"Resign yourself, Catherine! Shops must be visited! Money must be spent! Do you think you could bear it?" - Northanger Abbey

Sunday, August 31, 2014

HSF 2014 - Challenge #15 - The Great Outdoors (Bonnet)

The Challenge: #15 The Great Outdoors

Fabric: buckram, velvet

Pattern: none. self drafted.
Year: 1795-1830
Notions: Wire. Ribbon and other trim.

How historically accurate is it? Don't ask...I'm not a bonnet expert. This has just been one big experiment.

Hours to complete: it took forever I lost count.

First worn: N/A
Total cost: I lost track of the costs. I know the buckram and wire was pricey. The velvet was a leftover and can't recall the price.


I made the frame out of buckram and wire. I hadn't made a pattern to cut the fabric out with so I used the pattern from the original bergere and fudged it (yep technical term).

 For the brim I worked my way round glueing first at the top then smoothing the material along the brim and glueing it to the underneath. I tried to use as small amount of glue as possible so when I sewed the trim on it couldn't keep hitting glue and gunking up the needles.
Next thing I drew round the top part of the bonnet and added about an inch so I had room to play with, cut it out and worked my way round glueing the edge and smoothing down the material.
I then measured the height and circumference and cut generous seam allowance. Folding over the raw edges and pinning in place (I did glue a few points to anchor it before pinning).
As you can see it needed a bit of tweaking as it doesn't sit flush.
I couldn't help having a play around with the feather and trim just to see if colours worked.

Next was to line the inside. Which I found very tricky as I didn't have a proper pattern. There was a lot of guessing a bodging involved. Basically I cut a large rectangle of fabric. Weighted it inside then folded over thr raw edge as I pinned, pleating to fit.
I then started to decorate the outside. Tacking the lining in place as I attached the band on the outside.
Then I looked at it and thought....there's something missing. Thanks to the HSF contestants(?) who made some suggestions. I added some gold braid.

If I get time I might add a cockade but I think this will do for now.





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