Project Journey
March 24th, 2021
This week was rough. This week I was supposed to have a finished bonnet pattern; however, every time I tried to draft the bonnet, the proportions came up small. I also believe that I have the wrong type of paper for the paper mock-up. The paper I am using has a coating of some kind that prevents the tape from sticking to it. During my meeting with my mentor, we discussed possible solutions. The next steps for this project are to get a different paper for the mock-up and redraft the pattern. April 1st, 2021 This week I switched gears. The bonnet pattern was not working again. I decided to focus on the top hat pattern instead. This was a great choice, as I was able to get the pattern completed. The paper pattern fit pretty well, but I will be adding a bit of ease to the head opening as it was a bit snug. I believe that if unaddressed after the fabric is in place, the hat will be too small. I also proposed to my mentor to cut the bonnet as I was very discouraged after it not working for the second time in a row. After discussing with my mentor, we created a plan to get the bonnet finished. April 12th, 2021 This week I continued to focus on the top hat. I was able to cut out the buckram and add the milliner’s wire to it. This process took a bit longer than I thought it would. I did this process by hand. This set me in a good spot to finish out the project This weekend. I will cover the hat in brown wool and a rust lining. I will trim the hat in orange grosgrain ribbon for a pop of color. I will also start working on the bonnet pattern again. I have found a company called Timely Tresses that creates patterns for bonnets based on periods. I have selected their Camilla Pattern. |
February 11th, 2021
This semester I have decided to focus on the art of Millinery. For the first week of the class, I have complied my research for the topic. In the research presentation I have decided to focus on the origins of people wearing hats, the origins of millinery, and the three hats I chose to recreate for the final project of the course. I have chosen to focus on hats of the 1800s. The three hats The hats I have constructed are a flat cap, a top hat, and a Victorian bonnet. If you would like to view the presentation, please click the button that says Research Presentation. February 18th, 2021
This week I have worked on completing the mock-up for the Flat Cap. For the most part, this week was easy. My first step was selecting a pattern to follow for the hat. I found one on Etsy that I liked. The pattern was easy to follow. I had a few concerns about how to structure the brim. For the mock-up, I decided to use two layers of buckram. After constructing this pattern, I found that the brim did not have enough structure. After speaking with my mentor, we decided that a more robust alternative might be cutting a plastic folder as it has a more rigid structure. The next step is to begin working on finishing the Flat Cap in fashion fabric. February 25th, 2021 This week I was able to finish the Flat Cap in fashion fabric. I chose a gray and black herringbone wool for the fashion fabric and a burgundy lining. I thoroughly enjoyed creating this hat, as it was my first one. If I were to change anything about this process, I would have liked to have used pinking shears on the lining fabric, as it tried to fray out on me. Overall, I believe that the Flat Cap came out great. The next step for this project is to start creating the bonnet pattern. I will be using the book From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking by Denise Dreher as a guide for this process. April 22nd, 2021
If you are reading this I survived! This week has been crazy. I completed the bonnet over the weekend, and continued working on the top hat on Monday and Tuesday. This week was not without challenge. My sewing machine broke on Monday. I attempted to complete the top hat completely by hand sewing, but found that I was running out of time. After this challenge came another. My bonnet had gone missing and I needed to make a new one. Even with these setbacks, I have been able to grow as a costume technologist throughout this process. I am so grateful to my mentor Connie Furr, to my Professor Joya Scott, and to all of my supporters. |