Make Your Own Hats by Gene Allen Martin (list of e readers .TXT) 📕

Fold one end over one-half inch and pin to the back of the hat; fold the edge of the material down one-quarter of an inch around the inside of the crown as close as possible to the edge without showing when the hat is on the head. Pin in place all the way round and slipstitch the two ends together; then begin at the seam and slipstitch the lining in place. The method is to bring the needle from the underside of the lining through the edge of the fold, catch a few threads of material on the hat opposite this thread, and put the needle back through the fold at the same point; bring the needle through the fold one-half inch from the first stitch and proceed in this manner until the seam is reached. Turn the other raw edge down one-half inch to the wrong side and make a running stitch one-quarter inch from the folded edge in which a narrow ribbon should be run, and drawn down as much as necessary to make the lining fit the crown. A crown tip is used with this lining, which is made of a piece of silk four inches square, sewed or glued to the inside of the crown top. On this piece the designer's name is usually found.

French lining—

This lining is made from an oval piece of silk which corresponds to the crown measurements. Measure the crown from front to back and from side to side, adding one inch to these measurements. Fit a small wire to the inside of the hat at the headsize and tie. Lap the edge of the silk over the wire one-quarter of an inch. Gather the silk close to the wire using a small running stitch. After completed, pin in place and slipstitch to the crown. This lining will reduce the headsize of any hat somewhat, so it should never be used if there is any danger of making the hat too small for the head.

Tailored lining—

This lining is rather the most popular lining used. Large firms send their material away to be made up for their trade and the linings may be bought ready-made, but almost every one has pieces of silk which may be easily made into one of these linings.

Cut an oval of crinoline two-thirds as large as the top of crown, baste a piece of silk lining over this. Pin this on top of the crown, as this can best be fitted on the outside and should be done before the hat is made. Now cut a piece of bias material long enough to reach around the bottom of the crown wide enough to meet this crown tip at all points. After pinning it to the crown tip, turn up one-quarter of an inch at the bottom and pin to the bottom of the crown. Stretch snugly because the inside of the crown is smaller; pin the fullness to the crown top all around, gather between pins, and baste in place. Stitch on the machine. This seam may be corded or a small cord sewed on to cover the seam.

Linings may be made of taffeta, china silk, satin, sateen or of almost any material which is not too heavy. When a wire frame is covered with thin material and the frame shows through, the hat should have a thin lining. If the hat is covered with maline, use a maline lining; if with georgette, a georgette lining should be used.

Milliner's fold—

Cut from a piece of velvet, satin, or any fabric which is to be used, a bias strip one and one-half inches wide and of the desired length. This must be on a true bias, which is found by placing the warp and woof threads parallel. Any other bias is called a garment bias. Hold the wrong side toward you and turn the bottom edge up on the wrong side toward you and up to the center and baste close to the edge. The basting thread must be loose enough to permit the fold to be stretched. Leave the basting in. Next fold the other raw edge down until the two edges meet, but do not baste. Fold again, keeping this last fold one-quarter of an inch or a little less from the other folded edge. Hold in place and slipstitch down. Slip the needle through the edge of the fold and take a long stitch, then, going down through to the other side, take a short stitch. Come back through a little under the fold to hide the stitch. Slip the needle along the edge of the fold as before, and continue in this manner. The thread should be kept loose all the way to permit the fold to be stretched slightly when used. The fold when finished should not twist or look as if it had a stitch in it.

Another separate single fold may be added to this; it is then called a French fold. The milliner's fold has many uses, such as finishing the edge of hats, and the bottom of crowns, to cover the joining of the hat to the brim. It is used sometimes around the top of a square crown and is much used in mourning millinery, when it is made of crêpe.

Bows

For the inexperienced in bow-making there is no better plan than to copy many different styles of bows, using either tissue paper or cheap cambric, as ribbons are ruined by being made over too many times. Bow-making is sometimes quite difficult for an amateur, while for some students of millinery it is very easy, but any one with patience may become quite expert in time.

Cut the tissue paper or cambric the exact width of the ribbon which is to be used. In this way the exact amount of ribbon may be determined, as well as the length of each loop. If a stiff, smart-looking bow is to be made, fold the ribbon in loops before pleating. If a soft-looking or puffy, “fat”-looking bow is desired, pleat the ribbon singly before making the loops. The soft bow is often used for children's hats. After the desired number of loops is made, wind a strong thread around the center and over this wrap the remaining end of ribbon around the center several times until the center is filled up sufficiently to look well.

Bows of maline—

Maline is one of the most beautiful materials used in millinery and it lends itself to many uses. Hat frames are covered with maline; it is used to cover wings to keep feathers in place; to cover faded or worn-out flowers; for shirred brims and crowns; for pleatings; for folds on edges of brims to give a soft look; and for bows.

A bow of maline requires wiring with a very small tie wire or lace wire. The wire may be caught in a fold at the edge of the loops, or the loops may be made double with the wire caught inside.

Wired ribbon bows—

Ribbon is sometimes wired if a stiff effect is desired. Silk, satin, velvet, or any kind of ribbon can be used. The flat ribbon wire is sometimes pasted between two ribbons with milliner's glue. Often two colors are rather effectively used in this way. The wire may also be stitched to one edge of the ribbon. This is done by turning the ribbon over the wire at the edge and stitching on the sewing machine. The ends of the wire should extend two inches beyond the ends of the loop of the bow. After the bow is arranged, these ends should be bent out and back, making loops which are sewed down to the hat. This holds the bow very firmly, especially if a small piece of buckram is placed inside the hat at the point at which the bow is to be sewed. This re-enforces the frame and makes it still more firm. If a bow is to be placed on top of a crown, a hole may be made and the ribbon which completes the middle of the bow may be brought up from the inside of the crown through this opening, over the bow, and down through this opening and fastened inside of the crown.

A narrow ribbon of velvet is very pretty twisted over a wire and two perky loops and ends made. These are very pretty perched on the edge of a brim or among flowers on the hat.

True lovers' knot—

This is not, strictly speaking, a bow, but comes under this head. The ribbon used is made into the knot and sewed flat as it is made. It may be sewed on the brim or side crown and is very effective made of gold ribbon.

Tailored bow—

This bow is usually made from a piece of ribbon which has both sides alike, although it