This Spoon bonnet was made from a re-purposed paper-straw hat.
It is trimmed with a silk taffeta plaid fabric, gold berries, and some piping.
Back view shows the berries tucked into bias strips of taffeta fabric.
There are plaid taffeta bows on the edge of the crown.
Bias cut taffeta forms the bavolet and the ties, which end in diagonals.
A slightly closer view of the trims. You can see that the face is still perfectly visible when wearing this style.
This is a view from the front.
Closer view of the gold berry trim.
Closer view of the twisted taffeta on the crown, and the black braid at the header of the bavolet.
A close-up view of the front edge of the bonnet shows the decorative piping edge.
Made from a synthetic straw braid this is a spoon bonnet in the style of the early to mid 1860's.
The blue and peach plaid ribbon band also forms the ties.
And the curtain is made from the same plaid ribbon, gathered up.
The crown is deep enough to acommodate a bun hairstyle.
Detailed view of the plaid taffeta ribbon.
Some hand-tinted roses and wisteria are tucked in to the inside brim.
Detailed view of the vintage flowers used in this bonnet.
Inside of the bonnet there's a wire hair comb to help keep it in place.
The straw for this bonnet came from a modern hat that was dismantled, augmented by some vintage straw that decorates the outer edge of the brim.
As you can see the spoon shape rises up from the crown. The edging gives a scalloped effect.
A bright blue ribbon and a plaid taffeta ribbon are used to trim the outside of the bonnet.
The curtain is made from the plaid ribbon and it has been box-pleated to add the required fullness.
The left side of the crown is trimmed with some orange and blue flowers.
A profile view of the left side.
A 3/4 profile view shows that the face is clearly seen.
The plaid ribbon is also used for the ties. The ends are cut into points.
Here; a close up of the flowers on the outside.
To conform to the contours of the headdress, the ribbon has been knotted and twisted.
This inside view shows the small bouquet that adorns the centre of the brim, as well as the comb that helps keep it in place.
Close-up view of the curtain and cheek tabs.
This blue straw hat is reminiscent of the Garrison Cap style that became popular after 1863.
The hat is made of very fine strips of blue straw and trimmed with plaid ribbon, a silver and green brooch, and a feather flourish.
The crown is somewhat higher in the back, giving a graceful line. The feathers pick up the colors in the ribbon.
The plaid ribbon co-ordinates with the blue straw, as well as the green in the brooch and the black and red in the feathers.
The hat has horsehair tabs for pinning to the hair, as well as an elastic meant to go under the hairline. These can be coloured with markers to match the wearer's hair color.
Two tails of the plaid ribbon form streamers at the back of the hat.
This detailed view show off the silver brooch with it's thistle and sword motif, plus the green cabochon in the centre which looks like Malachite.
Back view of the hat.
From the inside you can see that the hat has a pork pie crease in the crown, and it is unlined for ventilation.
Made in 2018 this riding hat is made of an open-weave straw.
The front has been trimmed with a cockade made from pleated black velvet ribbon accented with a neutral colored "jewel" set in a gold colored setting.
The hat band is made of plaid silk taffeta in neutral shades and there is a long natural ostrich feather that goes from the front to the back on the right side.
The bias band of silk taffeta ends in long trailing ends at the back of the hat. The trailing ends are trimmed with black velvet fringe.
The left side of the crown is unadorned to allow full view of the silk taffeta. An elastic under the hairline keeps the hat in place.
Here is a detail of the trailing ends with velvet fringe.
Here is a detail of the back of the crown showing the knotted band and trailing ends.
Here is a detail of the pleated cockade at the front of the hat.
Here is a better view of the ostrich feather.
Profile view of the right side of the hat.
Another front view of the hat with feather, hat band, cockade, and trailing ends seen.
Top-down view of the hat with good view of the feather in proportion to the other elements.
This blue straw bonnet was made from re-claimed straw.
The curtain in made of sheer organza hemmed with matching lace.
