I have been been slowly working more and more in millinery. Since I have such a deep love of costuming and making anything with my hands, it was only a matter of time. I have blocked a dozen bonnets each of which started off life as a different wool hat. This gives me an opportunity to bring together reuse and costuming.

The particular bonnet started off life as a sort of cloche hat. Wool felt is wonderfully malleable. It became what I think is my best bonnet yet. The edge is stabilized with millinery wire and the front edge curls down around the chin which was a very popular in the 1840s. This particular bonnet has been left to be finished by its buyer so you can still see the millinery wire on the front edge.