76 PRACTICAL MILLINERY By Mrs. ERIC PRITCHARD The Difficult Art of Making Hat'frames — The Head Band and the Early Stages of the Brim- to Shape the Brim — The Crown Must be Made Separately "Fhe difficulty of constructing the frame- ^ work of headgear without long training and experience cannot be denied, but, like everything else, it can be overcome if we really make up our minds to begin at the beginning and to learn the scientific principles on which this art depends. No millinery is easy, and to make shapes in wire or spartra requires mathematical pre- cision and accuracy to ensure success. Spartra is the better material, and can be purchased from any draper at is. the sheet. To begin the undertaking, buy one sheet of spartra, is. ; one ring of silk wire, 3d. ; and a pair of millinery nippers, which cost is. 4|d. DIRECTIONS To form the head band. Cutoff 22 inches of wire, and make an accurate circle 20 inches in circumference — that is to say, allow 2 inches for overlap- ping. Give the silk on wire one stitch through, then bind the thread round until the wire is firm. -Ho^ Replace head wire on head mark, and firmly buttonhole-Stitch all round to prevent stretching of crown. I SPARTRA . 7 22 Inches Cut a strip of spartra i inch wide by 22 inches long (the two extra inches are allowed for turning). Place this ring flat on the centre of a sheet of spartra, pin it down f rmly, then pencil- mark round to obtain head mark. Sew this band firmly to snips, the head band. This forms T ZIZ Band sewn on to snips. Remove wire, and cut out circle three- quarters of an inch within the head mark. Snip round and turn back to head mark, thus forming a castellated ridge. .if To form the brim, one angle of the sheet of spartra must be selected as the front of the hat, and then pencilled into eight equal parts, as shown in sketch.
