2018 HATalk Competition Entry

Janice Charles

Janice Charles – United Kingdom

Valentine

Category: Traditional

Description

I feel my entry interprets the theme of Fusion well as even though I have used the traditional methods and techniques of hand blocking and hand sewing, it is a contemporary visual that uses tradition to create a modern Avante garde piece,influenced by todays floral fashion fusing the old with the new.

Materials

Block
Sinamay
Wire
Felt coat with leather relief
Felt covered boning
Suede thonging
Silk roses and artificial foliage
Satin Lining grosgrain ribbon

Techniques

I firstly cut out 3 sheets of sinamay on the bias, I used 3 sheets to ensure stiffness and ensure strength to the design. to help it keep its upturned shape and also another 3 sheets cut to size for the crown of the hat,once this was done. I proceeded to hand blocked both the brim and the crown of the hat into the desired shapes,
Once this was achieved I then applied several coats of millinery stiffener to each,. Once this was dry I applied wire around the out edges of the brim shape which was then hand sewn to secure.Then I stretched and applied a layer of felt with a raised leather relief design to give the affect of the wicker of a basket which was also hand sewn onto the sinamay hat brim.. I used a lining fabric to cover the crown of the hat as this fabric would not be seen due to it being adorned with the silk roses,which I attached via using a combination of hand sewing and gem tack..
I then added artificial foliage between the silk roses to add interest and depth to the design and rose also leaves to create a more realistic, look and feel I constructed the handle using felt covered boning that I also inserted wire into it to help it to hold its structure and be more compliant to the shape I wanted, this was then hand wrapped with thin suede thonging to mimic the texture and material of a flower basket handle. this was then secured to the hat crown with a glue gun, and hand sewing once this was done I then continued to add more of the silk roses so that the handle completely merged seamlessly into the completed design.