I Spent 70 Hours Hand Sewing a Berry Bonnet
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- Опубликовано: 18 дек 2021
- Well, I certainly didn’t expect this historical fashion project to go like this. Making this Victorian bonnet to go along with the rest of the Berry Dress ensemble was far, far more time consuming than I ever imagined - I spent an entire 70 hours hand sewing this thing! Being that this was my first time ever making a bonnet or any hat from scratch, I’m really proud with how it turned out and at least I feel my hard work was not for naught.
I certainly have a profound respect as well for milliners!
The final completion of the Berry Dress is right upon us, as I will be releasing the construction process for the 1860s day bodice and the grand reveal on December 30th, 2021, just in time for the new year. I’m excited to fully accessorise the ensemble and finally make it into a completed look that I’ll be able to wear as daily historical clothing. Have you ever sewn a bonnet from scratch before, and if so what was the process like for you?
Sewing supplies, camera gear, and fashion books I use:
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www.amazon.com/shop/v.birchwo...
Social Media:
Patreon - / vbirchwood
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Facebook - / vbirchwoodhistorical
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Resources That Helped Me:
• Making an 1860s Bonnet...
fashionthroughherstory.com/20...
Sources:
Ice Skaters-
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Extant Bonnets Inspiration-
www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
Bavolet Examples-
www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
Shirring in 19th Century-
www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
Shirring Examples-
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
#TheBerryDress #1860s #Victorian 
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Thanks so much for your patience with the release of this video! The bodice construction and final reveal of the entire Berry Dress ensemble (including accessories, etc.) will be released on the 30th of December, 2021. I hope you all have a peaceful holiday season.
Have you ever sewn a bonnet (or another historical hat) from scratch before, and if so, how did you find it?
You have way more patience then I could ever imagine myself having. The only reference I have to this is when I was17 I built a racing bicycle frame from scratch and did all the joint brazing. It was way less complicated then sewing a bonnet! Haha 😆
Thank you! Still building your own racing bike those is super cool 😊
I have a tip for getting those smooth, flat surfaces that comes right from art school.... You may already know this, but it's the method for stretching canvas on a frame or wall.
Basically, pin both opposite sides, then pin the top and bottom, then the corners, then work out from the center of each side, pulling the canvas (or fabric) away and sightly towards the corner. Unpin (or staple in the case of canvas) and re-do if one seems wonky. And voila! Painless stretching.
Such a great tip, thank you! It’s great how transferable some skills are from one medium to another 😊
Every hour of work shows in how gorgeous that bonnet is
Thank you so much 😊
Thank you for your wonderful sewing videos. The bonnet is Beautiful...I am a Historical sewer, and I know all the time and work that goes into a project...
Have a Wonderful Holiday...🙂
Thank you so much Rose! That’s wonderful that you’re a historical sewer 😊 happy holidays!!
It's beautiful, i would not have guessed it was your first bonnet. You've inspired me to have a go!
Thanks so much Sian! You totally should 😊
Wonderful job, Vasi! After seeing construction photos on Patreon I was very impatient to see the video, which I enjoyed very much. I loved the footage at the end with the Christmas tree and yourself wearing you beautiful bonnet. So peaceful. I wish you a merry Christmas.
Thank you so much Joëlle! 😊I’m glad you enjoyed seeing the footage so much. I hope you have a lovely Christmas xx
Engineering, inspiration, and make-do-and-mend blended into art. Pretty sure that this is the millinery equivalent of so many fancy projects involving wood or metal, just with fabric. The end result is just as fine. Thanks for the video showing your whole process!
Thanks so much Sixstringedthing! I actually think I recently mentioned in an interview how making clothing art that you wear day-to-day is akin to someone making their own furniture and using it everyday. It’s so similar in principle, so it’s funny you bring that up!
@@VBirchwood Glad that you followed where I was heading there Vasi. :)
@@sixstringedthing I did 😊
The bonnet is gorgeous! Can't wait to see completed outfit! Can you tell us where you work? Do they allow you to wear historical clothing? Love your channel and your love of the past. Happy Holidays!
