New year and new post

Well it is a new year and my New Year's resolution is to post every other week things that I am working on.  I have been very lacked in that respect.  So to catch up I will post some things that I have been doing.  I have attending demos and built a new bread oven as well.  Made more hats and currently working on some hood and clothing.  

Happy New Year Everyone!  

Updating.....

Through the next few days I will be updating my blog. Adding a couple more classes and changing a few others. I am also going to be adding more than just hats and headdresses. But other items of interest as well. Perhaps I should change the tag line a bit......hmmmm

A little advice from the down under

Work has been slow on the cauls. I have been using millinery wire and buckram as the base materials for them. It seems to be working out well. Many years ago I spoke with a woman I had met from Australia, who also enjoyed historical hats, about my concerns with using buckram for hats and wearing such hats in the rain. She explained to me that she had been studying the art of millinery for years and she had found that after the wire and buckram form was made and the wool felt was added before adding the outer layer of fabric to add a tight woven layer of silk fabric. She explained the silk would act as a barrier from the rain. I have tired this before but have never worn the hat in the rain. So I think I will try it again with the cauls.

I also have some thoughts on creating a set of tubular cauls with the framing itself out of metal. This will require welding and/or soldiering. Soldiering I can handled, welding on the other hand, I have no idea. I was also thinking of trying out a product I recently saw called "weld it". This is some sort of metal glue that holds as good as a metal. I am curious to see if it really works.

Change in plans

I was hoping and planned to teach a couple of new classes in the next couple of weeks but unfortunately plans have changed and I will not be able to finish writing the class in time to teach do to my Grandmother entering hospice. My time will be spent with her as there is little time left. I have scheduled to teach the class later this summer at Pennsic and will try and do a dry run of the class among friends before hand. If it goes well, I will post the class on my blog at that time. In the mean time, I have been working on two different sets of tubular cauls and will post pictures soon.

Tubular Cauls

While ridding in the car this morning it came to me, the name for my class:

Let's go tubing: A how-to class on making and wearing a tubular caul hat.

Nothing really fancy but maybe enough to draw some interest. The class will start out with a discussion on the cauls themselves including what time period and some examples of the cauls. Then we will discuss what materials I used to recreate the hat and what what materials they might have used in period. The rest of the class will be recreating one.

I have several pictures already gathered and just need to put together a handout for the class.

What's in a name....

I have started writing my class on tubular cauls but I have yet to figure out a good name or title for the class. I always feel like I need to have something that will catch peoples eye and they will want to take the class. The truth is, I find that many people don't think about their head wear when it comes to period dress. For some, it seems to be the last thing they think about. To me, it is very important, it finishes your look. You are no longer wearing a costume you are wearing clothing of a certain time period and look the part. Anyone can wear a costume but not anyone can look as they stepped out of history.
Maybe when I finish the class I will think if something.

Tubular Cauls

I've been working on a new class and will be doing a dry run on the class in a few weeks. I recently have been researching cauls, particularly tubular cauls. They are a fun hat and over the later few months I made one. I have worn it a few times and decided that I wanted to put together a class. This will be a hands-on class that will give some basic historical information on this type of hat and examples but the main focus will be on recreating one and taking it with you. I really feel this type of class works the best for me. People want to walk away with the project at least started. I think the class will be about an hour or hour and a half tops. I'm currently working on a pattern too.