Millinery

These classes are for those students who have successfully hand sewn and can thread a sewing machine along with continually sew a straight seam, even on curves. Millinery uses more hand sewing than machine sewing.

 Beginning Hat Blocking - Fur Felt     (BHBFF)              9 Hours Total

You will be learning to “proof” (add sizing) and block a fur felt hood or capeline using a millinery steamer to create a one piece hat from our array of vintage and modern hat blocks. Included for use will be an assortment of brimless 1940’s hat blocks, simple cloches, boaters, cartwheels and flat brimmed fedoras. While your fur felt is drying, we will show you how to swirl a head size ribbon, insert a head size ribbon into a crown or brim head-size by machine and hand. How to determine if the hat will need wiring will also be included. We will add the crease and front dents for fedoras before you leave on the first day and also decide on if you need a fabric bias for the edge. We will have fabric to select from but you are welcome to bring something from home next class.

The second day is longer and you will remove your hat from its block, insert your provided sweat band, determine if your edge needs to be wired, decide on the finish for your hat’s edge. You will be shown several ways to finish this edge including a fabric bias, a hand rolled hem and finishing with a sweatband for brimless hats. You may want to bring ½ yard of fabric for edging if you have something special in mind for a bias edge. You will need enough fabric to cut a 3” wide bias strip long enough to go around your brim plus 1 ½”. Several ways to trim this hat will also be shown. You should have a hat all ready for your own trimming by the end of this two day class. Your excess from your bias strip fabric is often the way to start trimming this hat.

Class time: 2 sessions, 3 hours the first day and 6 hours the second day which includes a lunch break, for a total of 9 hours. It is suggested you either bring a sack lunch or visit one of the many wonderful restaurants within walking distance on the second day.

Maximum class size: 6 people

Supplies needed: Basic sewing kit with shears, pins, seam ripper, hand sewing needle, thimble, and measuring tape. All other materials provided for one fur felt hat.

Prerequisites: hand sewing and ability to operate a sewing machine if you wish to inset your sweatband and/or wire the edge by machine.

Fee: $200.00            

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Intermediate Hat Blocking-Fur Felt     (IHBFF)             9 Hours Total

You will be learning to “proof” (add sizing) and block a fur felt hood or capeline using a millinery steamer to create a two piece fedora, trilby, ladies boater, or cart wheel style hat using both a crown block and a brim block. While your fur felt is drying, we will show you how to swirl a head size ribbon, insert a head-size ribbon into a brim by machine and hand, and hand wire the outer edge. We will add the crease and front dents for fedoras and trilbys before you leave on the first day and decide on if you need a fabric bias for the edge. We will have fabric to select from but you are welcome to bring something from home next class.

The second day is longer and you will remove your hat from its blocks, insert your provided sweat band, determine if your edge needs to be wired, decide on the finish for your hat’s edge. You will be shown several ways to finish this edge including a fabric bias and a hand rolled hem. You may want to bring ½ yard of fabric for edging if you have something special in mind. You will need enough fabric to cut a 3” wide bias strip long enough to go around your brim plus 1 ½”. Several ways to trim this hat will also be shown. You should have a hat all ready for your own trimming by the end of this two day class. Your excess from your bias strip fabric is often the way to start trimming this hat.

Class time: 2 sessions, 3 hours the first day and 6 hours the second day which includes a lunch break, for a total of 9 hours. It is suggested you either bring a sack lunch or visit one of the many wonderful restaurants within walking distance on the second day.

Maximum class size: 6 people

Supplies needed: Basic sewing kit with shears, pins, seam ripper, hand sewing needle, thimble, and measuring tape. All other materials provided for one fur felt hat.

Prerequisites: hand sewing and ability to operate a sewing machine if you wish to inset your sweatband and/or wire the edge by machine.

Fee: $200.00              

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Millinery Trimmings I    (MTI)                                                              7 Hours Total

Once you have learned to block a straw or felt hat, the next thing to learn is how to create simple or striking trims with felt and straw remainders, sashing and bows in elegant fabrics and several methods of attaching flowers. Most work will be done by hand with some light use of the sewing machine.

Using off cuts from both fur felt, parasisol straw, sinamey and silk fabric (all provided) you will learn how to make multiple styles of leaves, loops, bows, spirals, pods and more. How to separate purchased millinery flowers, mix with other flowers, arrange into a pleasing “corsage” and attach to a hat will be demonstrated. A variety of ways fabrics can be used to sash or create bows and loops will be demonstrated and you will have opportunity to practice. We will not be blocking in this class but it is useful to have one or two untrimmed hats too experiment with the trims on. There will be untrimmed hats to experiment with or to purchase.

