Students will be encouraged to develop their own design abilities. Assistance with the design idea will be given and there will be plenty of source material however it would be an advantage for the students to have carried out some research before they arrive.

Students will make one hat during the 2 days with the use of buckram and fabrics.

Components for a successful hat include a clear shape, a good fit and attractive and suitable trimmings.

Max number of students: 4-5

Material required
• basic hand sewing kit to include pins, needles, a thimble, dressmaking scissors, craft (paper) scissors, tape measure (optional, most things are available in the studio)
• Fabric- preferably stretchy or easy to drape. This can be purchased at the end of the first day when you know what you are designing and how much you will need. There is an excellent fabric store near the studio.
• Trimmings- this could be feathers, silk flowers, beads, ribbon. Anything that you think would be suitable to decorate your hats (some trims are available in the studio)
• You may want to bring a notebook and camera to document the hat making process.

The studio provides
• the use of wooden hat blocks
• the use of polystyrene heads as a design aid
• buckram
• domette
• millinery wire
• black and white petersham and linings
• hair dryer, sewing machine, iron, wire cutters, cling film, blocking pins, millinery needles
• Resource material including The Hat magazine and various books on millinery