Straw or milliners’ needles:

When you use the right needles it is so much easier to stitch a fine stitch. Use fine needles for fine work as in number 10,11 & 12.
Use numbers 7, 8, & 9 to join crowns & brims & wire.
Use numbers 4, 5 & 6 to make hat blocks.

Long thin household pins

2 boxes for AUD $5

select 2 boxes 4 boxes 6 boxesg 8 boxes 10 boxes

Leather sewing needles


Size: 3 / 7

Ball point sewing machine needles

A must have if you sew crinoline on the sewing machine. Normal sewing machine needles will damage your crinoline!

Ballpoint size: 90 / 14

Blocking pins

Steel pins are very useful for blocking; they put you in control of your work.

Drawing pins & tacks are likely to mark your work & damage hat blocks (see image) therefore we DO NOT recommend them.

We recommend short strong steel pins.
They are pushed in with the help of a thimble.

Box of mild steel pins (26 x 0.85mm)
100 gram
$7.50 AUD

  select 1 pkg 2 pkg 3 pkg 4 pkg 5 pkg

Thimbles

A must when making hats. There is no way you can block hats without using of a thimble. The use of hammers will stop you from being in control of your work. If you are not sure of what is the right size, then measure the circumference of your middle finger. The thimble goes on to the middle finger of your working hand. The thimbles made of brass are nickel plated.

Fascinator base - from 20/20

Great starting point to make a fascinator, cover it in Sinamay, add a few feathers, some flowers and you have a fascinator. You can also use this base for making sinamay toy hats. Attach a piece of elastic with metal ends (see above) to keep it on your head.