Class time: 1 session, 7 hours with a lunch break.  It is suggested you either bring a sack lunch or visit one of the many wonderful restaurants within walking distance.

Maximum class size: 12 people

Supplies needed:   Basic sewing kit with sewing shears, pins, seam ripper, hand sewing needle, thimble, small ruler (12-18”) and measuring tape. All other materials provided.

Prerequisites: Hand sewing experience        

Fee: $100.00                  

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Floral Headpieces and Wreaths      (FHW)                                              7 Hours Total

Whether it is for Dapper Day, a music festival, a wedding on the beach or a Renaissance Faire, join us while we create an over the top floral headpiece or wreath. We will teach you several ways to create the base for your creation using both machine and hand sewing techniques. Then using a wide variety of flowers, ribbon, leaves, butterflies, birds and more (rattan bracelets for Mickey ears anyone?), you will create a multi layered headpiece using a glue gun (Did we say glue? Yes, a first for us!). Wreaths will also be demonstrated and depending upon how elaborate you make your headpiece, it is possible to also create a wreath during the day.

Class time: 1 session, 7 hours with a lunch break. Lunch is included in the cost of this class.

Maximum class size: 12 people

Supplies needed: Basic sewing kit with sewing shears, scissors that you can cut non material items with, pins, seam ripper, hand sewing needle, small ruler (12-18”) or measuring tape. All other materials provided. We will have a wide variety of flowers and floral decorations in many colors from Shinoda/Michaels/JoAnns, millinery and binding wire, buckram, fabrics for covering your base, floral tape, tulle/net, artificial birds, butterflies, rattan bangles (Mickey ears), glue guns and glue and more for you to select from.

Prerequisites: Hand sewing experience

Fee: $100.00                  

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Introduction to Fur Felt Hat Blocking     (FFHB)                                   12 Hours Total

You will be learning to block a fur felt hood to create a modern fedora style hat using one of our crown hat blocks. While your fur felt is drying, we will create your brim without a brim block, learning how to swirl a head size ribbon, insert your head size ribbon into a brim by machine and hand, and hand wire the outer edge. We will add the crease and front dents before you leave on the first day. The second day we will remove your hat from its block, decide on the finish for your hat’s edge and be shown several ways  to finish this edge including a fabric bias and a hand sewn millinery grosgrain binding. Several ways to trim this hat will also be shown. You should have a hat all ready for your own trimming by the end of this two day class. We will be using the book by Sarah Lomax & Rachel Skinner, “Millinery, The Art of Hat Making” as our inspiration.

Class time: 2 sessions, 6 hours including a daily lunch break, for a total of 12 hours. It is suggested you either bring a sack lunch or visit one of the many wonderful restaurants within walking distance.

Maximum class size: 12 people

Supplies needed: Basic sewing kit with shears, pins, seam ripper, hand sewing needle, thimble, and measuring tape. All other materials provided for one fur felt hat.

Prerequisites: hand sewing

Fee: $150.00                

Lomax & Skinner - Bespoke Millinery

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Ladies Fabric Covered Cocktail/Small Hat     (LFCCH)                            12 Hours Total

You will be learning to block a buckram base to create a ladies cocktail/small hat perfect for the holiday or New Years Eve. While our buckram is drying, you will be taught how to swirl a head size ribbon, insert your head size ribbon into a small hat without a brim and create a lining. We will also learn how to make a couture bow/loop from French canvas and silk. To be used the following week as a decoration.

During the second class, you will take your buckram off the form, cover with ice wool and then fabric. Both a lining and a sweatband will be inserted and your hat is ready to trim. How to add veiling will also be covered.

Class time: 2 sessions, 6 hours including lunch break, for a total of 12 hours. It is suggested you either bring a sack lunch or visit one of the many wonderful restaurants within walking distance.

Maximum class size: 8 people

Supplies needed:   Basic sewing kit with shears, pins, seam ripper, hand sewing needle, thimble, and measuring tape. All materials provided for one cocktail/small hat will be provided. We will have a wide variety of silk fabrics but if you really want a specific color, we suggest you bring ¼ to ½ yard of the desired fabric.

Prerequisites: Introduction to the Sewing Machine, Beginning Sewing or the ability to hand sew and sew on a sewing machine in a straight line.

