Covering Hat Frame

Steps in Covering Hat Frame

Covering Hat Frame: For a plain hat take the correct pattern in paper, allowing no turnings; place the pattern of brim on the velvet so that the exact middle front and back comes on the true bias line. (See Fig. 16.) Allow a half - inch turning all around, and one inch within the head line, which is to be snipped in to the head line so that it will turn up against the crown.

Having cut one side, place this face to face on another part of the velvet, bias line to bias line, pin, and cut out; this insures a correct upper and under brim. Be sure to mark the exact middle of frame and pattern, and notch the velvet so that it will go on right; this is especially necessary where one side is wider than the other, or the pieces will not fit.

In cutting the crown top see that the velvet shades the same way as the brim, and, if possible, the side of crown also. Allow half an inch turning around the crown top.

If the crown is straight or nearly so, a bias strip will cover the side; measure the depth and allow one and a half inches more; measure the circumference and allow half an inch for turning.

Cut some very thin interlining muslin on the bias in strips two inches wide, fold over to one inch and bind the edge of the hat with this; stretch it on and sew with a basting stitch below the wire. Bind edge of crown, putting a line of stitches on top and another line around the side. (See Fig. 17.)

Now put the upper covering in place on the frame, turn the edge over and pin to the muslin bind, and sew with overhand stitches, as shown in Fig. 18. Note in this and Fig. 19 how the pins are placed. Now place the under facing, put pins at back, front, and sides, then turn the edge in so it comes level with edge of hat; pin as shown, and slip stitch the under to the upper brim, holding the inside of the hat toward you. (See Fig. 19.)

In slip-stitching the bind, the needle is below the work; in the last example-though the stitch is the same-the needle is above the work. In slip - stitching a fold it may be done above or below, as is most convenient to the worker.

In placing facings all wrinkles must be smoothed out as they are pinned in place, so there may be no ripping once the work is done; the slip stitches should not be more than an eighth of an inch long, and the two edges be perfectly level.

Pin the crown piece in place with due regard to the middle front, as before noted, and sew the half-inch turning to the side with an even line of stitches, half an inch or less on the velvet, near the edge, and a small backstitch inside the crown.

The strip for the side is to be "catstitched" along both edges before putting it on the hat. Turn over half an inch, and sew with the same stitch as shown in Fig. 20, a "catstitch" fold; in this the upper layer of both turned-over edges is picked up with a short, straight stitch; in doing a hem on velvet, etc., the upper stitch is like the fold, but the under one picks up one thread of the back of the web only; thus in neither fold nor hem does any stitch show on the right side. It is, in fact, " herringbone " done backward, i. e., from right to left. The band finished, stretch it around the crown, letting the join come where the trimming will hide it. If properly fitted, one edge comes level with the crown top, the other neatens the head line; neither needs any sewing, hut the join should be neatly done.

The snipped turning of the brim inside the crown is neatened by the head lining. Before describing this we will return for a moment to the brim of a hat, the covering of which has been described in one way; there are, of course, other ways; a brim may be covered in felting, silks, or velvet, cut just level with the edge, the upper and under being pinned in place to the muslin bind; the two are then "top" or "oversewn" together and a bind put on to finish the edge. This is very decorative; felts and straws may be faced, then bound in the same way, or the facings " slip-stitched " on.

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