Hands on

Traditional skills and where to learn them:Hat-Making / Millinery

What is it?Millinery is the art and craft of designing and making a hat or headpiece. The term milliner is derived from "Milaner", the merchants from Milan who sold feathers, flowers and trimming for hats in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.

How is it done?First you must choose the material you will use to make your hat. Generally, handmade hats for winter are made from felt while summer hats are made from straw or sinamay (a material made from palm leaf), says milliner Lina Stein, who runs hat-making courses in Co Mayo.

Then, the material is moulded into shape on a wooden block. “Felt is held over steam until it is soft and then it is pulled down onto the block,” she says. It is then left to dry overnight. The hat is stiffened by painting a chemical called shella on the inside and left to dry again.

The hat is then trimmed into shape and wired along the edge. This wire is then covered with fabric or ribbon binding. A length of millinery ribbon is sewn on the inside to act as a sweat band. Then, the hat is ready to be embellished. “This is the neverending part,” says Stein. “You can add feathers, silk or velvet flowers, buttons, pearls, buckles, veiling.”

Headpieces are usually built on a hairband or a headpiece base.

“The key is that it can sit firmly on the head and carry the weight of handmade flowers, leaves and veils,” says milliner Linda McKay, who gives workshops in designing and making hats and headpieces.

Common embellishments for headpieces include handmade fabric flowers and leaves, glass beads, embroidery and fabrics such as chiffon, silk, organza.

How long does it take?Making the basic shape for the hat takes only a few minutes. It can take several hours to add embellishments. "A lot of time spent making a hat is waiting for something to dry. I usually work on three or four hats at different stages," says Stein.

Where do I sign up?Lina Stein runs regular courses at Rosmoney, near Westport, Co Mayo. Forthcoming courses include Making a Stunning Race Hat (May 7-8 and May 14-15), Sculptured Sinamay Head Pieces (May 12) and Classic Pill Boxes using Sinamay and Satin (July 8). Stein also runs three- and five-day intensive millinery workshops. Specific sewing skills aren't required. Tel: 098-28449 or see linasteinmillinery.com

Linda McKay runs one- and two-day workshops in making couture hats and headpieces from her studio near Inistioge, Co Kilkenny. The one-day workshop is designed for those interested in making an individual headpiece to accessorise an outfit while the two-day course teaches skills in constructing hats and headpieces. (lindamckay.ie Tel: 051 427991).