Bonnet – Fashion Through Herstory

Regency Headwear – Riding bonnet/helmet/?

Published on March 29, 2017March 28, 2017 by fashionthrougherstory5 Comments

While working on my recently finished Regency spencer, I also decided I (of course) needed the headdress the lady in my inspirational picture is wearing.

Looking pretty awesome, right?

Starting with a modern wool hat I got on sale from one of the leading fashion stores, I begun my hat making adventure.

Before

I stated by removing the inner stay band and completely soaking the hat in hot water.

Then I used force and even more hot water to shape it in a somewhat oblong shape. In short supply of proper hat making equipment you got to use what you got…

When dry the hat had a rough but much better shape then before. The brown ribbon is pinned on, to hold the brim in while the hat dried.

The shape after the first round.

Once dry, it was time to cut the shape of the bonnet. Roughly drawn markings on where to cut the brim down.

Looks pretty decent, but the brim was still to wavy to work.

So I got to work steaming the brim and shaping it using my hands and a plastic bowl

Much better.

Then I re-stitched the inside stay-ribbon

using orange thread – ops…

Lastly I added some bias cut scraps of the spencers red wool to make the bonnet look even more like the inspiration.

I also remembered (even though it really was in the nick of time) to add some millinery wire to the brim to help it keep its shape. I finished the hole thing of by adding a woolen chokade and a cotton neck tie.

The finished bonnet:

Complete outfit

The facts:

What: a 1805s riding bonnet

Pattern: None,just a re-shaped and cut hat.

Fabric & notions: 1 black wool hat, thread, scraps of red wool and black cotton, 20 cm millinery wire, 1 hook & eye and one gold button.

Time & cost: Not including the time it took to dry, I’d say about 3-4 hours. The only thing I bought anew was ten hat and it cost 35 Sek (3 Usd), the rest is scraps.

Final thoughts: I’m really happy of how it came out, and I think I looks smashing. But I must admit it looks a bit like a combination of a riding helmet and a truckers hat 🙂

Regency Apron – Photoshoot

Published on January 29, 2017 by fashionthrougherstory8 Comments

For the photos of my new apron I wanted to try to copy the inspiration print s much as possible, and since I haven’t made the rest of the outfit, I picked some pieces from my existing costume wardrobe that would some what give the right look.

I’m wearing my white regency evening gown, regency stays, cap, fichu, mittens and a few different hats and bonnets (like my green silk 1860s, brown velvet 1840s) for props.

Behind the scenes

1860s silk bonnet (part 2) – decoration

Published on May 28, 2015 by fashionthrougherstory6 Comments

Continuing on the 1860s green silk bonnet:

To get my bonnet to look like my inspiration it needed a bit more work (part 1 – making the bonnet)

To make it go from this to this…

For the trimmings I cut stripes of “whatever left of the silk” and gathered them by hand to get a nice and “poufy” trim.

I also made a few flowers using scraps of the fabric. These are so easy to make and takes really no time at all.
I only wish I had more fabric to make more.

I then pinned the trimmings to the bonnet and stitched them on by hand, one by one until I was satisfied
(or ratter until I run out of scraps to turn into trim…).The first trims pinned on.

The Finished Bonnet:

The Facts:

What: A 1860s bonnet

Pattern: Lynn McMasters “1860s civil war bonnet”

Fabric: 60 cm of green silk taffeta, 30 cm of green cotton for lining.

Cost: 350 Sek

Time: A lot – about 30 hours.

Final Thoughts: I think it came out really pretty, with enough decoration to look right for the period yet being pleasing in my modern styizied eyes.
I can’t wait o wear it.

1860s – silk bonnet (part 1) – making the bonnet

Published on May 25, 2015 by fashionthrougherstory6 Comments

After the mandatory inspiration searching, were I decided on a style of bonnet to make, I got to work,

Inspiration

I decided to drape my own pattern using thin cardboard, pictures and millinery books.

After some fiddling and pinning I got a pattern for a bonnet…Which looked like a total disaster…

No, this would not do, time for plan B.

I ordered Lynn McMasters “1860s bonnet pattern” and started all over again.

After copying the pattern I cut it out in buckram.

To get a better view of how the bonnets shape, I pinned the pieces together for a better look.

After trying it on, I decided to cut a few cm of of the brim.

