Need Advice: Hat Making is a Mysterious Art

[5panellady]

Hey Guys. Hat making is one of those mysterious arts that I deeply want to understand. I am learning to sew right now and the style I am interested in learning about are 5 panel hats and some kind of style between a women's vintage flattop hat or newsboy cap. I would greatly appreciate any help I can get! Here are my questions:
1. Does anyone know what type of industrial sewing machine has a steam wand for the finishing process? I hear they exist, but that is all I can figure out.
2. How is Buckram applied?
3. Who manufactures custom die pattern cutters for small businesses? This has been a hard one for me to figure out.
4. Who are some of the best online fabric retailers and wholesalers? I am especially interested in vintage fabrics.
5. What type of thread is necessary to produce a quality hat.
Thanks so much! I look forward to a response.

 

[Panamabob]

Hey Guys. Hat making is one of those mysterious arts that I deeply want to understand. I am learning to sew right now and the style I am interested in learning about are 5 panel hats and some kind of style between a women's vintage flattop hat or newsboy cap. I would greatly appreciate any help I can get! Here are my questions:
1. Does anyone know what type of industrial sewing machine has a steam wand for the finishing process? I hear they exist, but that is all I can figure out.
2. How is Buckram applied?
3. Who manufactures custom die pattern cutters for small businesses? This has been a hard one for me to figure out.
4. Who are some of the best online fabric retailers and wholesalers? I am especially interested in vintage fabrics.
5. What type of thread is necessary to produce a quality hat.
Thanks so much! I look forward to a response.

I'd say to jump online with http://www.judithm.com/ and attend her workshops.

 

[St. Valentine]

...or ask your questions here: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?23684-The-Cap-Faction

 

[Hepville]

Didn´t want to offend you... but imho a first post like your´s is a bit cheeky

Go to a workshop and learn to sew, learn to know your sewing machine, fabrics and components you want to work with... this means learning by doing, makink mistakes and spent a lot of time researching stuff... and after that start thinking about business

 

[5panellady]

Thanks!

I'd say to jump online with http://www.judithm.com/ and attend her workshops.

Thanks. I will check it out

 

[5panellady]

Didn´t want to offend you... but imho a first post like your´s is a bit cheeky

Go to a workshop and learn to sew, learn to know your sewing machine, fabrics and components you want to work with... this means learning by doing, makink mistakes and spent a lot of time researching stuff... and after that start thinking about business

Cheeky? I'm an English teacher and maybe it just came off that way because of how I talk. I seriously am interested and am excited to learn. It is all mysterious to me because I personally am in the learning process. No "cheekiness" intended. I will and am learning, but do you have answers to any of my questions for those of us that already know how to sew? Thanks.

 

[5panellady]

Thanks Frank!

 

[5panellady]

Didn´t want to offend you... but imho a first post like your´s is a bit cheeky

Go to a workshop and learn to sew, learn to know your sewing machine, fabrics and components you want to work with... this means learning by doing, makink mistakes and spent a lot of time researching stuff... and after that start thinking about business

P.S. Maybe we have different definitions of "cheeky" from Germany to Colorado?

 

[randooch]

Welcome, Spanellady.

 

[Stanley Doble]

I think he means you are expected to introduce yourself, not just jump in asking a lot of questions. I don't mind but some members are sticklers for etiquette.

I'm a bit puzzled, are we talking about gents lids or ladies chapeaux?

 

[5panellady]

I think he means you are expected to introduce yourself, not just jump in asking a lot of questions. I don't mind but some members are sticklers for etiquette.

I'm a bit puzzled, are we talking about gents lids or ladies chapeaux?

So sorry. I am a bit out of the loop with how this kind of thing works. Most likely because I spend my days around middle school students who are always lacking etiquette? Introduction: I'm a 28-year-old teacher from Colorado. I am very creative mostly in the musical, writing, and jewelry making sense but am now coming into the world of hat making. I deeply admire this art and want to learn. Any advice is greatly appreciated as I am new to this world. Thanks

 

[5panellady]

P.S. Still looking for the answers to these questions if anyone is willing or knowledgable in these specific areas.

 

[5panellady]

Thanks Randall!

 

[5panellady]

I'm a bit puzzled, are we talking about gents lids or ladies chapeaux?[/QUOTE]

I am referring to both but I am mostly interested in 5 panel hats (for my son).

 

[Johnny J]

I love sewing too, and what has helped me getting answers to my questions have not been on this website. I would google those same questions and surely you will find satisfying answers. Also, youtube is a great place to learn different techniques dealing with sewing and making caps. I don't know if you've tried this, but purchase a cap that you like and take it all apart and carefully study it, duplicate the pattern. I'm sure that little by little your understanding on how to make caps will grow.

 

[5panellady]

I love sewing too, and what has helped me getting answers to my questions have not been on this website. I would google those same questions and surely you will find satisfying answers. Also, youtube is a great place to learn different techniques dealing with sewing and making caps. I don't know if you've tried this, but purchase a cap that you like and take it all apart and carefully study it, duplicate the pattern. I'm sure that little by little your understanding on how to make caps will grow.

Thanks so much. I did google those questions actually. The internet contains so much information and so little of it is useful. Too bad really. This site is just one of my many resources. Thanks though, and yes, we have done what you suggested (taken hats apart).

 

[tonyb]

Johnny has it right, panellady.

By broadest definition, the style of headwear you're hoping to make is indeed a "hat," in the same way as a toque or a Tam o'Shanter is a hat. But in this crowd, it would be called a cap.

I've never made such a thing myself, and I doubt I ever will, but if I were ever to consider it, I'd do what Johnny suggests -- I'd take apart a cap of a style I'd like to make and do some reverse engineering. And I'd keep in mind that if the cap I was emulating (a politer way to say "copying") was a mass-produced item made to sell at the middle to lower range of the price scale, much of what its dissection would disclose would be of a lesser quality than I'd end up producing myself. Large-scale manufacturers save a few cents here and a few cents there because hitting that low price the Walmarts and Targets and such demand of their suppliers is necessary to the suppliers' survival. What's necessary to the survival of the small custom crafter, who has to give his or her audience something they just plain can't get over at the mall, is practically the very opposite.