(Another) 1815 High Crown Hat - Margot Hill

Pattern: 1815 Ladies' Hat from The Evolution of Fashion, by Margot Hill. With alterations.

Fabrics: 100% silk, buttercup yellow and indigo blue. Faux flowers and an ostrich plume.

Making up the 1815 hat again, but with some alterations this time. I changed the shape of the crown to be the same height back and front, and did a gathered covering rather than flat. I used all the same general construction methods:

• double layer heavy buckram for the base.
• cotton flannel for the mull layers
• steel wiring around the brim, crown base and top, and vertically around the crown.
• assembly done all with hand stitching, no glue. 

I also altered the crown to be slightly wider, so the hat fits down on the head just a bit more than the original, which has a perch sort of fit. The ruffles on the top were stitched down by hand in a spiral, with a large covered button at the center.

(below) you can see the stitching on the crown top inside before I put the lining in. Also note the steel wiring up the sides and across the crown top.

Everything on the hat is hand stitched, including the application of the faux flowers. The blue silk band around the crown base is tack stitched to the hat in a few places, pulling it down into the scrunched shape.

(below) One of the faux flowers being attached to the crown with hand stitching. The blue silk crown band later covered all of this stitching.

On the left side, a simple tie covered the fix point of the ostrich plum. The plum is attached with simple stitches over the quill in a few places going up the crown, holding the plum in position.

The lining is cinched shut at the top and hand stitched around the brim seam inside. The silk lining of the brim is lightly gathered. 

FINISHED