Fine Straw Hat : making

the finished hat !! I have taken lots of photo's of me making this hat so you (hopefully) can follow the steps required to get such a finish. I started with a beautiful fine straw in a sensational dark cream colour which helps with the whole effect. I'll often hang onto a hood for years before I take the plunge and make a hat out of it as you need all the elements around you that you know will work well together.....as I am moving studio and shop I have uncovered some lovely materials and came across the soft tulle that I draped around the crown of this hat....and so it all began !

below the desk so often so full of 'stuff' you can't see the actual desk but then out of this mess a hat emerges. You can see the hat shape taking place I have just finished wiring the brim and softly letting the edge wave.....I also decided that the edge should have a tiny, tiny edge so as to not distract from the straw and so I chose a satin bias which took me a couple of months to find the exact colour I wanted (an ecru colour)....

 

Some scenes from my studio...bit messy!

So here is my studio and some production photo's - this is actually quite tidy as I just had a big clean up. I like to have my ribbons within reach and love how they look all together. I have my velvet ribbons in drawers all colour coded (until I mess it all up!) Tissue paper is on the windows to stop the sun getting in my eyes in summer but as it is winter you will note that although it is only 5.30pm in the afternoon already we have lost the light. I have had daylight fluro lights installed and after they came and did the installation I could not stop looking at the palm of my hand as I could not believe the difference it made everything is so much clearer. I have taken a photo from the shop looking into my studio and as you can see I have the perfect position to see and hear customers coming in and am always working at my desk with one eye out for customers. The baby gate is for....my two dogs Ruby (on the left) and Teddy - they often come to work with me. They spend the whole day pretending to be in jail and trying to get someone to release them. I love the size (my blocks are in the back room and a large storage area as well) of my studio and the natural light from two four big windows is unbeatable - no excuse but to create.

Stephen Jones video

In March 2010, 'Hats, an Anthology by Stephen Jones' will start touring the world for the next six years. Its first port of call will be Australia.
A video from the recent Stephen Jones Exhibition at the V&A that I was lucky enough to see in London in May this year, see a Stephen Jones hat made from beginning to end, check this out !

On 25th February 2009, Stephen staged a major exhibition at the V&A, London attracting 100,000 visitors, introducing both fashionistas and novices to the wonderful world of millinery. Working with radical hat designer, Stephen Jones, the V&A presented an 'Anthology of Hats'. Drawn from V&A and international collections and ranging in style and period from a 17th-century Puritan's hat to a 1950s Balenciaga couture piece to hats by Jones and his contemporaries including to the latest creations by young milliners such as Noel Stewart, the exhibition investigated the cultural and historic importance of millinery. The exhibition is arranged in four main themes - Inspiration looks at the myriad of sources including historicism, exoticism and the natural world; Creation explores the techniques, materials and processes; The Salon focuses on the buying and selling of hats and the millinery shop; and The Clients which examines the wearing and etiquette of hats and features headgear worn by well known clients of some of the world's top milliners including Gala Dali, Isabella Blow, Anna Piaggi, Dita von Teese.

Help which colour....?

A fabulous display at one of my suppliers of hundreds of ribbons, ric rac braid, cords, satin......... the list is endless in Hong Kong.

Sorry for the delay in writing here in my blog but I have been away overseas gathering inspiration and wow found lots of interesting things.....which I am very pleased about. So nice to go away but even nicer to come home to the fresh air in Melbourne and everyone is happy happy happy unlike hot & sweaty London. Paris was beautiful and sunny and tres chic. More to follow...!

Bridal Horse Shoe

Traditionally given to the bride for good luck. I have just made some new Bridal Horseshoes in a 'vintage style' for the shop and thought I would add them here for all to see. I particularly like the white with silver that's my favourite at the moment but this may change as I make more... what do you think ?

Parade Piece and Amelia's Made to Order Headband

Just found these photo's of the glorious parade piece I made for Mercedes fashion week 2006, also stretchy headband for clients little girl Amelia. Amelia looks so cheeky in the photo's but is the sweetest little girl and now a perfect picture in her headband.

How to Cover Headband

Just sent the whole day (!) covering headbands with narrow Petersham for a wholesale order and am not finished yet - only half way through. Have got this down to a fine art now just got to concentrate and get the stitching straight and all pushes onto the narrow metal bands quite well. The join of the petersham is hidden under the trim of the finished product. All stitched on my trusty Singer straight sewer.