2021 HATalk Competition Entry

Anne

Name of Hat/Headpiece

Harvest Time

Maker

Anne

Country

United Kingdom

HATalk Archive Inspiration

Description

I was inspired by the beautiful hat made by Niki Bierling and at first thought it was made from straw braid. This started me thinking of harvest time in Suffolk, where I live, the stems of straw left in the fields after the harvest, the corn dollies still made in parts of the county, the fading colours of the flowers as autumn approaches and the harvest moon.

I started to sketch free form shapes, inspired by the clouds in the big Suffolk skies. I made a paper pattern in the shape I liked and cut strips of paper the width of straw braid. I tried many different ways to use the straw braid to form the headpiece; twisting, placing in single lengths, with a strip down the middle and small lengths spaced alternatives across and woven. Then I worked with the paper strips to confirm if my pattern would work. In the end, I settled for an open weave, reminding me of the corn dollies.

The size of my headpiece is modest to reflect the simplicity of the dress of farm girls. The base is made from sinamay to give a firm foundation for the headpiece and is just over 4” in case the wearer decides to go to Ascot!

The quill feather is a stray stem of straw and the golden lining is the harvest moon.

Hat Making Materials

  • Straw braid
  • Arrow quill feather
  • Sinamay
  • Petersham
  • Millinery wire
  • Hat elastic
  • Thread
  • Tape
  • Lining
  • Label

Hat Making Techniques

  • Formed wire into shape of headpiece, joined ends. * Cut and sewed straw braid to wire, weaving each piece, adjusting spaces.
  • Cut two pieces of braid the length of wire plus 2″, machined together with zigzag stitch
  • Sewed braid round wired edge covering raw edges, using stab stitch.
  • Curled feather. Made two sets of three holes in the spine. Sewed on headpiece.
  • Blocked button with three layers sinamay. Stiffened.
  • Wired button
  • Attached elastic
  • Bound raw edge of sinamay. Sewed in Petersham headband.
  • Attached label
  • Made lining and sewed in

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