Hats on Exhibit--Spruill Art Center

I was recently asked by the Spruill Art Center, in Atlanta, Georgia, to exhibit in their art show celebrating their 35th anniversary. This exhibit will hang during the month of July in their Gallery, and the artwork will be for sale--both through the gallery and their website.

Below you will see the two hats I entered. These hats have been given names since the gallery wanted the title of each artist's work. I hate "Untitled" so I named them based on the elements they embue.

This hat is free-form shaped from natural sinamay--a straw that is manufactured in yardage/meters. I love the way it can be manipulated into beautful folds and swirls, creating very abstract shapes. It can also be blocked over hatblocks, but in this case I've simply hand-shaped the hat. There are no embellishments on this hat, except for a piece of frayed black sinamay added for contrast. The hat itself is embellishment enough, don't you think? This hat is entitled, "Roller Coaster."

I've really been interested in creating sewn braid hats recently. Probably because I've taught the skills in the last two classes--in Atlanta and San Antonio. The hat above is a combination of sewn braid circles, about 7 as I remember, tacked together just as they touch each other. I knew I wanted to use this particular peacock feather because it had some lovely shades of lavendar in it. That was the starting point for using the lavendar coqs and veiling. This hat is entitled, "Got My Eye On You."

Happy 35th anniversary, Spruill Art Center!

Texas Millinery Class--Parisisal, Sinamay, Braid

This past weekend I taught a class entitled Sensational Straw: 3 Millinery Techniques, in San Antonio, Texas. The class was held at the Southwest School of Art and Craft, a venue I've taught at three times before. We had a full class of 11 ladies, ready to learn how to work with parisisal capelines and hoods, sinamay (blocked and free-form), and sewn straw braid.

I love Texas! The food, the people, the margaritas! The next couple of shots were taken on the Riverwalk, a beautiful park that meanders through the city along the San Antonio River.

That is a HUGE American flag! Kinda surprised there isn't a Texas flag that big hanging nearby.

Lovely ivy covered bridge over the river. Tour boats and river taxis traverse the river allowing riders to enjoy the beautiful buildings, wildlife, and to people watch.

Amy (from Dallas) chose to work in blocked sinamay and sewn braid. Here you see her brim and the tip of her crown. I love this natural sewn braid. Very classic.

Dale chose to work with an orange parisisal hood and sewn braid.

Here you see a top view of the shape she blocked and free-formed--nice upturned crown.

And here's her final product with a triple row of the natural sewn braid. While it was going to be her brim, it turned into a nice mid-band embellishment. This looked fantastic on her!

Jessica worked with a lavendar parisisal capeline which she then interlaced with the natural sewn braid. So the brim was lavendar, natural, and lavendar again on the outside edge. Nice touch, Jessica!

More of Jessica's hat in progress.

Elizabeth was taken with making a Fedora, which she did a nice job of. She decided to edge the Fedora in aqua sewn braid.

Wiring of the brim edge in progress. See the aqua braid on the side? This is how she will be finishing off the edge of the hat.

This hat is a very nice example of blocked sinamay (crown) and sewn braid (brim). This shot shows the petersham being added to maintain the headsize and to protect the hat from perspiration and makeup.

And this is Sarah in her completed hat! She chose to add a hatband of silk noil which had been created in a recent shibori class.

Nice hat! Aztec statuary on the Riverwalk.

Thank you, Southwest School, for another delightful class of talented students. Always a pleasure!

More Atlanta Flowermaking Pictures

My friend and fellow milliner, Diane Shaggott, sent the following pictures from the recent flowermaking class in Atlanta. Diane's orchid is the one on the bottom row, center. She used silk chiffon and silk velvet for her's. Nice, Diane!

I normally don't have pictures of me in the blog...'cause I'm making the pictures! But Diane sent these along for me to include. Below you see me demonstrating using the radius head for shaping rose petals.

I have been teaching quite a few students flowermaking lately--both privately and in public classes. It is one of those classes where absolutely everyone loves the outcome. Can't beat that!

Check out Diane's website at Hats to Di For!

Next week I'll be teaching at the Southwest School for Arts and Crafts in San Antonio, Texas. I'll be posting pictures next week. Watch for them here.

French Flowermaking and Straw Braid Hats in Atlanta

This past weekend I taught French Flowermaking and Sewn Straw Braid at the Spruill Center for the Arts in Atlanta, Georgia. We had a full class of 10!

Below you see the fabrics hanging out to dry. Fabrics have to be processed with a stiffening agent in order for the flowermaking process to work properly. What a beautiful display of colors and textures!

After the fabrics are dry they are cut by pattern into petals and other flower parts. Flowermaking tools are used to shape the flower parts for assembly into a full beautiful flower. Note the stamens too.

Below you will see a creative use of petals. The pattern was for a rose, however, this student decided to use the petals to create a trillium. How nice! It was a class favorite!

The next 3 pictures show some happy students with their flowers. Depending on what fabric was used, how it was processed, cut and ironed, and then assembled, the flowers each have their own look. That's the beauty of creating these flowers.

Don't you just love this celery colored 'starbright' straw braid hat with the dual-colored silk flower?

Another example of the sewn straw braid, this time in azalea pink, with a lovely triple-colored silk flower. Nice use of the braid as an embellishment, as well.

We made two flowers in the class--one a rose and another was a cymbidiam orchid. Above you see a few of the orchid flower parts wired and ready to assemble.

The final assembly of individually beautiful orchids. Each one a work of art--just like nature!

Great job Atlanta students! Thanks for a delightful weekend!!!

Headpieces for Thalian Hall--a Celebration!

