The Lydia Fast Bonnet Workshop

Whew!  What a whirlwind!  I had such a great time at the workshop and learned more than I could have expected to learn about millinery.  It's not so scary now!  I'm very pleased with how my bonnet turned out and surprised that I finished it this quickly.  Here's how it all went down...

First, I drove three hours to Ft. Meigs, where the workshop is held each year.  I had a bit of time to kill so I hung around the historical district.  Then we set up and went to dinner and to pick up some supplies, back to the classroom just in time to start work.  I chose to do the Pip, a style with a short crown and a curled brim.

This was one of the more difficult options, but I decided that I'd get my money's worth and do it anyway.  I chose a very pretty pink silk for the brim lining and a yellow for the crown.  This was my inspiration piece:

Ackermann's Repository 1814

Anyway, we received pre-cut pieces of buckram and mulling and a few other supplies.  We started by assembling the crown of our bonnets.

I half-attached my brim before we decided that it was time to turn it in for the night.  My friend Julie graciously let me stay at her house, so we went back there and stayed up a bit longer talking :)

Once we got back to the classroom the next morning, we started back to work.  I finished attaching my brim.  Since I chose the Pip, I had to steam-form my brim in order to give it that cute curled look. 

Here it is before steaming...

And after!

Once I finished this, it was time to take a little break and head to a great store called the Ribbonry in Perrysburg, Ohio.  It was intense!  Some of the ribbons were more per yard than a lot of my dress lengths of fabric!

As soon as we walked in I found the perfect plaid ribbon for Julie and helped my new friend Alyssa find a ribbon for her poke.  I promised myself I wouldn't buy anything but I laid eyes on the most perfect ribbon for my bonnet, and knew I had to get it.  Alyssa was so thankful for my help in picking her ribbon that she bought the ribbon for me!  It was incredibly generous of her and I am still floored.  So, you all should go to her website and buy her books, as she is a Regency author!

It looked perfect with my colors!

Once we were finished with the Ribbonry, we returned to the classroom and put our noses back to the grindstone.  Finally it was time to touch fashion fabric!  I first attached the crown tip, followed shortly by the brim fabric.

I then attached the brim lining--in my pretty pink silk!

I only got halfway through attaching the lining before my back started hurting and we decided to call it a night.  We went back to the house and had some laughs, and I slept like a rock that night.

Bright and early Sunday morning, we started again.  I finished attaching one edge of the brim lining and then attached the inside edge.

Next up was covering the crown.  I could taste the finish line! Thankfully, I was able to attach the crown before the end of the workshop.  Yay!

After I finished attaching the crown piece, I packed up and headed for home.  Today, I was able to put in the lining and attach the ribbon, and I'm very happy with how it turned out!  I might add a feather or some flowers, but here it is in its present state.

I struggled with the bow, but I really like how it turned out.  I'm planning on wearing this to the Jane Austen Festival next year, but hopefully some event will arise that I can wear it to, as well!  The workshop, all in all, was very fun and informative, and I will definitely be going again.  And now I can honestly say that millinery doesn't scare me anymore!