Marking the pieces

Sewing the millinery wire to the buckram pieces.

Then the pieces was ready to be stitched together.

To get them to line up perfectly I taped the together before I sewed.

Back piece stitched to side piece.

A pretty nice buckram frame

Then I stitched bias-tape round every edge to keep the corners smooth underneath the fabric.

Finished frames:

Then It was time to buy some fabric – deciding on green since that was one of the few colors in the store that would work with my dress (plaid white/blue) without being to obviously matching.

The cut pattern pieces.

As directed in the pattern I also cut cotton bating and some scraps of light green cotton for lining.

Before the fabric was to go on I needed to glue/stitch the batting on te frame to get an even smoother under layer for the silk.

Sadly I forgot to take pictures of this step, but basically I just glued around the edges of the frame pieces and carefully attached the batting to it.

Then it was time for the outer fabric.

(bad at photographing here too – I was working late at night, and didn’t had the camera on hand)

But I started with the crown, working downwards, basting all the edges and the carefully stitching the fabric pieces together.

Silk all stitched on.

Then it was time for the lining.Using a curved needle to baste the crown to the inner corners.

Stitching the fabrics together using small invisible stitches.

Before finishing the last piece (the gathered front) of the lining, It was time for the “curtain”/neckpiece.I basically just gathered a straight piece of silk and pinned it to the curved neck of the bonnet.Then I stitched it on.

Then I gathered, pinned and stitched the last piece of lining to the inner brim of the bonnet, and added some silk ties.

The base for the bonnet was now finished, and all that’s needed was the decoration.

I think it looks stunning and was a bit hesitant of even adding trimmings and decorations.

To be continued…

1850s Paisley daydress – Photoshoot

Published on July 29, 2014 by fashionthrougherstory2 Comments

The day after I finished the Paisley gown, my sister helped me dress up to take some nice photos of it.
I’m wearing the skirt and day bodice, paired with my new white bonnet and chemise, crinoline and petticoat.

Photo: Maria Petersson

Bonnets and a Bergeré

Published on July 23, 2014 by fashionthrougherstory4 Comments

This spring/summer have been quite intense regarding sewing for me. And as every costume requires it’s own special headwear I haven’t just been making clothes this spring – there have been quite a lot millenery going on as well.

And since The Huge Picture Hatt alredy got its own post, I thought it was time to show a bit more about some of the other pieces of headwear I’ve been doing/re-doing this summer.

Lets start with the 18th century Bergere.

You might remember it from last year (when I made it from an regular sunhat).

This is how it looked when I found it in my big hat box, and decided to make some changes to it.

So I un-picked those green pieces of fabric inside the hat (I put them in last year to get something to attach the hair pins in, but it does work better to just push them through the hat).

Then I stitched on some metalic wire at the edge of the brim, and covered it with white bias-tape.

Then I re-trimmed it with a plain green twill-tape.

And this is how it looked when I wore it with the brim tured up, at the big historic picknic.

***

Next up is a regular straw hat that I’ve turned into a regency bonnet.

I folded the hat in two, made a mark where to cut,

and grabbed the scissors. Make sure to stich the rows down before you cut, so the hat dont un-ravel.

Then I stiched on metal wire along the cut line, and covered it with bias tape.I used white bias tape at first , but decided to change it to a nude tone twill tape instead, to make it more inviseble.

Close up of brown/nude twilltape.

The un-trimmed hat.

Then I pinned on some white lace and a big flower brosh I had in my stash.

Altough it does look pretty, it looks a bit too costumey for my taste.

So I re-trimmed it using another piece of lace and some leftover ribbon from my yellow regency gown paired with a black brosch. Much better.

And here is how it looked worn togeter with my yellow regency dress.

***

And finaly a 1840s bonnet made from skratch.

I used the same pattern (and tecniques) as my brown velvet bonnet, only cut it a bit smaler to get a slimer model for this bonnet.

I used thick canvas and super stiff interfacing as the inner layers. And a white striped cotton voile for fashion fabric.

Before sewing anything togeter I stiched wire to all the pieces.

It was a bit tricky to sew inside the hat piece.

At least I only broke one needle…

Then it was time to start the hand sewing. I attached the “lid” and covered it with fashion fabric.Then I stiched on the brim and more fashion fabric (no pictures sorry). And finaly I attached the lining on the inside.