The inside of the brim is trimmed with grasses, leaves and flowers. Long taffeta ribbons form the ties.
The outside is trimmed with the same leaves, grasses, and flowers. The flowers were hand-tinted to match the ribbons.
A detail of the trim inside the brim. The crown is lined with linen and a comb helps keep the bonnet from sliding off the head.
Detailed view of the trims on the outside of the bonnet. The taffeta ribbon is swirled and twisted over the crown for textural interest.
A view of the inside of the bonnet.
Detailed view of the curtain which is trimmed with a varigated green braid at the header.
Another view of the curtain trimmed with blue lace and green braid.
This 1864 Spoon bonnet was made in 2018 from synthetic straw salvaged from a thrift store sun hat.
The straw was pliable enough to make the shape on the sewing machine. There's a hidden wire in the front edge. The inside of the brim is trimmed with a small nosegay of vintage flowers
In this image you can see the wide ribbon ties used to keep the bonnet on. The ties are brown satin, 4" wide and the ends are "pinked" into large points.
This 3/4 profile view shows the flowers on the inside and outside of the bonnet. Vintage hand-tinted apple blossoms and Lilies of the Valley are the flowers used for this bonnet.
This side view shows the overall effect of the flowers on the outside. Beneath the flowers is a twisted brown taffeta ribbon, 2" wide.
Detail view of the flowers on the right side.
The back view shows the twisted taffeta ribbon across the crown and a bit of the curtain.
The left side of this bonnet is adorned simply with the twisted taffeta ribbon. The side view shows the curtain and the ombre picot ribbon that trims it's header.
Left side view from a distance shows the ties as well as the curtain. The curtain is made from a 5" wide vintage taffeta ribbon in brown.
This inside view shows the comb stitched in to the crown which helps keep the bonnet in place on the head.
Detailed view of the flowers inside the crown and the comb which prevents the bonnet from sliding backwards off the head.
Made in 2018 of re-claimed straw, this spoon bonnet is trimmed with plaid taffeta (cut on the bias) forming band and the ties.
The same plaid bias also forms a curtain at the back of the crown's base.
Vintage strawflowers and pale blue chiffon flowers are interspersed with dark green leaves to form the trim atop this bonnet.
A view of the overall shape from the back of this bonnet shows the proportion of the trims.
The curtain of plaid silk taffeta is cut on the bias and pleated to give the required amount of fullness.
View of the right side of the bonnet. Lace trim from the inside peeks out at the edge.
View of the inside of the bonnet shows the trims and the lace inside the brim, as well as the ties.
Detail view of the embroidered lace trimming the inside of the brim.
Detailed view of the strawflowers at the top of the brim, inside the bonnet.
Overall view of the front of the bonnet.
A view of the inside of the bonnet showing the cotton lining and the haircomb that helps to keep the bonnet from sliding backwards off the head.
This bonnet started out as a 1960's bucket hat and was remodelled for a funeral scene in "Hell On Wheels" in 2014.
The brim was trimmed down and a Marie Stuart point was made in the centre front. The back was cut away to leave room for the hairstyle.
The crown is decorated with black tulle and lace.
There are purple and yellow pansies and violets trimming the left side. Strings are of black silk taffeta.
Detail of floral trim.
Braided straw Spoon bonnet made for “Hell On Wheels” 2012 trimmed with tiny white blossoms and small glass berries.
The double strings are of gingham taffeta ribbon and wide ribbon printed with berries.
The bonnet has gingham bias in the crown, gingham bows, and a binding of bias on the brim; curtain is of lace.
This small straw bonnet/hat was made for a child on "Hell On Wheels" in 2014.
The outside is decorated with a hat band made from gathered silk duppioni edged with ribbon and some lilacs and green leaves.
The shape was made from a dime-store straw hat.
The ties are of dupioni silk, and finished with piping in deep burgundy.
Detail of the floral decoration.
A few lilacs also decorate the inside of the brim.
This black straw hat started as a second-hand acquisition. The crown was shortened, and the brim re-shaped before trimming.
