Basic Millinery for the Stage

Book excerpt: Whether a beret or brimmed, straw, felt, or cloth, a pillbox or cone-hats can define a time and place, be it on the street or on stage. In this practical workbook, Tim Dial takes readers through the process of design and construction of hats, using specific exercises to create basic kinds of headwear that can easily be adapted to different historic periods. Learn about measuring and patterning, using tools, and achieving apparently contradictory goals-hats that are theatrically appropriate, but also strong, durable, and efficient to build. Tim's book incorporates these special features essential to hat making: a modern-day perspective highlighting contemporary tools and skills clear instructions and safety notes for use in or out of the classroom progressive exercises that make it easy to explore and expand on techniques a focus on working with buckram, straw, and cloth-staples of the milliner's art plentiful high-quality photos that guide readers through each project. Take advantage of Tim's tips, techniques, and philosophies-some traditional, some familiar but improved, many totally new, all very doable. Then explore your own artistry.