The Bonnet

A picture of a bonnet,made of silk in the 1860's was posted on one of the yahoo lists I belong to.I decided to reproduce it as best I could from the picture.Here is the picture of the bonnet.



I'm not sure the bonnet I made is anything like the original but
I am satisfied with how it turned out. It is a red patterned velvet with a lining of patterned osunberg. It was very hard to get a good picture of the true color. Of course a couple of the girls had to try it on.
I wrote up a description for how I made the bonnet for a yahoo group I belong to.This is what I wrote.


I made it to fit my bigger dolls, 24". Not sure how it would do on a small doll.

I measured the dolls head over the top and added a couple inches to each
side.Using paper towels I cut the brim/top.Then cut the fabric.

I hemmed the top front, folding it 1/4 in. under then a 2" fold.The lining was
set back from the front edge.I folded the lining 1/4 " ,pressed it then pinned
it to the top.Stitched the channels for the cording and the stuffing.Then hand
stitched the lining to the top piece.
.
It was not hard to do the channels just don't know how to put it into words.I
just measured about 1 inch for stuffing channel, then 1/2 inch for cording.
The tubing and cording was the easy part.Done on the machine.Stuffed with
fiberfill and pulled the cording thru.I did 4 of each.That is what fit my dolls
head.

Stitched up one side of the bonnet brim, then pulled the cording to get the
poof.Hand gathered the back into a circle pulled gathers and stitched 2 separate
circles to fill in the back.One velvet, one lining fabric.

Cut the neck cover to fit with 2 darts in the back.,machine stitched neck cover,
velvet to velvet, Added elastic to the back under the circles on the velvet then
hand stitched the lining to hide the elastic and seams.

That is the basics if you have specific questions e-mail me.I could
scan in the pattern pieces if any one wants them.

Have a good weekend.j