At this stage I was ready to throw it out, it looked so terrible. The fabric was puckering and nothing I did would make it lay flat. I did a final try and decided to trim it to see if that would make it look any better.

It is fantastic what some pieces of lace can do to a domed project. It does actually look presentable.

An this is how it looked this weekend when I wore it for a photoshoot.(You even get a sneak a peak of my next HSF project)

Regency dancing recidal

Published on June 19, 2014 by fashionthrougherstory2 Comments

This past weekend, I joined up with the local historic dance group for a regency dance recidal. The city celebrated “The day of Dance” and we were invited to perform some of our dances.

I wore my new yellow regency gown – which I just finished the same morning.And combined it with a new straw bonnet, fishu and white evening glowes.

The weater was sunny and everybody had dressed to the teeth in their finery.I love Annas parasol – one day I will own my own.

Clara and Anna posing prettily with shawls and staw baskets.

We spent some time walking around the city, awaiting our turn to enter the stage.

Jan and Soleveig.

Me and Calle awaitning our turn in the heat. I was glad I didn’t needed to wear one of those thick wollen frockoats.

Then it was our turn to enter the stage.And since I’m pretty new to regency dancing I can’t tell you the name of the dances (and seartanly not tell them apart in photos), so we will just have to pretend to know whats going on.

Gentlemen in the middle.

Premiere doing a center cross.

“Sellingers round”

Since we were uneven, at least one lady had to rest, and sometimes more depending on the dance.

“Jenny pluck pears”love the elegance in my pose in this picture…

When the dancing was over we meet up for a quick summer goodbye, before we hurried of in different directions.

Some of the dancers from our group posing for the turists (and my camera).

My dress hold up suprisingly well, and I feelt rater good in it. I think it will have more outings in the future.

It was such a lovely event and perfect day, I didnt even thought about the sun baking my nose and upper arms all day – well, I did descovered it later that night though…
(I will never attend a costuming event without proper sunscreen again).

1840s bonnet (Gratetude)

Published on November 18, 2013 by fashionthrougherstory1 Comment

As my entry for the HSF Challenge 23 Gratetude, I decided to make a 1840s bonnet.

This desicion was made based on multiple things: I wanted to make something I never done before in a tecnique I never tried, and keeping myself outside the comfort zone.

And I think the early Victorian headwear are both pretty, interesting and would provide a suitable challenge because of the millenery parts.

I also really need to make myself some 1840-1850s headwear to wear to an upcoming event.

This is what I whant to accomplish.

I found this great and informative blogpost on how to make a bonnet by Susan Biscoe. This post gave me the curage to give it a try.

So I started by draping a pattern.

I used the left-over velvet fabric of the Masquerade cape, and started to cut the multiple layers.

All the pieces cut out. From left to right: Velvet, cotton lining, interlining, intefacing and the pattern piece. (I later decided to only use one layers each of the interlining and interfacing).

Using a sick-sack stich to attach the wire to the pattern pieces.

I used a plier to bend the wire into shape.

All wired brim piece.

The crown being attached.And the inside.

Sewing the velvet to the crown.

And finished with the trimings attached.

Just the facts:

Challenge: 23 – Gratetude

What: A 1840s bonnet

Pattern: I draped and drafted my own.

Fabric: 0,4 m of: brown cotton velvet, brown cotton lawn, heavy upholstery fabric and 0,2 m of golden satin.

Notions: Thread, heavy interfacing and steel wire.

How Historical Accurat: The shape is pretty good but the construction and sewing are modern, even though it is mostly hand sewn.

Time: 10 hours.

Cost: About 100 Sek (11 Usd)

First worn: Not yet, but will be on dec 16th for a 19th century Christmas party.

Thanks to: First of all I whant to thank the whole costuming comunity, and all the help and support you can find there. You are all great!

A special thanks goes to Leomoni of “the Dreamstress” who got me interested in historic costuming, and through the HSF made me inspired to continue to make historic clothes this past year.

Then I whant to thank Susan Briscoe for the great blogpost who made it look so simple (to make a bonnet) and thous gave me the currage to give it a try.

Last thoughts: I really loved making this bonnet and are already thinking about making an other one. Mabye I should venture deeper in to millenery…