Thank you so much Lisa! I work on online job so since I don’t have to show up anywhere physically, I don’t have a dress code or anything 😊
I appreciate the support and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Sure to shirring! I love that! 😄 The bonnet looks beautiful and wow so much work but it looks really beautiful, so it’s worth it! The end part of the video was beautifully made, I love it! 😍👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you so much Sua! Happy holidays! 😊🍓
@@VBirchwood Thank you! Happy Holidays V! 🏵🍓
Thank you 😊
So much time for such a little thing... I have a newfound respect for hats. It’s so beautiful🤩, I can’t wait for the full ensemble ! Happy holidays.
Thanks so much Lisez! Happy holidays 😊
It was beautiful when it was finished. I think I might try that some day.
God bless you this Christmas. Thanks for playing "Oh Come Emmanuel" at the end.
Thanks so much Megan! You definitely should give hat-making a go! It’s time consuming but fun. Merry Christmas to you 😊
What a project! Must have been so satisfying putting in the last stitch. The b-roll at the end was perfect. Love how you found other objects with similar colours to complement the dress pieces. White goes surprisingly well with the outfit as well, but I can't wait to see the fully finished gown!
Thanks so much Maia! Yesss the last stitch was somewhat emotional as I was tired but also kind of attached to the project at that point haha. Thanks for picking up on the parts where I’m showing off items with the same colour scheme. I started notice the combination all over my house as soon as I began this dress 😂
Oh it looks so incredible, Vasi!
I’d never have thought before this series that I’d like (let alone love) the colour combination here, but it’s just so satisfying. What an eye you have. Can’t wait to see it all finished.
Have a merry Xmas or whatever you celebrate (or don’t, as the case may be).
Thanks so much Katherine! It really is such a satisfying colour combination for some reason. I think it has to do with it mimicking colours of nature so perfectly, like that house plant I’m holding in the end. Colour combinations in nature are often in such harmony, regardless if they’re bold, and somehow the shades have similar undertones to one another I think!
I appreciate the festive well wishes very much. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season xx
This project is so fun and adorable. I can't wait to see the end result, though I will be a little sad it's over 😆 also, the pun was excellent
Hahaha thank you! I’m glad you’re feeling a little emotionally invested in this project too, so that I’m not the only one that is 😂 there are more puns where that came from!
It’s so pretty! I’m eagerly anticipating your completed ensemble 🎄🎄👏👏👏👏
Thank you so much Angela! Can’t wait to share 😊
I really love the result of the bonnet! I would totally ice skate across that top! 😆
I imagine since the outer fabric is silk that it must be warm too? It's very cold where I live, and I wonder about the warmth of this compared to other historical headwear during winter. (Like, say, a silk cloak hood)
Thank you so much!
It definitely is quite warm actually, especially with the cotton batting layer. Almost like a thin winter coat for your head haha. There are a bunch of bonnets made for winter as well during the Victorian period, like quilted ones for instance. The MET has a bunch of examples and they look way easier to construct than these harder shelled ones because there isn’t as much wiring and dealing with buckram to face haha
The bonnet looks beautiful on you and is well worth all the effort put in.
I just spent 10 hours making a simple bow tie. I didn't leave enough seam allowance so it wouldn't turn inside out, despite my best efforts with the magic chopstick, and I put interfacing in which wasn't necessary in medium weight fabric. Easier next time.
Счастливого Рождества ❄
Thank you so much Iain!
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear you had so many issues making that time. I hope that in the end the project was at least useable.
Спасибо! С Рождеством 😊
@@VBirchwood Stitches ripped down one long side, flipped right way out, seam pushed into the inside and then tiny stitches on the outside to keep it together, multiple wee bits of the seam popped back out so lots of three stitches here and five stitches there. Usable but a sense of spezzatura of construction that wasn't initially intended 🤷♂
*I JUST FINISHED A 3 PIECE SUIT* on Friday - 120 hours, and I feel just like you - empty and almost grief-stricken LOL
Every spare moment for 5 weeks and now its over.
