Only two wires are used in making this brim, the edge wire and the headsize wire. The size of the brim is to be determined and then a hoop of sprung wire cut just the length of the circ.u.mference of the brim.

This wire is uncovered; the ends just meet and are joined by the use of a little clamp, the ends being inserted and pressed down with the jaws of the pliers.

Place the material from which the brim is to be made upon a flat surface. If of maline, several thicknesses may be used. Fasten this material down to the table slightly with pins or thumb tacks. Lay a circle of sprung wire on the material and pin in place. Begin by pinning the back, front, and then each side, being careful not to pull the wire out of shape. Take the work up and pin the material closely all around the edge. Cut off, allowing one-quarter of an inch to turn over the wire. Sew to the wire closely with an overcasting st.i.tch or with a running st.i.tch just inside of the wire. The edge may be bound with a fold of the same material, a fold of satin or one row of braid.

HEADSIZE WIRE FOR HALO BRIM--

This headsize wire is made of frame wire. First measure, then cut, join ends, and shape as for any hat. Lay the headsize wire on the material, having the joining at the back. The front and the back of the brim, if of equal width, will be somewhat narrower than the side because of the elongated headsize wire; however, the headsize wire may be placed on the brim in any position desired. Pin in place and sew with an overcasting st.i.tch. Trim the material inside the headsize wire, leaving an extension of one-quarter of an inch to turn over; it will be found necessary to sew this down over the wire, making the edge more secure.

Another method of making a halo brim is accomplished by cutting a piece of material on the bias, twice as wide as the brim and as long as the circ.u.mference. Stretch this piece of material, then pin the center of the strip over the edge wire, gather the raw edges to fit the headsize wire and sew in place. This method does not make a smooth brim, but is more quickly made. When two thicknesses of sheer material are used for halo brims a very pretty effect is obtained by placing flat flowers, petals of flowers, or feathers between the two materials.

CROWN FOR HALO BRIM--

This may be very sheer, although a halo brim may be used on a braid or satin crown if desired. A wire crown for a halo brim usually consists of a mere collar of frame wire several inches high. This is sewed to the headsize wire. The covering for the crown is usually made in the shape of a circle about fourteen inches in diameter, with the same number of thicknesses as the brim. Gather one-quarter of an inch from the edge, adjust fullness and sew to the headsize wire. The height of the crown depends upon the style of hair dressing. Place a band of the same material as the crown, or a narrow ribbon, around the base of the crown for tr.i.m.m.i.n.g and to conceal the wires. A wired bow of the sheer material may be used very effectively. (See chapter on "Bows.")

CHAPTER VI

HAT COVERINGS

TO COVER WITH BRAID--

Great care and patience must be exercised in covering a hat with straw braid. The lines which are to be emphasized should be carefully studied, as there are several methods used in laying the braid on the frames.

(See ill.u.s.tration.)

The st.i.tch used for sewing braid is always the same--a very short st.i.tch on the right side, and a st.i.tch one-quarter of an inch long on the wrong side. The thread must not be pulled too tight, or the position of the st.i.tches may be seen; also always match the thread to the straw. Straw braid may be sewed to a willow, buckram, neteen, or crinoline frame except when a _very_ soft hat is desired; it may then be sewed and shaped over a wire or buckram frame, but not on to it, as it is to be removed from the frame after sewing; or, if the braid is coa.r.s.e, it may be sewed to a wire frame which has been previously covered with crinoline or mull. (See ill.u.s.tration.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: ONE METHOD OF STARTING THE BRAID ON CROWN AND SEWING IN PLACE]

Many hats have a brim faced with straw, while a fabric is used on top.

In this case the braid must be put on first in order that the st.i.tches may be taken through the brim, which the fabric on top will cover.

TO PIN IN PLACE ON THE FRAME--

Place the outer edge of the straw even with the outer edge of the brim, beginning at the center back, allowing three inches to extend to the right. Pin in place and baste all the way around until the center back is reached. Curve the second row gradually up from the center back; do not make an abrupt curve, until the correct lap is reached, usually one-eighth of an inch. There will be found a thread at the edge of most braids which may be pulled up to take out the extra fullness when sewed on a curve. The outside edge of the first row must be left free for the edge of the fabric, which covers the other side, to be slipped under. Do not begin sewing until the second row is basted in place.

TO SEW--

Bring the needle through the edge of the braid at the lap from the under side and take a tiny st.i.tch, stabbing the needle through the braid and the buckram; the small st.i.tch on the right side will be hidden if the thread is not pulled too tight. Take a st.i.tch on the wrong side from one-quarter to one-half an inch in length, depending upon the width and quality of the braid. Continue basting and sewing the braid until the headsize is reached and the braid extends up above the headsize wire one inch. If the brim is wider at some points than at others, the wider side must be filled in with short strips following the same curve, being careful that the ends are left long enough to extend up beyond the headsize wire one inch. When the brim is very much wider at some points, short pieces of braid may be worked in at intervals as the braid is sewed; this would not make such an abrupt curve, and the general lines of the braid would be more pleasing.

When one side of the brim is to be covered with fabric, fit this to the brim, baste at the headsize wire and cut the edge, allowing one-quarter of an inch to lap over the edge. Remove the basting from the first row of braid and tuck the edge of the fabric under. Pin and slipst.i.tch to place through the straw.

BOTH SIDES OF BRIM COVERED WITH BRAID--

Allow the first rows to project slightly beyond the edge of the brim both on the top and the bottom. These edges may be brought together with a small slanting st.i.tch, or if preferred the edge may be first bound with a bias piece of satin, or with a row of braid or gay-colored material. If the edge of the brim is bound, the edges of the first rows of braid at the top and bottom would not meet. The bound edge thus showing gives the effect of a cord.

