In Bloom

Maja Svensson

Sweden

• HATalk Issue 14: Use It Up
• Silk Abaca Rose Project by Anne Tomlin
• Silk Abaca Leaves Project by Anne Tomlin

I was inspired by the essence of the "Use it up" article - how I can use my millinery materials to the fullest. I often find that when working with smaller hats in particular you get scrap material that you rarely use for trimmings, but that is - in my case - always saved for future inspiration or projects. I liked the article's idea of how you can create something new from a little piece of something that might easily have been thrown away or discarded. With In Bloom I had the idea to turn the felt scrap pieces left over after blocking into a felt flower trimming. Felt can give a rather thick and heavy impression, but I wanted to create a detailed felt flower trimming that still felt light and delicate. In a way a symbolism for how a scrap piece can become the main character. I broadened my inspiration from the article by using techniques from the Anne Tomlin projects and adding a piece of leftover silk abaca to create leaves.

• A handmade/constructed tear-shaped hat block
• One petrol blue rabbit fur felt cone
• A small scrap piece of the same petrol blue fur felt from a previous hat project.
• A scrap piece of pink Silk Abaca (8×30 cm)
• Two felt balls to build the flowers around
• Navy blue organza to cover the felt balls
• Petrol satin fabric for the hat lining
• Dyes
• Thread
• Petersham ribbon
• Stiffener

• Blocked the hat on the tear-shaped hat block I constructed myself
• After coating I cut off the scrap material and ironed it flat.
• Made three kinds of peony petal patterns and cut 28 petals from the scrap pieces
• Shaped each petal with steam and flower making tools
• Dyed the felt-balls, covered them with organza and built the flowers around them.
• Dyed the silk abaca turquoise, coated it and cut and shaped calyxes and various kinds of leaves
• Sew the flowers and leaves onto the hat
• Sew on a lining and Petersham ribbon