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The Popular Whimsey

These little veil hats, so very popular today, are appropriate for all occasions. They are light and airy, youthful and very flattering. While you will feel almost hatless, they still give you that smart, feminine, finished dash that every well-dressed woman seeks.

They can be made elaborate for dressy occasions, using sequins, beads, flowers or feathers; or very plain for casual wear, using velvet bows, etc.

On the following pages you will find instructions and ideas for several kinds of materials to be used in creating beautiful whimseys.

Material Required

6ATHEU ¢ FASTEN FOR BOTH

It takes 28" of veiling - either fine face veiling or coarse chicken wire - to make an even all around whimsey.

Blocking Veils And Willmseys Method For Veiling

Lap and join veiling ends, one over the other, and sew with a fine running stitch (ILL. #1). Then gather around one side of veiling, pull thread tight and fasten thread (Ill. #2). Pin gathered end to top of head block with a push-pin and gently pull veiling toward bottom of block to smooth out gathers. Pass quickly through steam to shape veiling to block (ILL. #3).

Method For Cillcken Wire

The same procedure is used for chicken wire, except for joining the ends. Lap chicken wire over 1" and match diagonal squares (ILL. #4). Tie-tack each diagonal square instead of a running stitch. Have seam, in back. Trimming is optional.

Method For Draped Willmsey:

If you want a whimsey with a short back, do not join veiling ends. Gather one side of veiling and pin to block. Carefully drape veiling around block, pulling ends up in back on each side to within about 2" of top, and sew together (Ill. #5). Carefully steam front of veil to fit block. Arrange trimming on top of veil and use small velvet bows to finish off ends of veiling you have draped up to top of block.

Attacillng Veils:

Usually it is wise to block all veils a little, using steam sparingly. Blocking gives the veil that rounded, professional look and makes it stand away from the face. Almost all short face veils require 2/3 yd. of veiling. After you have shaped the veil, pin center of veil to hat. Put the hat on, and gather ends of veil up to sides or back of hat on a slant. Then tack veiling to hat.

Many veils are attached to the underside of hat. To do this, block veil on head block; lift veil off block and carefully pin veil around inside of headsize. Put hat on, and gather veil ends up to a becoming angle. Sew veil to inside of headsize; or the front of the veil can be sewn to inside of headsize and the ends gathered up and attached to the top-sides of the hat.

After veil is on the hat, crush a piece of tissue paper and place it under veil in front, pushing veil out, and quickly pass through steam.

There are few set rules for draping veils, and putting a veil on a hat requires real artistic ability, patience and practice.

When putting away your hats with veils, place a crushed piece of tissue paper under veil. This helps veil hold its shape.

Lay pattern on crinoline. Trace with pencil around pattern on crinoline and cut out. Glue crinoline to wrong side of (sized) velvet and cut out. Velvet edges are not turned under, they are left raw.

Two rows of beads are sewn around all edges of medallion and center is heavily beaded.

Block veiling on block; arrange medallion on veil and pin. Take veil off block and tack medallion to veil on underside. Finish with a bow in back.

Gold Or Silver Whimsey For Evening Wear

Material Required For Willmsey:

28" Gold or silver chicken wire.
1 - Bu. gold or silver leaves.
1 - Bu. gold or silver pearlized berries.
1 - Yd. moss green velvet ribbon, #3.

Blocking And Trimming:

Follow instructions for blocking whimseys on pages 16 and 17 Leave whimsey on block while pinning and arranging trimmings. Separate foliage and spread branches to sides and front on top of whimsey and pin. Take whimsey off block and sew, cutting off excess wire on foliage branches. Put back on block and arrange clusters of berries and bows to cover foliage stems.

Matcillng Crochet Evening Bag Instructions On Page 20-21.

Material Required For Crochet Bag:

5 - Spools Dexter's DeLuxe Tinsel Cord-gold or silver. 2 - Spools Dexter's 3-Ply Metallic Laminette - gold or silver. 160 - 6-1/2"m. m. metal beads-gold or silver.

1 - 6" clear plastic bottom disk. 1 - Plastic handle, gold or silver #2 Crochet hook. 1/4 Yd. taffeta. speckled.

