Basic Care and Feeding of Hats
FenCon10
J. Barrett on Facebook and SteamCat.net
constructed felt hats on wooden block or metal block
Resistol is made at the same place as Stetson.
Crown constructed on crown block.
Brim constructed on brim block.
Look at YouTube. Felicia Day makes a top hat.
Piece of felt called a hood. Steamed, then put on crown and brim blocks and sewn together.
Cloche, hat from 20s, is one piece.
Straw hats made of braided straw. Steamed.
Wooden sweaters can be used to make hats. First “felt” them.
To clean hats:
remove trimming, bands
Hair dryer will cool off the hot glue.
Hat brushes (2—light and dark) or can use shoe brushes (but do not also use on shoes).
Brush crown first.
Natural felt has a nap. Brush counter-clockwise on the crown.
Brim brush from crown to outside, also counter-clockwise.
On the underside go clockwise.
Used cornstarch and flour to stay on hat.
Put cornstarch in bag with hat, shake and leave on for several hours.
Then brush out.
To repair fine moth holes, use emery board on the inside of the hat and glue the pieces to the moth hole.
Clean a straw hat with a stiff brush, and mild soap and water.
Straw and felt hats can be steamed and reshaped.
Clean velvet with a velvet pad or scrap velvet.
Steaming will loosen dirt.
If filthy= brush, steam, cornstarch, brush
Trimmings:
curled feathers—put in a different box to keep in good shape
revive trimmings with steam
steam ?half way full tea kettle boil and turn down to medium, takes about 20 minutes
feathers can be washed, laid on paper towel
use curling iron to curl
Hancock and bridal stores have veiling.
Judith M online.
Stetson designed hats to be re-used.
Hats were used to get water out of the creak.
Cowboy hat
bring the sweatband out and dry it.
Do NOT hang your hat on a rack
Get a wig stand. $3.00 at Sally Beauty Supply.
Use cedar blocks IN CHEESECLOTH to prevent moths and larvae.
Storage:
Bowler hat: brim down, NOT crown, on something that holds it up off the table/ dresser or lay it on its side at dinner.
Cowboy and fedora, store it laying on crown, the brims are shaped, so upside down.
Take hat off using the brim, not the crown.
Felt stiffener can be found in Western wear stores (for rain or really bad shape)
Leather hats: care for like leather couch
leather lotion and soft, damp cloth
Pinch front crown and then push top down to look like Dr. Who’s Stetson.
Hat boxes:
Can buy half moon suitcases.
Samsonite used to make hard-sided hatbox.
Can use big cake boxes with handles.
Cedar will stain a hat so wrap the cedar with muslin or cheesecloth.
Stuff crown with tissue paper OR roll poster board into shape for the hat.
hat block is $90+
hat spinner = paper towel holder with cork part to top)
Use a hat block to create hats. Always cover with plastic or foil.
Reshape the hat:
steam really well
Wear it for an hour.
Too big a hat:
fix with weather stripping or craft felt
too small a hat:
steam and wear
Hats will shrink up if they get wet.
Buying a hat (add finger or 2).
Your head changes sizes. (Same for fingers and bowling ball)