloring may be applied. If the brim is separate from the crown, the hat may be completely changed by slipping the brim down over the crown, leaving it an inch or so from the bottom on one side or in the back, making a bandeau which lends itself to tr.i.m.m.i.n.g of flowers, ribbons, or malines. In this case the bottom of the crown would require a wire sewed on at the edge to keep it in shape. If a high l.u.s.ter is desired, a coating of sh.e.l.lac may be applied the last thing before tr.i.m.m.i.n.g.

LIGHT STRAW HATS--

Light straw hats may be cleaned by the use of soap and water or gasoline. If the hat is in need of bleaching, sulphur and water may be used, or a commercial bleaching fluid may be bought all ready to use according to printed directions. Two or three coatings of coloring will change the color. Pleasing results are sometimes obtained by using two different colors, one over the other. This, of course, requires experience and should be tried out before using on a hat.

WHEN STRAW IS TO BE RE-SEWED--

Rip carefully from the foundation; brush and press carefully. Some straw will not stand dampening, so try out a small piece first. Place it on a heavily-padded board and press on the wrong side.

PANAMA HATS--

It is much more satisfactory to send a Panama to a good professional cleaner. A Panama hat may be made less severe-looking by the addition of an underfacing on the brim of some sheer material, such as georgette or crepe de chine, finished off at the edge over a wire. The facing may be put on top of the brim if desired. The entire crown is sometimes changed by covering it with a figured chiffon drawn down tightly and finished at the bottom with a band and bow of ribbon.

Another change might be made by covering the entire crown with flower petals sewed down flat and intermingled with green leaves. They should then be covered with a layer or more of maline. This is a good way to use up old flowers. The flowers will stand a lot of retouching with color when they are veiled.

OLD BUCKRAM FRAMES--

When a covered buckram shape has become broken and out of shape, remove all the covering. Dampen the frame and press with a hot iron. A roll of cloth or paper must be held in the hand while pressing the crown. A break in buckram is difficult to remove; however, if new material is not available, much may be done with the old. Do not remove the headsize wire unless a pencil mark is made where it is to be sewed.

If the headsize wire is too large or too small, now is the time to change it. If the general shape of the brim is to be changed, remove the edge wire and trim to the required width. If it is to droop or roll, slash the brim from the outer edge to the headsize wire and lap one-quarter of an inch at the edge. Slash in several places if necessary. Sew close to both lapped edges of the buckram and cover with a strip of muslin or crinoline sewed on flat.

If a brim is to be made more flat or flaring, slash and add V-shaped pieces of buckram. If the headsize is entirely too large, this may be remedied by dividing the brim into halves. Remove the headsize wire and the edge wire, cutting through from front to back. Lap and sew; make the headsize wire the required size and sew back on the brim. Trim the outer edge of the brim and add the edge wire. The same thing may be done to the crown. If too large, divide into halves and lap the edges until it is the required size, or a piece of material may be added to make the crown larger. The crown may be lowered by cutting a piece from the base, or raised by adding a piece of heavy material at the base. When a fabric-covered brim is changed it will be found difficult to use the old covering, but it can sometimes be done.

BLOCKING OVER WIRE FRAMES--

If a buckram frame needs changing radically, it may be done by blocking over a wire frame made for the purpose. The wire frame should have six sticks instead of four, and circles not more than one inch apart, shaped as desired. Old or new buckram, neteen, or any coa.r.s.e material which has been heavily starched, may be used. Wet the fabric thoroughly with warm water.

Block the crown first. Place the material over the crown and pull it down until all the wrinkles are removed, pin closely to the headsize wire all around. When dry, mark with a pencil all around close to the headsize wire, remove from the frame, cut on the pencil mark and sew a headsize wire on the edge. If there are marks of the wire to be removed, hold a cloth on the inside of the crown and press lightly with a hot iron. The brim is managed in the same way. Mark at the headsize, cut off at this point one-half inch inside the mark, and sew a headsize wire on the pencil mark. Mark at the edge wire, cut off at the pencil mark, and finish with edge wire.

NEW BRIMS FOR OLD CROWNS--

If the brim of a hat is past renewing, a new one may be made, or the wire brim from an old hat may be used with a crown of velvet, or any fabric or straw. The wire brim may be re-covered with georgette--an old, half-worn waist will do nicely, using the back or sleeves, or any portions that are not too badly worn. When a heavier crown is used, the edge of a sheer brim should have a fold of material like the crown sewed at the edge, or a row of straw when the crown is of straw braid.