Beautiful! I made a bonnet like this for an 24 inch doll and it took 40 hours. I appreciate the work you put in to your bonnet
Thank you so much! I’m sure your doll bonnet turned out lovely
I finally got to watch the whole video.
Absolutely lovely, as always
The buckram layer is a stunning work of art, and the bonnet itself is delightful. The modeling, cinematography, and choice of accompanying color combinations of plants, plate, and other things are absolutely lovely.
As I watched, I remembered that I have made a bonnet-like tophat out of wire mesh instead of buckram, and covered with black felt. It, too took forever. Also, I made a few thimble-sized felt top hats (for a doll; the cat kept stealing them). Stitched hats take a long time. Anything with layers and pad stitching, or the pre-stitching (I forget what it's called). All that stitching takes forever
Thank you so very much Catherine!
Those thimble-sized hats sound so cute! Any of the extra stitching definitely does take much, much longer. I think the pre-stitching is basting?
@@VBirchwood it sure is
I just lost the word, and forgot to Google! Tysm for the memory boost!
My pleasure!
Your bonnet looks great!
So precice and lovely.
The only bonnet I hand sewed was a history bounding one, out of metal wire, for the head structure, and flannel & some acrylic fake thing. The wrastling of the structure went longer than anticipated, including sewing the fabric around the supplimental supports of it. It was probably closer to 5 or 10 hours, with much larger stitches. It was wobbly and odd looking, but it worked adequately as a sun hat (what I made it for).
Thank you so much Catherine! I’m happy to hear your own bonnet also took longer than anticipated. Perhaps it isn’t just me then haha. I’m glad as well that it worked for its intended purpose 😊
@@VBirchwood I think it is not just you. I think bonnets/hats are inherently pesky (except for a few simple knitted or crocheted ones,perhaps).
I really think any demanding new crafting/making (or art) skill takes much longer the firstyime,or few times (especially a particular shape)
I think you’re very right about that!
It's looking so good ♥️ excited to see the entire ensamble finished!
Thank you so much Lilja 💕
My. That turned out very pretty. The whole ensemble together will look gorgeous.
Enjoy the holidays and give your poor fingers a rest - mine are currently sore from a hand sewing projects with rough materials as well 😆
Thank you very much Rara! Rest well too, and I hope that your hands can have some rest 😊
The result is so beautiful and I can't wait to see the full ensemble!
Thank you so much Watson Melon! 😊
Vasi, I am so impressed by how you made this bonnet completely by hand! By the way, you remind me a lot of Olivia de Havilland as Melanie Hamilton Wilkes from Gone With The Wind with the bonnet on. I really admire Melanie's character and Olivia's acting in the movie :)) I'm incredibly excited to see the full ensemble! Take your well-deserved break and keep up the amazing work!
Thanks so much Destiny! She looks very beautiful in her bonnet in the film 😊 Happy holidays!
Oh my gosh, that's exactly what I was thinking. That is one of my favorite movies, and one of my favorite characters.
That bonnet is absolutely stunning. Just beautiful work. And the attention to detail is breathtaking. Well done.
All the very best of the season to you. Take care.
- Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi
Thank you so much Cathy 😊 happy holiday season to you as well and take care!
This has really given me some inspiration for making a much simpler pillbox hat I've been thinking about! Thank you
That sounds amazing, you totally should!
