The Making of a Milliner

A great introduction for those interested in millinery, with easy to understand instructions and a variety of patterns for constructing different types of hats.

Speaking as a complete novice, I found this a very interesting introduction. It is a welcome addition to any library's sewing, fashion and crafting section because it has a large amount of knowledge, but can be taken up by beginners.

This is a very well written book. The information and instructions are first class, and as a novice I would have no problems making a very swish hat for the races, or anywhere for that matter. The photography is excellent with the instructions extremely well displayed. The hats included are beautiful and very elegant, not a dud amongst the lot. I really would highly recommend this book to anyone that may think about trying the craft or a seasoned milliner.

The Making of a Milliner is a short, easy-to-read introduction to the art of hat making. Covering examples from cowboy hats to hat pins, fascinators to cloches, the book has some easy projects for beginners to follow. Despite the excellent amount of photograph examples and directions, I did find the book to be a bit thin, especially on the inspiration side. But everything needed to make a hat (or hat pin) is included.

The book shows how to make the following hats: wool cowboy hat, plastic fantastic cloche, straw brim hat, fascinator disk, bridal fascinator, horsehair fascinator, and a jinsin fascinator. Hat accessory instruction include making a feather flower and hatpins. Other topics covered include measuring a head, choosing a hat (face types e.g., round, square, etc.), what is a milliner, embellishments, caring for your hat, and setting up a hat studio workspace. Where to get specific supplies such as hat blocks is also included.

At 140 pages or so, the book did feel quick. That means it can be viewed as focused or slight, depending on what you are looking for in a millinery book. Certainly there are many other books on the subject of hats alone and this is intended as a starter how-to and not a comprehensive bible on the topic. But at the same time, I wish I had been more inspired by the examples, which honestly did feel a bit art-school beginner.

Thanks to the excellent photographs and step by step instructions (including where to get the very specific supplies) this is definitely a solid 4-star how-to book. It's a great way to get started in making one's own hats for costumes or self. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

This is well-written and beautifully illustrated primer on the basics of millinery. Ms. Pfanenstiel does a superb job of explaining the beginning and basic steps of the hat making process, including explaining the different millinery jargon and terms in clear and understandable everyday language.

Ms. Pfanenstiel gives detailed instructions about what tools and supplies are required to make the different hats featured in the book (these are all basic styles) and lists of resources where the novice milliner can obtain all tools and materials. This is very useful, since the days of the local fabric shop stocking everything for any type of sewing are long past.

This was a very good craft book read and quite educational as well. If I ever have an opportunity to become a milliner, this will be a book I will use time and time again.

Oh this book was fun! See, I have an obsession with hats, always have, and have quite the collection...but have never really thought about making hats. And wooo boy does it not look easy! Ok, that is not true, the hat making process looks doable, but all the supplies needed would cost quite a good bit of money.

I love the vintage style of this book, at first I thought maybe it was just a reprint, but nope, it is done in a vintage style and it pulls it off really well.

The instructions and photos are really clear, if you want to learn to make hats this is a great introduction!

fantastic book on hats, loved it!

A good, well illustrated guide - the instructions didn't seem too difficult and it's certainly a lovely little book.

Well if this book was supposed to make me think I could start up a hat-making hobby, it did not, but it sure did make me appreciate the work that goes into the craft.

Make no mistake, this is not a How to Decorate a Hat book. This is a How to Make a Hat from Scratch book.

This book covers all aspects of millinery, or at least as many as I can think of. From measuring the head, to obtaining the materials and tools, to caring for your hats, it is all here. There is even a section on setting up your own hat studio.

Each chapter goes over how to create a certain shape of hat, and then how to decorate it in the way of the example. The examples are incredibly gorgeous, with vibrant colors and some really unique embellishments. I chose each consecutive hat as my favorite, and then kept changing my mind again. After mastering each hat shape, the reader would then be able to continue on and decorate their own hats in any way they wish.

If I were to have the time and inclination to get into hat-making, I would definitely choose this book for my library. However it is such a beautiful book I believe any hat lover would love it for display in their home.

Many thanks to NetGalley for letting me see an advance copy for review.

Was in shocked when I was looking in it was amazing gave me so many ideas