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Making a hat from the raw materials is a process that can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. I purchase the straw bodies and decide what shape Id like the hat to be. I then steam the hat body to make it pliable and stretch it over the wooden blocks. This process is called hat blocking. I keep steaming and stretching the hat body until it takes shape. I then allow the hat to dry, which takes about a day. At that point, the brim is usually wired to help it keep shape. I then sew the grosgrain ribbon into the hat band, which helps protect the hat from make-up and makes the hat fit better. Then the fun part begins, I get to trim the hat! I use French veiling, feathers, silk flowers and ribbons to create a certain look. By blocking the hat myself, I am able to determine the actual shape, size and even create multi-colored hats. An example would be a blue crown combined with a white brim. For my sculptural hats, I actually mix dyes and paint on the sinamay. After the process of dyeing the fabric, I then hand sculpt the material and sew it into place. It takes several times to come up with a style that I think my client would like. For examples of these hats, please look under the Couture Designs page. I studied hat design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. While there, I took 6 courses and completed a degree in Millinery Design. I was fortunate to work with excellent teachers. I was able to intern at Patricia Underwood and Mari OConnor as well.

 

Address: 1193 Four Wynds Trail, Lexington, KY 40515
Telephone: (859) 533-1426
Website: http://www.hatsandveils.net/