https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/victorian-hat-doubles-as-gothic-wedding-or-mourning-veil • Posted by Regina R.
I was inspired to make this hat when I saw a small hat of the same basic design (unbeaded) selling for $75 on a website. This can be as easy or as hard as you like. If you don't bead the hat, but simply glue or sew things onto a purchased covered hat form, you can make this design in a few hours. But I tend to bead all my accessories. I started by measuring my head from a point 2" behind the crown to the widow's peak. It was about 8". Then I measured how wide I wanted the hat and drew a teardrop shape onto the Pellon I use to bead. I had a large square antique jet button and a modern black matte rhinestone studded heart from Michael's as the main focals. My design choice was the Sacred Blue Lotus which I sketched onto the beading Pellon. Representations of this flower were common in ancient Egyptian art and were used widely in the Victorian, Art Deco and Art Nouveau eras. The central flower represents the state of being in the full bloom of life, the upturned bud the promise of the future and the downturned spent bud life's ending. Thus this piece could also be used as a Gothic wedding veil, or a Mourning Veil. I beaded the design over a period of days, finished it and glued it to the felt backing, then cut my black tulle fabric into the lengths I wanted. I cut 3 panels a yard long each and gathered them, one for the back with a small standing ruff, to 4", and 2 side panels without ruff to 6". I then hand sewed them to the inside edge of the finished hat cap. The side panels can be left down the veil the face (as shown in the ATTACHMENT) or pulled back and secured with a ribbon, pin or other decoration UNDER the main veil to make a full train for the hat. If you didn't bead the hat form you might want to cover it in a nice fabric, like a satin, or velvet, perhaps with a lace overlay. It can be made in any color, the size of the teardrop shape can be made smaller. It is a very versatile design.
I was inspired to make this hat when I saw a small hat of the same basic design (unbeaded) selling for $75 on a website. This can be as easy or as hard as you like. If you don't bead the hat, but simply glue or sew things onto a purchased covered hat form, you can make this design in a few hours. But I tend to bead all my accessories. I started by measuring my head from a point 2" behind the crown to the widow's peak. It was about 8". Then I measured how wide I wanted the hat and drew a teardrop shape onto the Pellon I use to bead. I had a large square antique jet button and a modern black matte rhinestone studded heart from Michael's as the main focals. My design choice was the Sacred Blue Lotus which I sketched onto the beading Pellon. Representations of this flower were common in ancient Egyptian art and were used widely in the Victorian, Art Deco and Art Nouveau eras. The central flower represents the state of being in the full bloom of life, the upturned bud the promise of the future and the downturned spent bud life's ending. Thus this piece could also be used as a Gothic wedding veil, or a Mourning Veil. I beaded the design over a period of days, finished it and glued it to the felt backing, then cut my black tulle fabric into the lengths I wanted. I cut 3 panels a yard long each and gathered them, one for the back with a small standing ruff, to 4", and 2 side panels without ruff to 6". I then hand sewed them to the inside edge of the finished hat cap. The side panels can be left down the veil the face (as shown in the ATTACHMENT) or pulled back and secured with a ribbon, pin or other decoration UNDER the main veil to make a full train for the hat. If you didn't bead the hat form you might want to cover it in a nice fabric, like a satin, or velvet, perhaps with a lace overlay. It can be made in any color, the size of the teardrop shape can be made smaller. It is a very versatile design.