need help with tricorn hat construction

cellophaneflwrs

Hello! I have made several attempts at making a tricorn hat- once covered an exsisting hat with the satin fabric I need, and a couple more out of fabric and heavy interfacing. On the ready made where I "reupholstered it, if you will, it retains it's frame shape okay, but the body part looks sloppy and kinda saggy. The one I made from a heap of fabric turned out as I wanted, but after several wearings and transport to and from shows, it already is looking worn.

I am wondering what to use in the brim part, that folds up into the tricorn to hold shape, and have a crisp line to it. It can't be floppy at all along the curved up edges. I hope I'm explaining okay...any advice would be greatly appreciated! Oh...I'm using satin as my fabric- it's a Sgt Pepper George hat.

Thank you!

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Amadscientist

I feel ya here! LOL!

But...you posted no images of your work to know what your results were.

So, I'll try to take a stab at this as I have had many of the same problems and will show you what i came up with. First off, my hat is not a tricorn. It's a Napoleonic era British Naval First Lieutenant's bicorn. Same principle applies but slightly different results.

First...these were originally formed felt made from beaver pelts (and can still be purchased with wool felt for a hefty price....which is why I came up with these alternatives) hats. Formed in a process using mercury. I am unsure what is used today. But for an alternative to forming felt (although....I did purchase fabric stiffener and have not yet experimented with it and the felt) is a buckram frame. It keeps a sharp and accurate shape and is a standard millinery material.

You can purchase millinery supplies like the base cape and build on it or....lol....do what I do and cheat by buying the cheap felt pirate hats and cutting everything off bu the little cap and build from there. It costs far less than a millinery cap.

But if you just want something quick and can be easily made with a standard home sewing machine, stick with heavyduty interfacing under two peices of standard wool costume felt in a doughnut shape. Glue the three peices to the cap (cut the inner hole to match the extra need to fold into the inner cap, then sew the edges of the outer circle together. (you could spray adhere the heavy duty interfacing if you can't find fusible but I think sparay adhering all three layers together before edging with seam tape will keep it from seperating and keep the shape well. Always edge with a guide. If you don't have one buy one. Trust me.

Edit- for your costume you would add an extra layer of your satin ontop of the felt. Gives it the body you need.

Amadscientist

Darth Mule

Try covering the hat using wonder under (a iron on adhesive) that will bond the fabric to the understructure. Alternatively, if you use a buckram frame, heat and steam should bond the fabric to it. Thus eliminating your bagginess.

Amadscientist

I have mixed results using wonder under in this manner, but have found manytimes that 3 M sprey adhesive is the real wonder. LOL!. That and a glue gun will get you farther than people think.

cellophaneflwrs

Sorry 'bout the delay in posting some pics....new to this website and still getting my legs.

I have tried building over an existing hat and got mediocre results...I have heard of buckram and really need to get my hands on some to try it out. I'm hesitant to use any kind of glue spray/adhesive since it seems that satin shows most anything you put on it or even near it! spots appear out of nowhere! I may resort to doing a test on a few pieces of scrap as if it were assembled to see if there is show through or not. What's "always edge with a guide"? I'm not familiar with what you are saying, but hey, if it helps, which it sounds like it would, I'd love to hear more about it!

Thanks for your tips! -Marcia

Amadscientist

The hats have stitching around the edge. Always with a seam tape. Don't try to do this free hand purchase an edge guide for your sewing maching 1/4 inch.