Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Making Tiny Straw Bow

I am making tiny little bow out of straw this is a trim on a summer straw I am just finishing. I love this sort of understated small trim as it sets the hat apart from the ordinary. This is a pari sisol straw in palest mint and I have trimmed with Italian straw off cuts in natural on the edge and around the crown.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Last Millinery classes till 2012 !

Here is is Rin wearing her hat ! She made it all by herself (well I was there to teach and guide her) - maybe you are thinking of making a hat too ? I have just posted the latest classes I will be able to run till next year have a look here
that is a great bow if I have to say so myself !

Friday, December 11, 2009

Editorial in French On-line Mag Dirrty Glam




Styled by the lovely Sarah Banger some great shots in the December 2009 Issue of French on-line magazine 'Dirrty Glam' of two of my raffia summer hats - on page 113.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Summer Sun Hats 2009











Well, I had one in my hand still sewing it's label in when I walked into the shop yesterday and it sold on the spot. A divine watermelon, very fine straw so I guess I shouldn't be surprised but I like my creations to stay around a bit longer than that. Part of the joy of creating a beautiful hat is to look at for a while before it walks out the door (!) A few photo's I took over the last couple of days hiding in my air conditioned studio out of the hot hot heat in Melbourne.

Friday, September 4, 2009

SPRING is here !











I am gearing up for the Spring Racing Carnival - a huge event here in Melbourne, culminating in the Fashion Event of the Year : The Melbourne Cup - I believe there are horses involved somewhere. Am already extremely busy with making to order - just thought would share some of my latest designs in store now !

Vintage Festival Lanterns




I love these old Festival Lanterns and have just found a bunch of them ! If you have to have one, here is the link to buy !

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Hat Trims




Had almost forgotten about this little hat trim job I did in January this year - love the stripe petersham on these shapes I think it worked well. I curved all the ribbon and made the bows on mass so not too difficult but took a while to finish all 25 or so of them.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Gardenia's for the hair



I thought Nicole Kidman looked beautiful in her hair flowers and have just added my version to our store Julie Fleming for the diva's out there. These are classic and very lifelike gardenia's.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Sun Hats for the shop Ivory Sisal




This is the latest Ivory Sun Hat I have made for the shop and how lucky was I - just had enough of this lovely vintage straw trim to put around the crown - with one bobble left over !





This type of trim was always made by hand and is just small strip straw rolled on it's edge and stitched into place, this type of straw is pretty hard to find these days and I have had this piece of trim for I don't know how long I came across it at the bottom of a box while looking for trims for a couple of child's hats I made for the final day at the racing - two matching little sisters - they had adorable matching white lace Collette Dinnigan dresses.

How to Sew Bow detail on Sunhat


8) The finished item ! (hopefully looking very 'southern belle' rather than KFC 'Dickie bow')

7) Add elastic so the creation won't blow away !


6) Tie tack the two tops (loops) of the bow into place and the two ties using cream for the brim (no ugly black cotton on the underside of the brim).

5) Position onto the hat hold in place with some pins, sew from behind and under the head fitting of the hat...tricky but easy if you know how. No need to overdue this bit as just a couple of stitches either side of the center is all you need. One of the old ladies I used to work with in London said that you needed 'fairy fingers' to do some parts of millinery and I have yet to find a better description.

4) The finished bow.

3) Next add the center of the bow stitch in place at back.

2) Workout the position to make sure that the join of the band underneath is hidden under the middle of the bow.

1) Start with the two loops for the top and then add the ties, hand sew all into place.


Just a quick little instruction to putting a snappy little bow on a straw hat these little bows have been inspired by the hat Nicole Kidman is wearing in the movie 'Australia'. A favourite of mine for a long time this style of bow really adds the finishing touch to a beautiful sunhat and seeing Nicole wearing this hat reminded me of this type of bow. I think I must have made so many of them over the years and have added some photo's so you can see how to construct and sew a bow like this onto a hat successfully (!) I made mine on this occasion out of four separate pieces of ribbon but I do make them on occasions just by tying the bow from one piece of ribbon but that really does take a lot of skill and hard to photograph one handed. Just in case you are wondering yes I left the little stalks on the black straw rather than trim them off as I think they add some graphic interest. More variations on the big sun hat to follow.
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