Millinery – The Art of Hat Making - Course

With inspiration drawn from history, you will be encouraged to develop your own style and to learn techniques for your creations.

Autumn Term – An Introduction to felt

The course will introduce you to the basics of using felt whilst being encouraged to explore the capabilities of the material. Through tutor-led demonstrations, you will be able to use these techniques for your own creations to take away and wear. The skills acquired on this course will enable you to construct hats in different styles, and to finish your unique hat designs with your choice of trims.

Are you interested in learning to make your own hats inspired by shapes from history?

This course will introduce making hats using a flat pattern construction method and will include x2 styles of historically inspired hat from the 1940s and 19th century.

During the 10 week course the first hat to be made will be a 1940s style pillbox.

This will be followed by a 19th century inspired ladies riding hat (this is a miniature top hat)

Students will be able to purchase the specialist base materials for their hats from the tutor but will have the opportunity to personalise their hats by supplying their own top fabrics and trims.

Caution: this course includes the use of spray adhesive so please ensure you bring a face mask.

This course will be ideal for complete beginners; it is also perfect for the more advanced milliner who would like to learn how to construct hats using buckram. These hats or fascinators will be constructed using flat buckram pattern pieces before being shaped by hand. They will then be covered and decorated with materials and trims of your choice. In addition to learning the basics of millinery, you will also be introduced to the techniques of constructing your own hat blocks.

A basic sewing kit including paper and fabric scissors, small snips, hand sewing needles of various sizes, household pins (these are thicker and shorter than dress makers pins), thread, tailors chalk, tape measure, pliers, apron and a pencil. You will need to purchase quantities of specialist materials to complete your hats.

Autumn Term

• Tuesday 6th October to 8th December 2015
• Saturday 17th, 31st October, 14th & 28th November and 12th December 2015

Spring Term

• Tuesday 12th January to 15th March 2016
• Saturday 16th & 30th January, 13th & 27th February and 12th March 2016

Class size
Maximum 12 students