Lining Bag:

Cut 5-1/2" circle of taffeta. Cut a strip of taffeta 9"x25" and stitch together. Gather one edge of taffeta strip and baste to taffeta circle, then machine stitch. Slip lining into bag and sew lining around circle, through crochet stitches, to bottom of bag, using very small stitches. Pull lining to top and fit to shape of bag, turning raw edge under and sewing lining through crochet stitches around top of

Tie in main yarn (Lame or Glitter Corde) at narrow end of disc. With #2 hook work 5 s.c. in each hole of disc and ch 1 between each group. Next row - with #1 hook work s.c. in every stitch (132 sts.), being sure to put a s.c. in the ch 1 between each group. (If number of holes varies in disc, decrease or increase as necessary to get 132 sts.)

1st row of shells - Ch 1, s.c. in first s.c. *Skip 2 sts., work 5 d. c. in next stitch (shell), skip 2 sts., s.c. in next s.c. Repeat from * around row, ending with a slip st„ in first s.c. (22 shells). String 110 beads on tinsel. Attach tinsel and ch 1, slip bead up close to and in front of the hook and work bead into this s.c. Work s.c. in each st., placing another bead in s.c. BETWEEN each shell around row. End with slip st. and drop tinsel.

2nd row of shells - Ch 3, 2 d. c. in same place as ch 3. S.c. in center of shell on row below, *Work 6 d. c. (shell) in s.c. between shells of row below. S.c. in center of next shell. Repeat from * around row, ending with 3 d. c. in same place as the ch 3 at beginning of row. Slip st. to 3rd st. of chain. With tinsel work s.c. in each st. around row with no beads.

Work 3rd row of shells same as the first row, except with 6 d. c. to each shell. On tinsel row place a bead on top of each shell between the 3rd and 4th d. c. of each shell.

Work 4th row of shells same as 2nd row with no beads on tinsel row.

Continue this, placing beads on every other shell row and alternating the beads as on rows 1 and 3 until you have 5 rows of beads around bag. Then work two more shell rows with only 5 d. c. in each shell and no beads (11 shell rows in all). Leave 3 shells open at each end. Work 5 rows s.c. back and forth over 8 shells between end openings. Second row of shells - ch 3 in first s.c, 2 d. c. in same place *skip 2 sts. work shell of 6 d. c. in next st. Repeat from * ending with 4 d. c. in end st. With tinsel work s.c. along side edge, then set a bead at corner, work across outer edge, placing beads between 3rd and 4th do c. of each shell. Place last bead at corner and finish other end edge plain. Work other side to correspond.

Tie in main yarn (Lame or Glitter Corde) at narrow end of disc. With #2 hook work 5 s. c. in each hole of disc and ch 1 between each group.

Next row - with #1 hook work s.c. in every stitch (132 sts.) being sure to put a s.c. in the ch 1 between each group. (If number of holes varies in disc, decrease or increase as necessary to get 132 sts.) 1st row of shells - Ch 1, s.c. in first s.c. *Skip 2 sts., work 5 d. c. in next stitch (shell), skip 2 sts., s.c. in next s.c. Repeat from * around row, ending with a slip st in first s.c. (22 shells). String 110 beads on tinsel. Attach tinsel and ch 1, slip bead up close to and in front of the hook and work bead into this s.c. Work s.c. in each st, placing another bead in s.c. BETWEEN each shell around row. End with slip st and drop tinsel.

2nd row of shells - ch 3, 2 d. c. in same place as ch 3. S.c. in center of shell on row below. *Work 6 d. c. (shell) in s.c. between shells of row below. S.c. in center of next shell. Repeat from * around row, ending with 3 d. c. in same place as the ch 3 at beginning of row. Slip st to 3rd st. of chain. With tinsel work s.c. in each st around row with no beads. Work 3rd row of shells same as the first row except with 6 d. c. to each shell. On tinsel row place a bead on top of each shell between the third and fourth d. c. of each shell. Work 4th row of shells same as second row with no beads on tinsel row. Continue this, placing beads on every other shell row and alternating the beads as on rows 1 and 3 until you have 5 rows of beads around bag. Then work 2 more shell rows with only 5 d. c. in each shell and no beads (11 shell rows in all). Leave 3 shells open at each end. Work 5 rows s.c. back and forth over 8 shells between end openings. Work row of shells - ch 3 in first s.c., 2 d. c. in same place *skip 2 sts., work shell of 6 d. c. in next st. Repeat from * ending with 4 d. c. in end st. With tinsel work s.c. along side edge, then set a bead at corner, work across outer edge placing beads between third and fourth d. c. of each shell. Place last bead at corner and finish other end edge plain. Work other side to correspond. Fold flap over on the 5 plain s.c. row and sew along edge. Run rod for handle through and fasten rod to handle. To avoid losing the screws from the ends of the rods it is well to add a drop of glue or clear nail polish into each screw before attaching to rod, and let dry. A drop of light oil on each joint will make the handle open and close more easily.