TO COVER A CROWN WITH BRAID--

Begin at the bottom of the crown, slanting the second row off from the first row the same as on the brim. Pull the braid up with the thread (which will be found on the edge of nearly every braid) and sew until the center of the crown tip is reached, when a hole in the top of the crown may be made and the end pushed through and fastened on the underside. Keep the braid full enough so that it will lie flat all the way. Sometimes it is easier to begin sewing the braid on at the very center of the top of the crown, or a few rows may be sewed to a small circle of crinoline before attaching to the top of the crown.

If a braid is used which is composed of four or five smaller braids sewed together, the method is the same until the crown tip is reached or a place where it is impossible to make the braid lie flat. The braid must then be separated into the smaller strands and one cut off at a time, and each end lapped under the preceding strand; proceed with the remaining strands, cutting one off at a time until only one remains to finish the center with. When the crown tip is completed, push the remaining end through a hole in the center of the crown tip and sew to the inside of the crown. When using this kind of braid the operation may be reversed, beginning at the center of the top and covering a small circle of buckram with braid; press it with a warm iron to flatten it, then sew in place on the crown and complete the covering. This seems the easier method, because the top of the crown will look much better if pressed and this will be found hard to do unless begun on a small separate piece of buckram.

TO PIECE BRAID--

Sometimes a braid must be pieced at a conspicuous point on the hat, when careful handling will be found necessary. If the braid is composed of several smaller braids sewed together, the ends should be ripped apart for several inches and the strands cut in unequal lengths; also the strands of the other end which is to be joined to it should be cut of such length as to meet the corresponding ends and allow a lap of one inch. The ends cut in this way may be tucked under one at a time without the joining being noticeable. If the braid is very wide it may seem best when covering a frame to cut and join the ends of the row of braid. It would then be better to make a straight joining in the back.

If a fancy braid is to be pieced, the ends are lapped diagonally and sewed flat. If a fancy joining is part of the design, a simple one is to lap the ends to look as though woven. This may be employed on a crown or brim or both, and it then becomes a part of the design. Also the top of the crown or any part of the hat may have a woven covering of braid, but any such fancy method requires an additional amount of braid.

The top of the crown may be covered by laying the braid on straight from front to back, allowing the ends to extend down on the side crown an inch or more. The braid of the side crown should cover these ends. The brim of a narrow hat is often covered with short lengths of braid radiating from the headsize wire, the ends extending up on the crown one inch. A fabric is often combined with braid for the sake of design, or if there is an insufficient quant.i.ty of braid.

CROWN TOP OF BRAID, SIDE CROWN OF FABRIC--

SIDE CROWN OF BRAID AND TOP OF FABRIC--

BAND OF MATERIAL, PLAIN OR CORDED, SET IN SIDE CROWN--

BRIM AND CROWN MADE FROM SMALL PIECES OF SILK AND BRAID--

A very soft-looking braid hat may be made by sewing braid over a wire foundation which has been made for the purpose. The braid may be pinned on the brim of wire and sewed, being careful not to attach the braid to the frame; slip the needle over the wire and finish sewing the braid while it is still pinned to the brim, then remove, press slightly, and sew a facing of braid to the under side of the brim if desired. Some kinds of braid may be dampened before pressing, but it is safer to experiment first with a small piece, for some braid is ruined by pressing.

A soft crown of braid should be fitted over a wire crown and sewed in the same way. After removing it from the wire frame, it can be slightly pressed by holding it over a thick cloth held in the hand and pressing a warm iron to the outside. A soft hat of braid can more easily be made by first making a frame of crinoline and sewing the braid to it. Horsehair braid crowns are beautiful when shaped over a wire foundation. They may be pressed slightly (after being removed from the wire crown over which they have been shaped) when they will be found to keep their shape. The brim would need a wire foundation to hold it out in shape and the braid should be caught down to the wire as it is being sewed. A small lace wire should be used for this foundation, four spokes together with the headsize wire and edge wire being sufficient. The wire should be wound with maline or have a facing of maline. Horsehair braid is transparent.

There are many fanciful ways of using braid on a hat, but these can be readily copied if the foregoing methods have been mastered. Be very careful about pressing braids or adding moisture as it ruins some braids, while others must be moistened before they can be handled in sewing to a hat frame.

COVERING WIRE FRAMES WITH MALINE, NET OR GEORGETTE--

Wire frames which are to be covered with sheer material, such as maline, net, or georgette, must be carefully made, as the wire frame becomes a part of the design, and the wire should be silk covered.

If maline is used, it should be pleated or gathered on, unless the brim is of the halo style, for which directions are given elsewhere. Four or five thicknesses of maline are necessary. The material is often gathered in small quarter-inch tucks at the points where the tuck may be sewed to the circle wire on the brim or the crown. A small tuck at the edge wire would make a softer looking edge than if put on plain. The fullness is then gathered in and sewed to the headsize wire. If the edge is left plain, a few rows of lacey-looking braid may be sewed on the edge. A wide tuck hanging down from the edge is sometimes used and it is very becoming to certain types of faces. The wires of a frame are often first wound with narrow bias pieces of net or maline. The edges are turned in and the material wrapped on smoothly and evenly. Sometimes the wires are wound with a contrasting color.

An effective covering for any frame may be made from ribbon or bias strips of satin or silk, velvet or georgette, or any soft fabric. If a wire frame is used, it must first be covered with a thin plain material to serve as a foundation to which the ribbon or strips of material may be sewed, or a frame of neteen or crinoline may be used if a very soft hat is desired.

RIBBON COVERING--

If a ribbon is used, it must be gathered on one edge so that it may be drawn down to fit the frame and may be laid on the same as braid. An inch-wide ribbon is easily handled.

BIAS FABRIC--