Workshops
Feather Mania - Richard Nylon (3hrs) Beg/ Inter/ Adv.
Richard will demonstrate a number of techniques with feathers, including: stenciling, bleaching, curling and cutting. Learn how to make a feather tree. Even the least impressive feather can look fabulous if you know how to torture it properly! Participants to bring a variety of feathers- the bigger the selection the better. “Found” feathers are fine. Some ostrich, biot and turkey quills would be a minimum selection. Come with rubber gloves, sharp scissors-small (embroidery size) and large. Craft glue, thread, a hot glue gun. Wire-fine and brim weight., PVA glue, fine width masking tape, glitter, tulle cut into strips about 3cm width.
Felt a Small Hat - Christine Waring (6 hrs) Beg/ Inter/ Adv . Participants will be competent in hand felting and its uses in headwear, (a hat with a small brim). They will also explore different techniques in designing their hats, for example choosing their colours, placement of designs (if desired) and brim shape and size. The participants will also be introduced to blocking the crown of their hat using a milliners (dome preferred, but not essential) hat block and will learn hand moulding/blocking a small brim.Will be using lots of energy! Not advisable for participants with waist or back problems. Participants to bring an apron, rubber gloves, 2 litre milk container with holes in lid for pouring, trims, sewing box, dome crown hat block, 1 meter square of bubble wrap, broom handle just over 1 meter long for wrapping, detergent, 2 old towels. Kit cost: For wool $25.
Felting Trimmings - Christine Waring (3hrs) Beg/ Inter/ Adv. Participants will be competent in hand felting and its uses in trims such as flowers, bands, balls and rolled strips of felt which can be made into bows etc. They will also make a piece of hand felt approximately 1 cm square which will be the felt used for cutting up for trims. Participants will explore different techniques of felting while making their felt, for example adding silk cut into pieces, thread, wool, veiling etc. and will make felt balls or beads and rolled felt lengths. Felt from this workshop may be further embellished in the Freehand Embroidery workshop with Gabriella Verstraeten. Participants to bring: Apron, rubber gloves, trims (bits of silk thread, fabric, wool or any other natural fibre), 2 old towels, bubble wrap for felting, broom handle approximately 1 meter long, small amount of detergent, 2 litre milk container with holes in lid for pouring, trims, sewing box. Kit cost: for wool $10 .
Master of Style & Fashion - Peter Jago (4hrs) Beg/Inter /Adv.
In this workshop, Peter will cover
1. Correct fitting for proportion & design
2. Introduction to anatomy of head, neck and shoulder line
3. Shape selection to suit face shapes – oval, heart, round, square & long oval (open discussion)
4. Fashion and form design
5. Design and creation of individual cocktail fantasy, bandeau or whimsy including:
- Proportion
- Foundation design – tulle covered millinery wire technique
- Suitability of fabric selection e.g. weight, colour, transparency e.g. crinoline
- Techniques for covering foundation e.g. draping, reverse pleating
- Veiling techniques (eye, nose, chin) including symmetrical & asymmetrical gathering and detaching technique
- Elastic, comb or ibis clip techniques
- Trims – feathers, flowers, bows, buckles, beading
- Hand finishing –lining, label etc
Participants to bring: Dome block covered in plastic, 450 craft glue, 1 metre 1” elastic, ¾ metre of material suitable for cocktail piece; ¼ metre of tulle (colour matched to own hair), coloured thread, dressmaking scissors, wax, tailor’s chalk, thick rubber bands. Millinery wire, domette and 20/20 canvas can be purchased from Peter in class.
Bridal Millinery -Dawn Bourne (3hrs)Beg/ Inter/ Adv.
