Childs Regency Bonnet pt2

This is not the best bonnet example for a tutorial and yet to my mind that also makes it an excellent bonnet for a tutorial. I have made many beautiful bonnets and it's amazing what I learn from trying new designs and techniques.

Please note the following- There is no single correct way to make a bonnet. Of the originals I have been privileged to examine or view, there were multiple ways in which they were constructed and covered.

I am making some compromises on this bonnet. I would normally use cane to shape a Regency bonnet and I wouldn't normally use anything on a quilted bonnet. As this is for my 10 month old daughter I am using a soft/flexible millinery wire so that it is more durable. I am using a thin and softer buckram to give form to the quilting. I also usually fully construct the bonnet form and then cover and trim it. As I am quilting this bonnet I will cover it and then construct it. I also rarely fully line a bonnet in silk as it is a waste of fabric that is not seen. Very few of the originals I have examined have been lined.

I am constructing this bonnet and writing this guide while traveling to and from an event. So please excuse my shoddily taken photos.

To start with I cut out the silk with seam allowance.

I also cut buckram and quilters cotton batting without seam allowance.

I then basted the batting to the buckram and whip stitched millinery wire to the outside edge of the brim piece.

Normally I would cover the bonnet in silk after constructing the bonnet form. For this bonnet however, I am experimenting with covering the bonnet first with the silk.

I pinned then hand stitched the silk over the brim.

I was constructing this bonnet in the car and I had forgotten both my ruler and calliper. In the end I used a birthday card to draw my quilting lines.

I did have to unpick a few times due to very crooked stitching. Probably from a combination of dodgy lines and moving vehicle. I do NOT recommend this technique at all.

The crown was then only quilted on one side.

Next I constructed the bonnet. I started by joining the back of the brim.

To match the quilting running stitch I used a visible running stitch to attach the crown inside of the brim.

The completed form.

Next I had to decorate the completed form.

I tacked a thin cotton ribbon inside the brim that ties under the child's chin to hold the bonnet on and stabilize it. The outer ribbon is primary decoration

 

 

  Around the neck section I fan/pleated a decorative ribbon

 

  Using a matching blue silk thread I chain stitched around the outside of the quilting to tidy it up and complete the design.

Bonnet Patterning (Regency 2 Piece)

Making a bonnet pattern can seem daunting, but it's actually fairly simple. There are many ways it can be done. For this guide I used sticky tape, scissors and A3 cartridge paper.

My daughter needed a Regency bonnet. I found this simple design on google. I will link to the original source when I have a little more time.

I started by making a tube the same measurement as my daughter's head. Then twisted it to make it slightly conical and sticky tapes it into place.

Next I cut into the paper to create an opening the size of the back of my daughter's neck. Paper can also be added to make it rounder and remove the "V" from twisting the paper. To make the shape stable enough to start forming the brim I made the crown pattern. There are two types of crowns.

1. Flat with a sharp edge

2. Circular and rounded.

This bonnet has the second type. They are both formed similarly. Trace around the inside of the back of the cone shape onto another piece of paper. For the flat you cut out the shape traced and sticky tape it on as is. 

For this one though I added an inch evenly around and them slightly pleated the paper.

This can then be attached to the cone on the inside or outside. I chose the inside as I still needed to shape the back of the bonnet.

Depending on the type of bonnet the depth at the crown can be deeper or shallower.

As my daughter is only 10 months old she will not sit still, so I used a foam head to shape for the most part. Then double checked alterations on her head. This was my beginning basic form.

For this bonnet I needed to reshape it around the crown, so I cut the paper in thin slivers until I was happy with the shape.

I also slowly shaped the brim/front until the paper matched the image. I only work on one side. This means if I make a mistake I can start again on the other side with starting from scratch.

As I managed to get my pattern correct on the first side I removed the crown and flattened it. I could then cut the other side to match. If you had a problem with one side you can cut the pattern in half and then cut your fabric on a fold.

The completed pattern

I will add further construction notes in future posts as I complete this bonnet.