Straw hat making?

[tombear]

Hi folks
can any one point us towards a book or site about making straw hats? Or are their any straw hat makers on the forum?

The wife is a dab hand at plaiting and for my own dubious reasons I quite fancy a petasus for working in the garden. I've been looking in the charity shops for a wide brimmed low crowned straw hat that isn't stitched together. I've had no joy with sewn together ones as they seem to unravel almost the moment I get my mits on them.

ATB

Tom

 

[Toddy]

I have one of Rachel Frost's rush hats....mine is a shallow domed crown, wide brimmed one, suitable for many periods but intended for 1560's.
Rachel also makes gents rush hats in different styles, from toppers to flat crowned.http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cr...urses%2Fhand-woven-rush-sunhats%2F455;220;220

http://www.thecraftybeggars.org/hats.htm

atb,
M

 

[cranmere]

I have a rush hat from Rachel too, and I once made a hat from plaited raffia. I've never seen any good info about making much finer straw hats though.

 

[neoaliphant]

Just FYI, theres a segment on straw hat making on edwardian farm I believe

 

[Mesquite]

This site might be of help to you in your research Tom

 

[cranmere]

Thanks for that link Mesquite, it looks interesting.

 

[tombear]

Cheers folks, lots of food for thought there.

more soon....

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Oddly enough when I looked on my shelf of books th may one i useful there's one on Rushcraft by K Whitbourn and one on Raffia by Claire E. Richards. Will have. Look at th library to see if they have owt on straw working.

atb

tom

 

[tombear]

Well that's a handy piece of serendipity, for no good reason we went to Colne and in the first charity shop I dragged the family into there was a almost perfect petasus for the princely sum of £2. The only thing wrong with it is there are metal eyelets, which I will remove and replace with leather washers sawn on so it will do for a Roman job. I look a complete idiot in it of course.

Incidentally the two all but new wool blankets , pliers and slate sharpening stone were £2 a pop as well.

atb

tom

 

[bilmo-p5]

Those blankets must have been in someone's blanket box for donkeys years. You don't see utility blankets in that condition very often these days. Nice find, Tom.

 

[tombear]

Well they stopped using the CC41 logo in 1952 so they can't have been made later than that. Ones brand new I reckon and the other very slightly used. 73 x 89 inches, just measured, so that's double bed sized?

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

I stamped out 8 leather washers and removed the metal eyelets before sewing pairs together, one each side of the holes. I had just enough plaited linen cord ( thanks Mary!) to make a chin strap.

I don't think I could ware it in public but in the garden it will do a better job than the Panamas I have.

atb

tom

 

[Goatboy]

I'm having mental flashes of you wandering your garden at dawn wearing your hat, a toga and sandals, muttering "...what did the Romans ever do for us?" Great looking hat, you've done a cracking job with those washers, very neat job. I'd have been worried that it would unravel into a pile of tinder if I'd done it. You have to post a picture with you wearing it.

 

[tombear]

Well, dont be surprised if it comes to pass! Not the toga, too damn heavy and getting the correct wool in the right amount would bankrupt me! The linen tunic I've made is remarkably comfortable on hot days so when the hedges have grown and we have a bit more privacy I may very well wear it regularly out back. It needs a few washes to make it look lived in anyway.

Having a big fat head i need a really wide brimmed hat and this sort sits on the top of your head held on with the chin strap rather than by a hat band so is a lot cooler to wear.

atb

tom