Students will learn to make a classical half circlet headpiece that can be bent and shaped in various ways. Students will be learning wire and beading manipulation techniques to produce a versatile, flexible bridal headpiece. Participants to bring: Small flat nose pliers & cutters, small pair round nose pliers, 28 gauge silver wire “Darice” available fromwww.riotstores.com.au. Kit cost: $20
Tinted Silk Rose - Georgina Conheady (3hrs)Beg/ Inter/ Adv . In this workshop you will produce a gorgeous silk rose with tinted highlights which can be sewn onto a hat, pin or made into a headpiece. Participants to bring: 30cm silk fabric, i.e. dupion, organza. You can use more than one fabric and one colour. French Flower tools, (can be purchased from - Waltraud Reiner 03 9504 4476 or Josie Watkins 03 9876 3746) foam block covered with cotton fabric, - (foam scraps available from Clarke rubber) paper and fabric scissors, pliers, floristry wire and tape – (Spotlight, Lincraft or florist suppliers,) stamens – (available Prestons, cake decorating shops, Spotlight, Lincraft) glue – 450 or a clear craft glue, cotton thread.
Silk Headdress - Liza Stedman (6hrs )Beg/ Inter/Adv.
In this course you’ll create a silk headdress (similar to a fascinator) using traditional model (one-off) millinery techniques. Some hand blocking/moulding with wooden hat blocks using a net base, covered with silk fabric will be used. Students are encouraged to be creative using their own beads, feathers, flowers, veiling or anything decorative to make a quality headpiece suitable for the spring racing carnival or simply a creative exercise in headwear. Participants to bring cotton covered wire, (1 meter), sewing needles, small bottle of craft glue, lead pencil, tailors chalk, 25 cm white flannelette, 25 cm top fabric, silk dupion- student’s choice of colour, sewing thread to match, trimmings of feathers, flowers, beads, veiling to reflect participant’s own design and inspiration, 1x hat elastic, a rag or old towel, apron or old T-shirt to protect clothing. Kit cost $16
Tools for Master Milliners - Edwina Ibottson (3hrs) Beg/ Inter/ Adv. The best millinery is made using the best tools. Pressing and shaping your piece having removed it from the block and hand forming will extend your versatility and skill as a milliner. In this session you will learn to make some basic but essential tools for all millinery: millinery pads and a pork chop. There will also be a demonstration on how to make your own poupee. Once you have one you will wonder how you ever did without it. Bring cotton wool (not cotton balls but a length of cotton wool on roll), half a meter of medium weight calico.
How to Make a Turban - Edwina Ibottson (3 hrs) Inter/Adv .
Edwina reports that turbans are all the rage in Europe this year. You will learn how to prepare a pre blocked base for a turban. There will be demonstration and discussion on choice of fabrics, draping onto the base and techniques showing how to sew, trim and finish off the turban.Participants to bring a head form with blocking net base already blocked. If blocking net is unavailable, a 3 layer sinamay base is suitable. 1 meter of silk fabric (i.e satin, duchesse satin or organza), also for thicker materials you’ll need backing fabric such as cotton organdie or silk organza.
Brim Finishes - Lorraine Gill (3hrs) Beg/ Inter/ Adv .
The participant will complete several samples of different brim edges suitable for felt hats, straw hats, sinamay hats and fabric covered hats. Each brim edge will be demonstrated and the participant will work step by step to complete each one. Participants will receive a reference book with all notes and materials.Sample book with all materials cut in preparation will be provided. Kit cost $25.
International Hats from the National Gallery Victoria Collection ( 3hrs) Beg/ Inter/ Adv.
Participants will enjoy the opportunity to view a behind the scenes selection of hats from the international collection at the National Gallery, followed by a short walk to the Eureka Tower, where you will have light refreshments and a spectacular view in a private residence overlooking the city from Melbourne’s tallest building. Meet 1.30 outside the canteen at RMIT.
Australian Hats from the National Gallery Victoria Collection
(3hrs) Beg/ Inter/ Adv.
Participants will enjoy the opportunity to view a behind the scenes selection of hats from the Australian collection at the National Gallery, followed by a short walk to the Eureka Tower, where you will have light refreshments and a spectacular view in a private residence overlooking the city from Melbourne’s tallest building. Meet at 9.30 at the café outside the Victorian Arts Centre in St Kilda Rd. (If lost ph 0418 145 749)
Drawing for Millinery - Paul Anthony (3hrs) Inter .