Fee: $150.00                 

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1910-1920’s Silk Velvet/Buckram Packable Hat     (VBPH)                   12 Hours Total

The “Teens” saw an increase in travel which continued thru the 1920’s, all helped by the automobile, larger and faster luxury ships, fancy trains, subways and early planes. Women needed more than ever hats that could “pack” and not be crushed. Using several of the 1910-1920’s original hats in Mela’s collection from her Grandmother and Aunts, she has created a pattern for a buckram brimmed hat covered in velvet with a silk or velvet crushable crown that fits low on the forehead and allows for bobbed or un-bobbed hair to be worn.

This pattern has room for variations in brim size and shape along with several ways to create the crushable crown. There will be samples of all options for you to try on and then select the one you wish to create. While this hat can be worn without any trimmings at all, several ways to trim in a period style will be demonstrated.

Class time: 2 sessions, 6 hours each including lunch break. It is suggested you either bring a sack lunch or visit one of the many wonderful restaurants within walking distance.

Maximum class size: 8 people

Supplies needed: Basic sewing kit with sewing shears, paper or craft scissors to cut the buckram with, pins, seam ripper, hand sewing needle, thimble, and measuring tape. All materials provided for one 1910-1920’s silk velvet/buckram hat will be provided. While we will have several colors of silk velvet and coordinating silks available, we will have a larger supply of black silk velvet and black silk. This way, by using black as your hat color, you can trim your hat later in any color to coordinate with your ensemble.

Prerequisites: The ability to hand sew and sew on a sewing machine following a curved line.

Fee: $150.00              

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Great Gatsby/Downton Abbey Inspired 1910-1920’s Headpiece   (GGH)     7 Hours Total

So many holiday parties have a Downton Abbey or 1920’s theme and every women needs a fabulous headpiece to finish off their ensemble. Using a multitude of trims, laces, silk fabrics, appliqués, sequins, diamantes, beads and more, we will show you how to create your very own head wear perfect for any themed 1910-1920’s party or classy celebration. We will start with  creating a base of either light weight buckram, net or organza, edged with millinery wire and then determine if it needs to be covered with a fabulous fabric or if the sheer fabric used just needs to be decorated. From there, the real fun begins! 

Class time: 1 session, 7 hours including lunch break. It is suggested you either bring a sack lunch or visit one of the many wonderful restaurants within walking distance.

Maximum class size: 12 people

Supplies needed: Basic sewing kit with shears, pins, seam ripper, hand sewing needle, thimble, and measuring tape. All materials provided for one 1910-1920’s headpiece will be provided. We will have a wide variety of silk fabrics, appliqués, trim, beads, etc. but if you really want a specific color or fabric, we suggest you bring ¼ to ½ yard of the desired fabric.

Prerequisites: The ability to hand sew and sew on a sewing machine following a slightly curved line.

Fee: $75.00                   

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1940’s/Early 1950’s Ladies Straw Hat     (1940SH)                                7 Hours Total

You will be learning to block a straw capeline to create a 1940’s to early 1950’s ladies hat perfect for Dapper Day or an event on the Queen Mary. While our straw is drying, you will be taught how to swirl a head size ribbon, insert your head size ribbon, wire and bias your brim edges which you will then do on your hat. We will finish up with showing you how to trim and finish your hat. This is a fast based class and you will probably be taking your hat home to finish trimming.

Class time: 1 session, 7 hours             

Maximum class size: 12 people

Supplies needed: Basic sewing kit with shears, pins, seam ripper, hand sewing needle, measuring tape. All other materials provided for one straw day hat

Prerequisites: Introduction to the Sewing Machine, Beginning Sewing or basic sewing skills    

Fee: $150.00

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1940’s Ladies Wool Felt Cocktail Hat      (1940WCH)                             7 Hours Total

You will be learning to block a wool felt hood to create a 1940’s ladies cocktail hat perfect for dancing at the Cicada Club or on the Queen Mary. While our wool is drying, you will be taught how to swirl a head size ribbon, insert your head size ribbon into a hat without a brim and create trimmings from the off cuts of your hat.  After you get your hat to the trimming stage, we will finish up with showing you how to attach your wool felt trimmings, add veiling and finish your hat.

Class time: 1 session, 7 hours          

Maximum class size: 12 people

Supplies needed: Basic sewing kit with shears, pins, seam ripper, hand sewing needle, measuring tape. All other materials provided for one wool cocktail hat

Prerequisites: Introduction to the Sewing Machine, Beginning Sewing     

Fee: $150.00 

Cut & Sew Cloche (CNSCL) 7 Hours Total

Maximum class size: 6 people

Fee: $75.00

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1890’s-1900’s Straw Boater (GNSB) 10 Hours Total

Maximum class size: 6 People

Fee: $150.00