This is the “before” picture, just as it came from the second hand store.
Two shades of rust-coloured ribbon, black gimp, and a curly black ostrich feather are the trimmings.
This variation on a round hat was made for “Hell On Wheels” in 2014.
The hat is held on with wires and horsehair tabs that can be pinned through.
Black Straw hat with shallow crown based on a design from Harper’s Bazar August 1869.
This hat is made of “paper straw” with a buckram and wire reinforcement in the crown, and a completely hidden wire around the outer edge.
Green leafy tendrils extend over the crown and trail off the back.
The front is trimmed with three hand tinted grey velvet flowers and a black velvet ribbon bow.
Here's the drawing from Harpers Bazar that inspired the black straw hat.
The perimeter is encircled with a fine cotton lace frill, and there are horse hair tabs for attaching the hat to the hair.
“Leghorn” Straw made for “Hell On Wheels” 2012 trimmed with roses and pink tulle.
Long, curled ostrich feathers extend at the side back.
This style of hat might be worn for gardening work by upper class ladies.
Coarse straw made for “Hell On Wheels” 2012.
Jacquard ribbon, pink tulle, and pheasant feathers trim this garden hat.
This "Mandarin" hat is based on one from the Metropolitan Museum collection.
Here's a photo of the original hat at the Met. It's dated 1865.
The crown is trimmed with a green picot edged ribbon that has been double pleated. A bow is placed at the top with streamers at the back. In profile you can see that this hat is not very large.
This style was popular for “gardening”. Taffeta ribbons tie under the chin and a comb helps to keep this hat in place.
Another straw hat in the "Mandarin" style.
This hat has ties that go under the hair in the back, as well as a wire comb inside to hold it in place.
The crown is encircled with a double pleated frill made from blue petersham ribbon. The edge is also bound with petersham.
Detail of the double pleated frill.
Coarse straw round hat made for Virginia Madsen in “Hell On Wheels” 2012.
Trimmed with ombré taffeta and narrow embroidered ribbons.
Rooster tail feathers and a small brown bird on the left side.
This hat came from Target and was transformed into a round hat for the Character of "Ruth" in "Hell On Wheels" in 2014.
The straw is taupe paper straw, which started as a modern sun hat and was unpicked and then re-stitched into a new shape.
Plastic millinery wire was hidden in the outer edge of the brim to help keep the soft paper straw from collapsing.
Green plaid ribbon forms the decorative trailing strings at the back.
The plaid ribbon was twisted with an olive green taffeta ribbon to encircle the crown.
There are wire "V" shapes under the crown to use for pinning the hat to the hairstyle.
A filigree brooch decorates the back of the hat.
Closer look at the filigree brooch.
This straw round hat was made for the character of "Ruth" in "Hell On Wheels" in 2014. The front is trimmed with pink roses.
The crown is trimmed with an wired ombre ribbon that goes from burgundy to yellow. The wire was pulled up at the top of the crown to snug the ribbon in to the hat.
The back of the hat has short trailing ribbons and a bow of narrow pink satin.
Top-down view of the straw round hat.
Originally this hat came from a thrift store and the brim and crown were both made smaller to suit the styles of this period.
Detail of the flower decoration on "Ruth's" straw hat - tiny roses.
This straw hat was modelled on one from Harpers Magazine 1867.
Here's the drawing from the magazine that inspired this straw hat
The crown and brim are of straw braid, and the trims are blue ribbons and flowers.
The pointed trim is made of a piqué ribbon.
The trailing ribbons at the back are of moiré embossed with three-leaved clovers and edged with the piqué ribbon.
A small bouquet of off-white and navy blue flowers trims the front.
A larger bouquet and some tulle trim the back.
This detail shows the wires and horsehair, as well as the elastic cord for attaching the hat, the crown is also lined with cotton to preserve both hat and hair.
This is the straw body that was used to make the previous hat (For “Hell On Wheels” in 2014).