I was recently asked to participate in the grand re-opening of one of our city's most recognizable and greatest landmarks--Thalian Hall. It was built in 1858 and is one of America's longest running playhouses. That's it on the left in the picture below.

Thalian was in need of a facelift. She was a beautiful old lady, but now is even more of a grande dame after her recent beautification.

A grand re-opening took place this past weekend--a black tie event to unveil the new Thalian Hall. Hostesses were in place around the 3 floors to guide guests throughout the evening. To differentiate them from the guests it was decided they should wear headpieces. That's where I come in. Below you will see the pieces I made to be worn both evenings.

Congratulations to the new Thalian Hall!

New Millinery Shop--aMuse's New Beginning

aMuse has a new home! For the past 2 months I've been not only making hats, headpieces, flowers, and running the shop, but I've also been painting ceilings, walls, floors, and trimwork. It has been a loooong 2 months. BUT, as of May 4th, I've relocated the shop to downtown historic Wilmington, North Carolina. Wilmington was incorporated in the 1700's, is a beautiful city on the Cape Fear River, about 7 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.

Here is the building aMuse is housed in. That's aMuse on the bottom floor behind the black door and that's our storefront window. This building was built by a French baker in the 1870's. The bakery was where my shop is located, and the family lived upstairs in the 2 top floors. Cool, huh?

Here's my front window. Not exactly what I want, but with all the moving stress it is going to have to work for a week or so. The old shop didn't have a storefront window so this is a treat for me. Passersby will actually be able to see my work from the street!

The sandwich board!

Our next door neighbor. Not too shabby! This is the DeRosset House, a private club where many weddings are held. The gardens are magnificent as well as the restaurant and the lodging rooms. We like it downtown!

And now for a few inside shots.

Here is what was a pass-through window for the 1870's bakery. Now it is a display nook.

Candy pink slipper chairs in front of the double-sided original fireplace. Rustic but beautiful. Exposed brick and original ballast stones from Europe make for some great charm.

Jewelry cases housing our huge collection of vintage costume jewelry. We carry most of the top costume designer names from the 1940's, '50's, and '60's including Juliana, Vendome, Hobe, Ciner, Haskell, Kramer, and many others. Lots of bling!

We still have lots of work to do to get everything in perfect order. The atelier is still a wreck, but it getting better. Very fortunate to be in such a fabulous new shop. New beginnings....

Spring 2010 Hatwearing Events--Model Millinery

Happy Spring to all of you reading in the Northern Hemisphere! I am not a winter girl AT ALL and have been delighted that the flowers and Spring rains are here to brighten my world.

I've also embraced Spring because it is a marvelous time to create hats for the multitude of hatwearing events. In my city, Wilmington, North Carolina, we've just completed the biggest hatwearing event of the year--the North Carolina Azalea Festival, and the Garden Party that kicks the whole thing off. Hundreds and hundres of ladies don their best hats to eat barbeque, hobnob with the other attendees, drink champagne, and relish our beautiful azaleas! These parties go on from morning 'til night and having a fabulous hat is what it's all about.

I created more hats than I can count for the event this year. Some of them are posted below. I've also been making hats for Kentucky Derby and other Derby-inspired events here in town. Plus, weddings, commencements, and whew!, that makes for a very, very busy Spring. Enjoy!


Sinamay headband created for a customer attending a college commencement. I've included several views of this piece. Not sure how she will wear it on her head. Depending on how it is placed on the head, it can look very different. Which way do you like best?

This customer gave me a few guidelines on what she wanted and then let me run free with the design. I love it when a customer does this! It opens so many more possibilities.

I think this is my favorite angle. I like the sinamay 'leaves' sweeping down the face. But again, it is entirely up to the customer. If she asks my opinion I'll tell her what I think. I believe that is an important part of being a milliner--tactfully giving the customer your opinion on what makes her look best. They trust our ability to look at their face, their hair, their ensemble, and the hat, to give a positive impression.

This customer designed her hat completely! She is one of my models and knows what she looks good in. She even brought a colored sketch in for me to work by! Love this hat!

Another view. Note that the brim is offset so that part of the crown is seen under the brim.

One of my favorite Garden Party hats for this year. The fringed sinamay just really made the look of this hat come together.

The 'skirt' on this hat is actually made from a very, very wide florist's ribbon. There is wire in every strand of this ribbon, which makes the 'skirt' easily manipulated. Check out the glittery butterfly.

Hot pink, or azalea pink, is always popular for the Garden Party. I re-ordered three times!

Easter fascinator for the same customer as above. Another hat where I was given free reign in designing. Only guidelines were: must be a fascinator, must use turquoise and gold. I hear she made quite an impression with this hat.

Derby party hat. This has a huge brim and is very dramatic.

Garden Party hat worn by the President of the garden club. It made the front page of the paper!

Almost every hat I make is custom made for the customer. However, I do have handmade stock hats in the shop in abundance during this time of year. There are always a few people who wait too late to have something custome made for them. Choosing from the stock hats is their only option. But I was very fortunate to have the beautiful hats of 3 former students in the shop this year for them to choose from--Diane Shaggot, Jenny Pfenenstiel, and Andre Baxter. You'll see some of their hats in the last blog post about the fashion show.

While Kentucky Derby is still right around the corner, and I still have lots of hats to push out the door for that event, things have begun to settle down just a bit. I need a breather! However, next weekend I'm moving my shop to a new location. So another adventure begins! Never a dull moment here!

Happy hatmaking!

p.s. Check out my 2010 millinery class schedule on my webpage--http://www.hatshatshats.com/classes.htm . Maybe I'll see you in class!