1880s Bustle Era Hat Online Class
Beginning millinery class to complete your Victorian Bustle Era ensemble!
You have your bustle dress but now it’s time to complete the outfit with a fantastic hat! But you have no idea how to make one, where to get started, or even what supplies you need. You need HELP!
Stop dreaming – this is the class for you!
Through 4 detailed lessons, we’ll cover all the steps needed to create a buckram hat with formed crown and brim. Each lesson has 3 to 5 videos along with an accompanying PDF handout complete with homework assignments to keep you on track with your project.
“Thank you so much for this class. I’ve made a few hats in the past but I appreciated your tutorials and lesson plans: they really expedited the process.” ~Gailynne B.
This class is for intermediate-level crafters. You’ll learn exactly how to complete each step but you should understand basic sewing techniques including hand sewing stitches like the whip and stab stitch. This is more of a crafting class rather than sewing and for the most part we’ll stick with simple instructions for easy project completion.
The priority of this hat class is for you to understand how a buckram frame hat goes together. Once you understand the basics of putting a frame together and covering it, you’ll be able to tackle other hat and bonnet designs. They are limitless. 🙂
Together we’ll focus on the specific topic of making a buckram frame hat project so we can saturate the knowledge and improve our millinery skills. We’ll explore the various parts of hats from the 1870s and 1880s including the varying crown height and shaped brim and that most important of all – trimmings!
“Jennifer, you have to be detailed when writing sewing instructions…. One of the reasons my project is coming out so successfully is that you write very detailed instructions.” ~Diane Ullman
Detailed Lesson Plans Prepared for You:
Lesson 1: Discuss millinery supplies & tools, pattern selection, hat designs, recommended fabrics, & possible trim ideas
Lesson 2: Cutting buckram and fabrics; applying millinery wire; forming the crown section
Lesson 3: Adding a mull layer to the frame; covering the crown and brim sections with fabric
Lesson 4: Joining the crown to brim; adding trims; adding a lining; tips for wearing your new hat
Although making a buckram hat can seem quite complicated, we’ll walk through each step in detail so you know exactly what to do.
For this class, we’ll be using the popular Truly Victorian patterns #550 and #551 (sold separately). Several other pattern options will be provided, but please note all lessons will cover the above patterns specifically.
Choose which decade you want to make: Early Bustle 1870s or Late Bustle 1880s. Or make a hat that works for both! The techniques you learn in class will carry you far beyond the Bustle Era too.
“I’ve made one buckram foundation hat to date. I did it but when I had a question there was no one to go to. Thanks to you, Jennifer, and your online 1880s hat tutorial, I watch the videos, do the work, refer back to the videos if needed and move forward to create with confidence. It’s like having my very own personal instructor by my side! Love it!!” ~Joy F.
Valuable Skills & Techniques You’ll Learn:
- Fabrics specifically recommended for 19th C. millinery projects
- How to sew wire to buckram by both hand and machine
- Why you should add a mull layer to your hat frame
- Cutting buckram the easy way
- Learning how & why to use a thimble
- How to get the tip to fit into the formed crown section
- How to cover a hat frame with fabric
- Working with a curved needle
- Types of trims & their placement suitable for late Victorian hats
- How to apply trims to hats
- Tips for how to wear a bustle hat including hairstyles
“I tried to make the hat on my own, following the pattern instructions. Your class made the difference between a costume and an historical hat which I can now wear with pride. I can’t recommend your classes enough.” ~Becky Millinger
Beginning to Intermediate Level Class
If you have sewing experience but are new to millinery, you will feel quite comfortable here. The class is designed for those who know very little about hat making. We’ll be following the pattern instructions but also other techniques learned over the instructor’s personal hat making experiences. You should be able to keep up with the class just fine.
If you are new to sewing or crafting, you are most welcome. However, you may need to rely on the glue rather than the hand stitching more often throughout the steps. Challenge yourself to something new!
If you are advanced in your sewing skills and have made/attempted hats before, you are welcome! Many of our students are advanced but take the classes simply as a means of personal accountability. And a way to get those pushed aside projects DONE. 🙂
“Huge thanks to you, Jennifer. Very well done. This has been a great class and my skill level overall has improved because of it. ~Amy Osterholm
Class begins when you’re ready. Access to the class never expires.
Be sure to download & print the handouts too for future projects!
Class Fee: $49
Includes 4 full lessons with handouts, over 3 hours of video tutorials, and a fun sewing project!
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you!
Happy Sewing!
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Jennifer Rosbrugh, DBA HistoricalSewing.com, is an affiliate of Amazon.com.
If I purchase the hat making class, will I be able to ask the instructor questions?
Hi Susan,
Yes! In the new class platform you can post comments (with pictures too!) in each module. Or you can email me comments and questions there as well. 🙂
I am interested in taking this class. What is the additional expense for millinary supplies (pattern, buckram, wire)? I assume I buy my own. Do you offer a list of recommended sources?
Hi Sloane,
Yes! I give you the list of supplies, along with recommended vendors, both in the Lesson 1 handout and in the accompanying video. The main class patterns are Truly Victorian TV550 or TV551, but I use the 550 throughout the videos. After that, your main supply expenses will come from the buckram and wire. Generally these items are not available at local chain stores and need to be ordered. Wire cutters, pliers and curved hand needles come in handy, as well as other general sewing supplies. Fabric cost can vary depending on what you choose to cover your hat with. Let me know if you have other questions. 🙂
I have a question. For the lining, you sew the tip fabric to the crown fabric. Can you also do this for your outer fashion fabric instead of attaching them separately?
I would not recommend it. You won’t get as tight as a fit over your frame. Or, it could end up too small which will cause other issues. Plus, it’s period correct (as well as millinery sewing correct) to hand sew a fabric crown to the fabric tip around the frame.
I figured it might not fit closely. I hand tackled the whole thing (other than lining) and am glad I did it by hand!
Hi Jennifer,
I am severely limited by bandwith on my computer and would like to take the hat-making class. I have a lot of your earlier publications and thoroughly enjoy the clarity of your teaching and all the printed materials. Is it available to purchase a cd of the class (that can’t be copied)?
Thanks,
Deb
Hi Deb,
Thank you for the question. Currently we only have the Victorian Corset Class available as a DVD set. Although, recently several people have asked about other classes on DVD including this 1880s hat class. So we are considering getting it into DVD format sometime in 2015 to better serve our clients such as yourself with slow internet speed and for the choice to watch on a tv screen rather than computer or device.
Jennifer