Workshop features will include: an introduction to drawing the head and face, the placing the hat on the head demonstrating scale, angle and volume principles, the use of colour and illustration techniques and finishing and framing. Participants to bring pencils, pens (coloured), collage (old magazines, paper , fabric) sheets of butchers paper.
Something from Nothing - Phillip Rhodes (3hrs) Beg/ Inter/Adv.
After the grim hatless years of the 1970’s a species of milliner was trained who learned to make their own trimmings from off cuts of hats leftover feathers and broken flowers. This little known approach to hat trimming is available for you to experience in the “Something from Nothing” class. Make the Imperial Russian jewels from a ring pull and a button, - well at least experiment with felt, straw sinamay and imagination and see what happens! A class in trimming finesse. Participants should bring in scraps of felt, straw, old flowers, buttons, braids, laces, beads ribbons. Etc and 450 glue
Ribbon Trims - Phillip Rhodes (3hrs ) Beg Inter/ Adv .
A course in handling petersham ribbon with a professional and deft touch. The object of the class is to find elegant and artistic expression from this time-honoured staple of the milliners’ repertoire. In a time when trimming plays such an important role in adding distinction to your hat, don’t miss this opportunity to pick up tricks from the trickiest milliner of all! Bring 4 meters of 38 mm wide petersham (continuous) and plenty of ribbon scraps. Phillip will bring along some spot ribbons that can be purchased in the workshop .
Introduction to Dyeing – Colour Matching -Wendy Stone (3hrs)
Participants will be shown how to colour match parisisal hoods, sinamay and natural feathers to match an outfit or a predetermined colour. By the end of the class participants will have gained an understanding of colour theory suitable to mix dyes. Participants to bring undyed parisisal sleeve or capeline OR sufficient sinemay for a 2/3 layer crown or brim, additional sinemay or parisisal for a trim if required and undyed feathers if required. Rubber gloves, protective apron, an old saucepan, a cheap white tile, scissors, cheap tongs and 6 pegs. Wear old clothes as well . Any dyes that you might have Dylon or Kraftcolour direct dyes.
Creative Colour Design (Procions) - Ruth Belfrage
(3hrs) Beg/ Inter/ Adv.
Participants will explore the application of cold-water dyes on various natural fibres. Methods include creating variation in colour on the same surface and using more than one colour at a time; and hand painting, spraying, and dip dying. This workshop is suitable for natural fibres and will give you a range of possibilities for creating individual and special coloured products. Participants to bring an apron or other protective clothing, rubber gloves dust mask, fabrics and fibres that the participant would like to experiment with, bucket for rinsing excess dye and a plastic bag for wet material .
Fabric Applications in Millinery - Sandra Buchanan
(3hrs)Beg/ Inter/ Adv.
Creating unique headwear can often lead to the use of draping and free form applications. In this class we explore the use of textiles and fabrics in the construction of headwear. The beauty of fabric draping and ruching will be applied to trim a hat or cover a canvas base. The effect results in eye catching work, playing on colour, texture and volume. Participants to bring a very firm hat or cocktail shape base (2-3 layers of 20/20 canvas) for covering &or trimming. Tulle or stiff, light weight fabrics-preferably silk organza or organdie or dupion or taffeta or similar. Netting (1 to 2 mts) for backing, thin wadding or tee-shirt material, 450 craft glue, millinery wire, bias binding or piece of fine cotton gauze for binding. Decorative braid or binding or small off cuts of interesting fabrics or buttons or sequins to add interest to the finished headpiece.
Trimming Using 1950’s Methods - Doris Chivers
(3hrs) Beg/ Inter/ Adv.
Learn some 1950’s techniques with veiling and rouleaus once typically used to adorn hats but now adapted for contemporary use.
Kit cost: $22
Parisisal Straw Hat - Doris Chivers (3hrs) Beg/ Inter/ Adv.
Learn to make a small sculptured parisisal hat without hat blocks. Doris will share her sculpting techniques from 1950’s using an iron and steamer to manipulate the straw into a small hat. This is a valuable skill that overrides the need for an extensive block collection.
Kit cost: $35