Wow Vasi, that turned out so beautifully. Absolutely gorgeous! 😍. I love the shirring effect. Normally I don't care for shirring, to me its just always felt so messy. Instead I always opted for pleats. I guess i'm just funny that way. I definitely love the way it turned out here. The non uniformness created a very bumpy texture that really catches the eye. Very nice. As Rachel Maksy would say, the chefs kiss. 😘 The struggle of turning corners is real. I avoid it for as long as possible whenever I can get away with. One little trick that helps me to get that nice neat corner is to cut a triangular piece out on the inside so that when you turn it fabric doesn't bunch in the corner and lays down nice and smooth. You might also want to get yourself a bias tape making kit. Total time saver. I'm one of these people who doesn't have a tube turner. I always either do at by hand or sewed a ribbon to pull it through with then cut the ribbon. But after watching you used one I may reconsider. I hope by now you have invested in a hardware kit for yourself to go in your sewing kit. You will find in the future that you will need more than just wire cutters. You never know of your will need a couple pairs of pliers or a hammer for your projects. That way your aren't destroying your scissors. I hope you treated yourself to a new pair after this. Have you ever considered a pair of pinking shears? I like to use them for all my curvy projects. They might come in handy for you in the future. Anyways I hope you have a safe and enjoyable Christmas surrounded by those who you love the most and I will see you on a week and a half. 😊❤️
Thank you so much DesertRose! I think you’re definitely right about investing in some proper tools, like wire cutters! If I’ll be making any more hats, it’s time 😊 also definitely want to get a bias tape maker as well. I have some pinking shears, though they need a good oil and also I want to get a scalloped pair at some point 😊
Thanks for the suggestions and well wishes and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas surrounded by your loved ones 💕
I love this bonnet!! For some reason, I can only think of Bo Peep from the early Toy Story movies she was in if its about a character for cosplays because she had a pink bonnet.
I have a pattern for a 1877-1882s bonnet. Though not the same, this video will sure help me once I get around to making it.
This is just beautiful. You have a lot of patience to work millinery. Lovely result.
Thank you so much 😊
the ice skating! hahah😂 also, that curved needle is amazing! i never knew those existed, how handy!! i never considered that obviously it must be very difficult to sew a lining into rigid headwear... the reveal at the end was filmed and edited beautifully, very ambient, great job!!👍🏻🙌🏻💓
Hahaha such a smooth surface 😂 thank you so much Jae! And yes, the curved needle is amazing. It’s used a lot in upholstery and mattress making too!
I'm not big on hats unless I don't want frost bitten ears. LOL This bonnet caught my attention. Beautiful.
Thank you so much Melissa! And yes they’re quite essential things during a cold winter 😊
Vasi, you are absolutely beautiful & amazing ❤ I love seeing your process
Awww thank you so much Julia ❤️
This is so beautiful ❤️❤️❤️ I love it so much. I applaud your patience and your skill regarding this bonnet (and everything else you make ❤️)
So pretty and So much work! It must be very satisfying.
I am happy you are taking the week off to enjoy Christmas, you deserve a bit of peace and rest!
Merry Christmas!🎄🎀🎄
Thank you so much Mel! It’ll be nice to just focus on sewing for a chance, as I’m also taking some time off of my other full time job. Merry Christmas 😊🍓
This bonnet is so beautiful!!! You did a great job! Happy Holidays!
Thank you so much! Happy holidays 😊🍓
The bonnet turned out gorgeous! Have a good holiday!
Thanks so much Haimon! Have a lovely holiday season 😊
Came out really nice, the shape is classic. I love it on you! I have never made a hat of any kind but it’s not out of the question at some point. Colors are also satisfying.
Thank you so much Suzanne! The colours have an oddly similar undertone to them, which I wasn’t expecting when I initially selected them, but it was a happy surprise 😊 happy sewing if you do decide to make some type of hat!
You make it look so easy and yet it’s obvious that it isn’t and you have a lot of skill - have a very lovely Christmas too xx
Thank you very much Tabitha! I hope you have a lovely Christmas xx
You did a beautiful job. And I learned a lot. Now I know how I want to go about my pillbox hat.
Thank you Drew! You totally should, it’ll be so lovely 😊
70hrs?!? wow. It’s is beautiful ♥️
Thank you! 💕
Stunning! And it suits you so well.
Thank you so much Judith! 😊
Woaaaa that looks so cute and fancy, I loved it, I really enjoyed the video 😊.
Thank you!! 😊
your bonnet looks amazing. I love how much shape you were able to give it. I would love to try to make something like that one day.
Thank you so much! 😊
You did a great job making the bonnet. It is very pretty.
