Advice : Wedding, Marriage, Engagement, Anniversary

Headpieces and Hats

Headpieces are available in a variety of styles and may be a wire frame or a buckram form. Choose a style that is flattering to your face shape, height, head size and hairstyle and one that will work well with the style you had in mind.

Select fabric for covering the headpiece that matches the wedding gown as closely as possible. Also, select the same style of embellishments, like laces, pearls, sequins. Or ribbon roses.
Use a thick white craft glue or fabric glue for making headpieces and hats, a glue that sets quickly is easier to work with. Most embellishments, such as lace, appliqués, and pearls can be secured with glue. Pearl or flower sprays and net embellishments are best stitched in place.

Headpieces and Hats

These include buckram forms, buckram pillbox hats, buckram bun wraps and wire frames. Wide horsehair braid with a gathering cord on one side is used for covering wire frames.

Covering a Buckram Headpiece

1. Cut a bias piece of fabric 1in to 2in. larger than headpiece. Centering fabric on top of headpiece, smooth fabric down towards edges of headpiece, secure; with pins.
2. Wrap fabric to inside of headpiece and secure with glue, trimming and clipping fabric, and making small tucks for a smooth fit. Allow to dry and remove pins. Glue lace
3. Cut a length of button looping slightly longer than hair comb, glue to inside of frame near front, with loops facing back of frame. Slide teeth of comb into loops. Glue one loop of button looping to each side of headpiece and insert bobby pins. If detachable veil is desired, glue loop side of hook and loop tape to underside of headpiece where veil will be attached.
4. Cut lace motifs; apply liquid fray preventer to any cut cords on lace. Arrange lace and any additional embellishments on the headpiece as desired; secure with glue or hand stitching.
5. Apply beads and sequins if desired, using tweezers, dip bead in glue and secure.

Covering a Buckram Pillbox Hat

1. Cut fabric circle 1in. to 2in. larger than top of hat. Center fabric on top of hat, and smooth fabric over sides; secure with pins. Glue fabric at sides, near top hat, removing pins, allow to dry. Trim away any excess fabric.
2. Press pleats in bias strip of fabric, folding pleats so upper raw edge is concealed. Length of pleated strip should be distance around hat plus 1in. for overlap; width should be height of crown plus 1in. for wrapping fabric to inside of hat.
3. Glue pleated strip to crown, aligning top folded edge to top edge of hat; fold under one end and lap over other end to conceal raw edge of fabric.
4. Wrap lower edge of pleated strip to inside of hat; secure with glue. Glue lace trim over raw edge. Complete headpiece as in step three in previous instructions Embellish as desired.

Covering a Buckram Bun wrap

1. Cut bias strip of fabric 1in. wider than bun wrap form with length equal to distance around form plus 1in. for overlap. Wrap fabric around form, so it extends 1/2in. beyond each edge; pin in place. Fold over one short end of fabric , and overlap it over other end, concealing raw edge. Pin overlapped ends.
2. Fold fabric edges to inside of form; glue in place. Allow to dry and remove pins. Glue lace over raw edges of fabric.
3. Cut length of button looping equal to distance around inside of headpiece; glue to lower inside edge of headpiece, with loops facing top of headpiece. Insert bobby pins in all loops, or if desired, slide teeth of comb into front loops, inserting bobby pins in rest of loops. If a detachable veil is desired, cut a 5in. strip of hook and loop tape; glue loop strip to inside, lower center back edge, hand stitch hook strip to ceil.
4. Embellish headpiece.

Covering a Wire Frame Headpiece

1. Cut horsehair braid 2in. longer than longest side of frame. Glue uncorded edge of horsehair braid to widest outer edge of frame, applying dots of glue to frame. Secure with plastic clothespin if necessary.
2. Pull on gathering cord to shape the horsehair braid to frame. Glue horsehair braid to remaining outer edges. Allow glue to dry. Trim excess horsehair braid with wire frame at edges.
3. Cover frame with fabric, if desired. as in instructions for covering a buckram headpiece, steps 3 to 5, cover wire crosspiece with lace first, then fill in remaining areas.

Tip
To secure the headpiece to your hair, saturate strands of hair with styling gel and wind them into flat pincurls at desired anchoring spots on your head. For bobby pin attachments, slip bobby pin over pincurl. For comb attachments, wind a thicker pincurl, flatten it to your head, and anchor it with two crossed bobbypins; wedge the teeth of comb down under bobbypins.

Variations

Satin and Pearls

Create a lush arrangement of large satin flowers, available in bridal departments of fabric stores. Add tuffs of tulle and pearl sprays. Tuck the back end of wire under the hair for stability, attach a removable veil beneath the flower band, if desired.

Antique Lace and Beads

Cover the frame with ivory Aloncon lace motifs and cluster of ribbon roses. Accent the motif centers with earth tone berries, and hand stitch smaller ribbon roses to the veil in a scattered array.

Beaded Lace

Cover a tiara frame with motif cut from heavily beaded lace fabric. Attach a veil to the back wire.

Leave a Reply