How to Make Ribbon Trimmings for Millinery

This is such a versatile trimming.  On those days when creative inspiration isn't working for you - you can make up heaps of these and have them ready for just the right piece.

Ribbon petals used in a single row make a great looking edge.  Sew them together and you have a wonderful flower trim.

Measure the ribbon

Use whatever width ribbon you like. 

So if you have a look at the picture you can see my petersham ribbon measures 2 inches and I cut it at 4 inches.

Double the width of the ribbon and cut it.

Find the centre and fold down each corner towards the centre.  The ribbon should be even with the edge of the selvedge.

Put a pin in or iron so you have a nice neat edge to your petals.

Turn down one corner into the middle

Turn down the other corner

 Turn over to the reverse side.  Fold each corner into the centre and tack into place with a needle and thread.

Add some bling and your imagination can run wild about how you can use it.

Learn Millinery

I have just completed a four day millinery workshop with Master Milliner - Neil Grigg.  Neil is from Sydney and travelled to Rockhampton in Queensland to conduct this workshop.

Check out Neil's website - just beautiful.  http://www.neilgriggmillinery.com/

Just a shed in the backyard but what amazing and creative things came out of this shed over the last four days.

The wonderful thing about Neil's workshop is that you make what you want.  There were 8 in the class and we each made at least 3 pieces in the four days.  Each piece so different but all absolutely amazing.  Here are some photos.

The orchid pattern is cut from the brim of a capeline

Neil Grigg - manipulating parisisal to make a flower.

Flower being placed on headpiece

  

Another flower made from the brim of a parisisal hood

Check out the studs that just really mix up this piece .

This colour is just amazing - it is a velour felt.

There was even an opportunity to make  bridal headpieces

Black and white is always such a classic - a luscious red silk dupioni bow is the best way to complete this.

What a charming little cocktail hat.

Silk Abaca - such a wonderful colourful and just wonderful to manipulate into sculptural pieces.

The beginning of the guipure lace headpiece.



Guipure headpiece now finished.

So pretty - lace - pleated crin and black roses.



Making Silk Flowers - The Camellia

 

What you will need

·          About 15cm of fabric – natural fabrics such silk, cotton work best

·          French Flower tools – if you don’t have them, be creative – look in the kitchen drawers or the tool box

·          Burner to heat tools - stove top, gas camp stove, spirit burner

·          Foam block and cotton cloth to cover – foam should be about 10-12cm thick

·          Florist wire (about 22 gauge)

·          Florist tape

·          Stamens

·          Clear craft glue

·          Fabric Stiffener

·          Scissors

·          Pliers

·          Dressmaker’s pins

 

  

Stiffen the fabric

You can use straw stiffener (flammable and really smelly). 

You can use the recipe from my previous post. 

If you want a really simple and effective stiffener you can use PVA glue and water solution.  Mix 1/3 PVA to 2/3 water in a bucket or large bowl. PVA is a woodworking glue that you can buy from the hardware store.

Scrunch the fabric up and dunk into the solution and make sure the fabric is really soaked.  Wring out the fabric really tightly and then hang on the line to dry.  Use pegs or weights on the bottom on the fabric in the corners to stop the fabric gluing together. 

Hint – if you are doing a lot of stiffening of fabrics for flower making do your light colours first and then darker colours.  Dye can sometimes run from darker fabrics.

Cut out your fabric using your paper patterns

Draw from this diagram and enlarge patterns to size,  Use tape measure as a guide.

 

Petal 1            Cut 4

Petal 2            Cut 3

Leaf                Cut 3 (cut on bias of fabric)

Cut out all the petals and leaves.   When pinning the pattern to fabric make sure pins are in the centre of the petal – the hole from the pin does not disappear so have the pin hole in a spot where it will not be obvious when finished.

 

Hint: Always cut out 1 or 2 more petals and leaves than you need – sometimes the tool may be too hot and burn so in this way you have some spare. Sometimes you will want a fuller flower depending on the thickness of the fabric chosen.

 If you don’t use them in this flower keep with other spares you will collect. It will be surprising how you can construct a hybrid flower from all your leftovers. The combination of the colours and textures of fabrics can be really interesting.

The leaves

Glue the florist wire onto the backs of the leaves so glue can dry while you are tooling the petals and constructing the flower.  Place the wire in the centre of the leaf. Make sure the wire is glued to almost the top of the leaf.

Heat the knife tool.  (If you don’t have one raid the kitchen drawer and look for a butter knife – ie one that is smooth and doesn’t have serrated surfaces.)

