From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking

by Denise Dreher

For the past thirty years, From the Neck An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking has been the bible of hatmaking for milliners working in theater, film and entertainment. It is the most complete and unique book on millinery to date. It can be used as a method of self instruction, as a classroom textbook or as a reference guide. All of the hatmaking techniques are explained step-by-step and clearly illustrated by more than four hundred photographs and drawings. Professional millinery supplies, methods, materials and equipment are described and illustrated in detail with substitutes and improvised methods included for milliners with limited resources and budgets. No prior knowledge of hatmaking has been assumed. Even if you have never held a needle and thread before, you can, through careful application of the lessons in this book, make your own handmade hats either with or without the aid of a sewing machine. You will learn how to make a well-fitting hat pattern, construct and cover a fou

Genres: Fashion, Crafts, Reference, Sewing, Nonfiction, Fashion History, Historical

199 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1981

Reviews

[Cecelia Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best hat-making book ever!

[Judith the Book Gobbler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Habadashery reference.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally had to purchase this book for my millinery class, where it was heavily referenced but not really used (a lot more hands on learning than book learning). Years later, however, I still find myself flipping through it, trying to pull little useful snippets out. Often times, I'm successful.

The book could, at times, do with more explanations and illustrations, especially if you're trying to teach yourself something. However, with a bit of fiddling on your own, you can usually figure out what's what and how to make something fabulous!

It is the only reference book for millinery I saw, too, that wasn't just many pictures if hats with brief bits on how to create them (usually vague or just plain wrong), or with their only instructions pulled from a Victorian Harpers. For this, and it's breadth of information for recreating hats in many styles from every time period imaginable, it is a must have on every costumers shelf, IMO.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great find! A very useful book.

If you've never followed a pattern or tried to figure one out using techniques not described in the Big 4 pattern instructions, you will find the book frustratingly vague. It does not walk one through a single project.

However, it has a plethora of information and useful tips that will be invaluable to the costumer or sewer who wants to improve her millinery skills.

There are a few basic patterns in the back for representative hats from various time periods (one each male and female for Ancient Egypt, Ancient Mesopotamian, Early Gothic, etc.), but if you're looking for something specific, you won't find it here.

I highly recommend this book.

[Anna Katherina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sheer amount of information contained within this book is absolutely amazing and mind blowing; if you've ever wanted to know how to make hats yourself from the ground up, I'd argue that this is easily one of the best resources, as it teaches you everything from a to a; not only does it go over materials and stitches, tools, terminology, and the like, but it also contains several patterns for various historical hat types, using the standard grid method of scaling and transferring (minus the smaller grid squares- so only the large).

My only complaint is that it's in black and white- making it difficult to see the detail in some of the photography.

[Eyehavenofilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have ANY interest in how hats are made or how to make your own, this is the book for you! It is the ultimate
"how to" book on HOw to really make a hat that will survive forever. Hats are not just fabric. They have structure and support just like the human body has a skeleton and muscle. Find out the secrets behind how to
make whatever kind of hat your dear little heart desires,
thr RIGHT way!

[Andrew Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was studying millinery this was THE definitive practical text on hat making, and many years later it still is. Written in a clear, easy to follow style it covers techniques suitable for both fashion and costume hats. Sadly many of the materials and supplies listed in the book are now difficult to find, but that is more to do with the general decline in fashion millinery than any fault of the text.