Velvet Bow Clip

Material Required:

2-1/2 yds. of #1 - 1/2" satin back velvet ribbon.
1 plastic clip, 1/2" wide.

Method:

Cut off 14" of ribbon. Fold ribbon lengthwise on wrong side and stitch together leaving ends open (Ill. #1). Turn ribbon to right side; slip plastic clip through velvet and finish ends of velvet (Ill. #2). Cut off 2" of ribbon to cover center of bow.

Making Bows:

Cut remainder of ribbon in half. Measure off 7" (DO NOT CUT). Gather ribbon, then measure off 12", make a loop and gather together. Make another loop with remaining ribbon.

Repeat, making bow of other strip of ribbon as (Ill. #3). Join each side of bow and sew to center of clip.

Crush or pleat 2" piece of ribbon over center of bow and sew to underside of clip. Tie-tack loops loosely to clip and miter raw ends of velvet (Ill. #4).

Hand Fold Satin Half Hat And Pattern

Material Required:

Small piece of buckram for frame, 5"x l6".
Frame wire and wire joiners.
1/2 yd. satin - cut into bias strips.
14 silk rose petals or leaves.
Small piece of silk for lining.
1 yd. narrow headband ribbon.
Pattern and instructions for making frame on Page 24.

Cutting Bias Folds:

Fold satin material on the bias and cut. Now cut 2" bias strips and fold strips lengthwise (do not press folds). Follow instructions on Page 41 for cutting chiffon folds.

Covering Frame With Folds:

Bind entire edge of frame with a bias strip (Ill. #1). Then starting at end of frame, sew 1/2" folds across frame, turning fold over each side of frame and cutting off fold (Ill. #2). Start with another fold and repeat, lapping fold after fold until 12 folds have been sewn to each end of frame, working from each end of frame toward center. Finish center of frame with a wide bias strip of material. Turn raw edge under on each side of this wide strip (Ill. #3).

Trimming Tabs On Frame:

Start at bottom of each tab on each side of frame, sewing and lapping each petal until top of frame is reached (Ill. #4). Line and finish with a narrow headband ribbon.

To Make Frame:

Lay paper pattern on buckram. Mark around pattern on buckram and cut out buckram. Sew frame wire on edge of buckram, shaping frame on head block as you sew on wire - pulling wire in or out or curving wire to shape frame to head block. When frame is well rounded to fit your head, join wire ends with a wire joiner. Use a buttonhole stitch to sew wire on frame edge. Bind edge with a narrow bias strip of satin.

Ostrich Feathers

Arranging And Sewing Feathers

The arrangement of ostrich feathers is an art that requires real talent. It can only be accomplished by untiring practice.

How To Sew Ostrich Feathers

With heavy thread the same color as feather - sew through quill part of feather from side to side (Ill. #1). Never sew over quill. To tack flue part of feather - use a long thread attached to hat. Then run thread through quill at top of feather. Return thread to where you started, leaving a long thread, and tie-tack thread.

To Curl Ostrich Feathers

Use a dull knife edge. With a warm knife (Ill. #2) - gently draw knife from quill where flue is attached to end of flue (Ill. #3). Do each flue individually.

Ostrich Feather Banding

Ostrich Feather Banding is purchased by the yard and is about 4" wide. It is used for a brim edge on a large hat, or for trimming. Very flattering when used on brim edge. Can be used to cover an entire small hat by sewing on row upon row until entire frame is covered.

Ostrich Feather Tips

Ostrich Tips are small feathers, and come in different small sizes. They are used for hat trimming and for children's bonnets, etc. , and come in many beautiful shades. Always sew through the quill part of feather when sewing on hat.

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