Once glue has dried place leaf wrong side down on flat hard surface (ie don’t use foam pad or sand bag).  Run knife along the wire on each side of the wire.  Make veins in the leaf – run knife from centre to the edge of the leaf.

 

Wire the leaves together by first overlapping two of the wired leaves and twisting the wire until there is no movement.  Cut off extra wire from one wired leaf. 

Repeat with third leaf.

Neaten this wire bunch by winding florist tape from the base of all leaves to the end.

Pressing the petals

Using foam pad (or sand bag if you prefer) place Petal 1 – right side down.  Tool all petals on the wrong side of the fabric.

Place ball tool into centre of each petal, by holding the petal in the centre with the left hand, push down with tool in right hand lift up at the same time.  All four of Petal 1 are pressed the same.

Place one of the circles of petals on the foam pad and press the heated knob into each petal. 

Press heavily into the foam pad so that the petals are pressed into deep cups. 

 

The three larger sets of Petal 2 are pressed in much the same way but instead of one deep scoop in the centre of each petal, make two indentations in each petal.  Press the remainder of Petal 2 the same.

Into the centre of each circle of petals press firmly using the round tool:

Press 2 of Petal 1 on wrong side

Press 2 of Petal 1 on right side – the reason for this will become clearer later

Press all of Petal 2 on right side

Assembling the camellia

Take a piece of florist wire and fold in half.  Put the folded wire in to the centre of the stamens.  Fold stamens up and pinch the florist wire at the base using some pliers.  Twist the two pieces of wire together.  Wrap the base with florist tape and tease out the stamens so they sit evenly.

 

Cut a small X in the middle of each circle of petals.  This little X allows the circle of petals to slide over the wire.

Put a small amount of glue at the base of the stamens. Take Petal 1 (the one that was tooled in the middle of the wrong side) and slide onto the wire.  Place the petals around the centre stamens so the petals overlap evenly. The petals should fold around the stamens forming a little centre bud. Hold gently until the glue has held the petals around the centre stamen bunch.

Place a small amount of glue around the base of the first petal.  Slide the second Petal 1 (the petal with tooled centre of wrong side) onto the stamen base.

Place a small amount of glue around the base of the previous petal.  Slide the third Petal 1 onto the flower bud.  This third petal will sit out from the stamen base rather than around the centre. Repeat for the remaining Petal 1. Place around so the petals go in between previous petals.

 

Now slip the three large circles of petals on (ie Petal 2); placing them so that the petals curl out. Place a little glue between each slip-on petal circle. Place Petal 2 so that petals go in between previous petals.  Repeat this process with the remaining petals.

 

When the glue on the flower is dry, attach the leaves.  Place leaves so that about half of the leaf shows beyond the flower and secure the leaf bunch by winding in the wire stem of the leaves around the main stem of the flower.  Position leaves onto camellia making sure they are close to the back of the flower - this helps to have the flower sit a little flatter at the back when you are attaching to hats or when using as a brooch.  Cut off extra wire.

To neaten the back cut a small circle from the fabric. Cut a small X in the centre of the circle – glue and then slide the circle over the wires. 

Neaten all wires using florist tape.

Use the pliers and pinch the back of the camellia (at the base) on the wire and fold the stem over.  Cut off excess wire using pliers. 

 

Millinery Workshop with Master Milliner Neil Grigg

Earlier this year I was really fortunate to attend a millinery workshop on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.  The very talented Sandy Aslett (Hats by Sandy A) hosted a workshop conducted by Master Australian Milliner Neil Grigg.  As you can see from the clip there were some amazing pieces that were created during the 4 day workshop.

It is always so inspiring to attend these workshops to learn from one of the best milliners in Australia and to network with colleagues from all over Queensland and New South Wales.  Milliners travelled from Rockhampton (Qld), Clunes (NSW), Brisbane (Qld) and some milliners from the Sunshine Coast (Qld).

It is nearing the end of winter here in Queensland and that means that Spring, bright colours  and Fashions in the Field is just around the corner. 

Making Fabric Flowers for Fascinator for St Patrick's Race Day

Just got a little sidetracked from my previous post about making silk roses for a bride.  I made these on the weekend for a headpiece for a georgous girl going to the St Patrick's Race Day. 

These are dog roses and are dead easy to make.  I really like these flowers as they sit quite flat - sometime you need a flatter flower.

Just to make sure you understand - both these will not be on the same hat.  The green silk flowers are for the fascinator and the other one is made from cotton.  I always think it is so amazing that changing the fabric can change the whole look.

I have sold  these dog roses with a little attachment at the back so you can thread it through a headband, use as a brooch or use on a thin belt or ribbon around the waist.