Create 2 hats (one straw + one felt) in this 2-day/12-hour studio workshop. This workshop will allow you to become familiar with different materials, using a variety of hat blocks. The two sessions are divided into:

Day One: 6 hours for blocking, the process of using steam, heat & muscle to shape felt & straw “bodies” (blanks) over hand-carved hat blocks. The felt & straw will dry on the blocks overnight.

Day Two: 6 hours will be spent removing the felt & straw bodies from the blocks, welting the brim edges if necessary (stitching nylon “wire” into the hem to maintain the brim’s edge), & inserting the headsize ribbon (sweatband). As time allows, you will also hand stitch your decorative hatbands & trims.

**PLEASE NOTE: Students will need to order their own felt & straw bodies & have those in hand for this workshop. (A list of suppliers & suggestions will be provided upon registration.) You can expect to pay $20-60 for a straw body, & $25 for a wool felt body, $60 for a rabbit felt body, & up to $140 for a beaver or nutria felt body. Please bring your own decorative trims & whatever you’ve chosen for hatbands for both hats. (I will supply headsize ribbons, brim wire, & basic millinery trimming ribbon, & will also offer “fancier” trims for purchase.) Most of the finishing work on your hat is done by hand, so some knowledge of hand sewing is useful - bring your own small sewing kit if you have favorite tools! Hand needles & thread are available in the studio.

Cost for this workshop is $625. Class size is limited to 4, in order to provide plenty of personalized instruction to everyone.

We will meet Saturday January 13 & Sunday January 14, 10am-5pm. Please allow a one-hour lunch break each day.