Butterflies & Love of Lilac
This lovely shade of lavender goes to the pink instead of blue hues and is called lilac.
I recently began thinking about soft pastel colors for brides after a conversation with my sister Norma in England. I am determined to design for the bride or lady who loves hats who are discerning and want something that seems impossible to find. When the Romance Wedding, pink roses sold on Etsy very quickly and had so many viewers, I knew it was time to design more head pieces and hats that are not white or off white. I will of course do more for the traditional bride who thinks of white only and yet is also tired of the same manufactured bridal head pieces that is offered on the Internet.
There are four butterflies mounted on the four lower points of this cap.
The day before yesterday when Kim and I went to the giant fabric store in down town Houston I picked up the matching lilac colored satin to go with the organza I already had so that I could make the flowers. This color had eluded me in other fabric stores as shades of any color are in short supply. It cost me more in High Fashion Fabrics, but an idea was in my had and I had to make it regardless of cost.
Design notes.
I hand cut twenty four pieces of satin and organza to make the flowers.
Flowers. If you are someone who is reading this who would like to learn how to do some of the things I do, I do write tutorials and have included them on my blog. However, be aware that although you may save money, you will spend many hours working. See my blog Making Flowers-A sharing Tutorial February 2nd, 2010 and you will find photographs and step by step instructions.
The flower pieces once the edges were seared with a candle.
For this particular head piece I wanted to make flowers and butterflies and first cut out all the flower pieces. It takes awhile as I have to cut them by hand and there were twelve satin and twelve matching organza. Once they were cut, I stood over a candle, searing the edges carefully.
Die cut butterflies and hand cut mounting strips.
Butterflies. I made the strips in back to back white satin large enough for my die. Then I cut four butterflies for the four points of the head piece.
Then I added rhinestones so that these butterflies will catch the light and sparkle when it is worn. I added three tiny rhinestones in AB down the centers of the butterflies and four tear drop shape in lilac color on the wings.
I hand cut four strips to mount them on the head piece because I wanted to show them as if they had landed on the head piece. I looped each strip and folded them into tear drop shapes.
First I covered my frame in white satin and French gimp. I used the same frame I already made a white headpiece. And covered it in white satin edged in French gimp.
Then I mounted the finished butterflies so that they sat at an angle, facing upwards where the flowers would be.
I then made the six flowers that would cover the head piece.
I hand sewed all the flowers to cover the Juliet Cap. This shows a side view.
I designed the back so that a bride could add a veil on a comb in the back of her hair if she wished. This cap can also be worn without a veil and show the brides hair style.
A closeup showing butterfly and flower detail.
Each dip down of this head piece has a butterfly mounted on it.
Another side view.
Last I added a soft layer of padding before the lining. This stops any of my thread stitches from poking through the lining causes any discomfort to the person wearing it. Then I lined it in white satin and edged it in French gimp once again giving it a lovely finish. Remember, the inside of a hat or head piece should look as lovely as the outside. Then I added my label.
Be Aware. Making this head piece took about eight hours of time, working on and off. If you don’t have time or the patience to do a good job, then leave millinery alone. I gain so much satisfaction making hats and head pieces that time stands still when I’m doing it. It’s a labor of love.
I took many tea breaks while working on this head piece as I needed a lot of sustainance.
