London Studies: Lessons in Sinamay and Parasisal

As I continue to go through my archives of photos from my life abroad, I'm discovering some great shots of some early projects.   The photos below are from my studies with Chlöe Scrivener.  We worked on two very grand hats. This one is the Sinamay project.  Created in Three separate pieces, two for the crown and one for the brim, using 3 layers of Sinamay. To get the material over the crown, the top is separate and seemed to the sides.  The end result is a clean, smooth finish.

With our second project, we worked with Parasisal.  In this lesson, I learned how to extend the crown using Buckram which later on will be covered by fabric.  

Blast from the Past: London Lessons at UAL

My first bit of Millinery lessons took place at the London College of Fashion in Shoreditch, where they offer up Millinery courses.  I spent two weeks there my first time for an intensive course.   It was an amazing experience and helped turn me in the right direction.

Straw

Then we were given a nice quality straw capeline to use for blocking our hat.

Brim Block

For the Audrey, I picked this bowl shaped Block

Blocked Crown

This is a photo of the blocked crown.

Doolittle Brim

This is the vintage brim block I chose for my brim.

Blocked Brim

Here you can see the felt stretched out over the brim block. Not easy.

Blocking Brim

This is a photo of the blocked brim.

Blocking the Crown

Twine helps keep the dents in place on the crown.

Added trim

Placing the trim, and deciding the final look.

The Audrey

The finished Audrey.

The Finished Doolittle

The Eliza Doolittle hat in all is grandiur.

Stepping Back in Time in KÖLN

When visiting Köln (Cologne, Germany), I happened upon this amazing vintage inspired Hat Maker, Jürgen Eifler.  My jaw dropped, my forhead stuck to the window, as I gazed lovingly through the windows of the shop.  I was smitten. In love.  Could I move in?  Can I live here?  This was everything I wanted.  Look at the blocks! The materials! The Decor!  Perfect.  See for yourself.

As you can see. Amazing. Vintage. Working. Wow.  

A Little Presentation of Marine & Deerfield Hats

I've just set up shop in my new Studio space, and thought a little fun video of all the hats I've been working on up to now would be in order.   Enjoy the show!

Visiting Moods, New York City

And saying Hi to Swatch!

Last year while I was still living in Germany, I spent a month in New York over the summer. One of the most important things I do on my City trips is take a visit to MOODS.  A New York fashion institution, Moods has been around since 1991, and supplies an amazing assortment of fabric and haberdashery to designers, aspiring designers, students, businesses and even the participants of Project Runway.  And me.

I took along Florence and we made a day of gawking over the gorgeous fabrics.  Running into Swatch, the famous French bull dog, is always fun, but having him perched atop the stairs was classic. 

Feather Hats, a history lesson - British Pathé

An amazing history lesson on making feathered hats. I would love to know what this paste is they use to attach the feathers with.  Why we all don't wear hats like this anymore is beyond me. 

Alexander Conley III - Hat Maker Extraordinaire

Brilliant!  Alexander Conley Gives an amazing demonstration on making a hat with good old fashioned hatter techniques.  

Philip Ian Wright - picking the right hat

This is a really informative video about selecting the right hat with the Milliner Philip Ian Wright. Whether your a Milliner or a person who loves wearing hats, this is quite informative. 

millinery in Action: Stephen Jones workroom

Stephen Jones's hats are exquisite, modern and whimsical.  In the video below, you can see one of his assistants in action making one of his famous top hats, embellished with the Union Jack.

#hats #tophats #millinery "StephenJones #UnionJack 

My First Group Show - Hamburg

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I was invited to bring my hats and accessories to the Christmas Bazaar hosted by a few ladies in Hamburg over the holidays. It was an amazing experience. Unfortunately I don't have more photos as the night went on–it was just too busy, and I was working my stand alone.   

It was really good for me to do this, and learn how it works, what's needed, and what I can do the next time I have  this opportunity. I've also learned more about my client, the area here in Hamburg, and what they want. 

Since I've been doing hats, I've had a surprising amount of success selling custom made hats for clients.   I'm hoping on my return to NYC I can join in at the markets there.  As my knowledge and experience has grown, I can't wait to share my hats back home.  

In the meantime, I continue on in my studies, my explorations in hats, and the occasional bespoke piece for the Hamburg lady.

A Very Bunny Holiday!

Lady Sullivan gets her own Bunny Ears!

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Fitting

I was inspired by my Mentor (ulla of Rotkäppchen designs in Hamburg) to make a bunny hat for my dear friend Victoria of White Rabbit England.  No need to explain why!  Ulla was working on a pair for some artists who were going to wear them at an event- and I helped to sew the wire on one ear!  Later I was eager to try to complete one on my own. But then the idea took off, and I decided to make my own version for my dear friend. Victoria was completely surprised and loved the ears!

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The gorgeous Victoria Sullivan in Bunny Ears Hat

A Hatter on Portobello Road

While in London this past August (I was taking a personal one-on-one Millinery course with Chloe Scrivener,) I was able to take a Friday off and walk the long lovely route of Porabello Road. What an experience. So much to see, and so many treats.  While walking through, I ran across Sara Colacicco, of Sara Tiara Hats, an amazing Hatter.

She was busy attending to other people so I didn't have a chance to stop and talk with her. It wasn't until later when I looked her up on the internet that I read a little bit about her background, and looked further into what she is doing.  She creates diverse, one-of-a-kind pieces, using unusual fabrics and accessories, including tweed and cashmere, antique lace and feathers.  It's a bit romantic, scottish highlands, fairies, with a 20's flapper vive as well.  

ith a Client

On Display

At the Market

The Assembly line

Making hats wherever and whenever I can!

Springtime in Seville: Rediscovering an Old Love

Enjoying a break in Seville, Spain

Last spring while traveling through the beautiful city of Seville, Spain, I discovered a shop full of the most amazing hats I'd ever seen.  I knocked on the door, and inquired within.  What, where, how!  I wanted to know more.  It turns out the shop, was more of a studio space, where she made and ran her business of making hats.  Hats for custom order and for the spanish runways.  The Milliner was Patricia Buffuna.  

I've always been a hat girl. Ever since I was little. But it never occurred to me that I could make hats.  It still didn't at that time. But, it wasn't long before I took my skills as an artist and seamstress, and applied them as a Milliner.