Thank you Sabrina! 😊
The bonnet it beautiful! I have pieces for a bonnet of my own cut out and waiting to be pieced together that I just need to find the time to complete. I hope you have a wonderful Yule and Christmas season and a happy New Year. --Lyssa WA, USA
Hi Lyssa, thank you so much! Happy sewing of your bonnet and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season as well 😊
More beautiful every time!
Thanks so much 😊
Makes me think of Little Bo peep. This is beautiful
I really like how you used the contrasting thread for the shirring. It’s beautiful…probably not something I would wear (I’m not a “hat” person) but I can definitely appreciate the work and beauty of it.
I'm happy you picked up on that little detail 😊Thanks so much!
Très bien. Joyeuses fêtes. Happy holidays. It already looks super and impressive.
Thank you so much! Happy holidays 😊
I am really enjoying this project series. I can't imagine ever making my own bonnet, but it was fascinating to see all the steps involved and the result is lovely. The way the silk shimmers as the light moves across it is so beautiful. Have a very merry Christmas!
Thank you so much! Have a wonderful Christmas! 😊
Vivien Leigh wore a similar hat, or the same one, in the film gone with the wind. In my opinion, I think that the film would be a nice inspiration for costumes 🥰 Otherwise, the costume of Mary Poppins would be quite appropriate, she was also quite a handsome lady. 😍
Thank you! While the costumes in Gone with the Wind are lovely, they’re a bit too “costumy” for me, as I’ll be wearing most of what sew as everyday garments. So I try to mainly make things that are easy to turn into various looks or to embellish and then also simplify depending on the event/occasion 😊
Gorgeous! I love the shirring!
Thank you Reina! 😊
This turned out so beautiful. You're going to be a beautiful raspberry
Hahaha thank you much Katarína! I just wish there was a raspberry emoji 😊🍓
Oooh wow. You look sooo, goddamn cute with the hat 😻
Aah, I really love your work 😊
Thank you so much! 😊
Yey for Hats❤❤
Beautiful work as always lady v! 🤩 the pink silk is very flattering for your complexion as well! Ahh I'm so excited for the bodice! The hardwork you've put into this whole project is awe-inspiring! But oof, I worked on a hat before (1926 cloche) and that was the worst, your bonnet though turned out wonderful!
Happy sewing and happy holidays!
Hi Amber! Thank you so much! I’m sorry your cloche-making was such a rough experience. Perhaps the next hat you make will go a little more smoothly? Happy holidays 😊
It’s so beautiful 💕💕 and I agree the crispy corner hack feels like witchcraft every time 😂💕
Hahahaha thank you 💕 it really does!! I forgot to use the trick on one of the corners and it was so much less satisfying than all the others lol
Beautiful!
Thank you 😊
Congratulations on the completion of your bonnet! It looks amazing! I love the shirred brim lining! I made my first ever bonnet last winter. I learned many things the hard way and it took much longer than expected and was very fiddly to do, but I was pleased with the result. Thank you for this step by step video, it gave me some good tips and inspiration for my next bonnet adventure. Best wishes and have a joyous holiday!
Thank you so much Carolyn! It’s comforting to hear that your bonnet, also, took longer than expected to construct!
I hope you have a lovely holiday season 😊🍓
So pretty!!
Thank you 😊🍓
Funnily enough, this bonnet looks quite a bit like my modern sunhat. Same wide 'shield' in front, same protective ruffle in the neck area. I never noticed this before. Probably more a case of 'form follows function' than intentional imitation on part of the sun hat makers, but still a funny coincidence.
Very interesting! I wonder if the modern design was inspired by the practicality of the bonnet (perhaps even something like the sun bonnet?)
Wow, really nice
Thank you!
What a fiddly project!!! :) I'm a very plain colors person so it's funny to me to think of this as a 'simple' hat! Its looks incredibly ornate to me. I suppose it is the same as how we tend to think of Grecian statues as what we see them as now...White marble, not as they really were, which was brightly painted & extremely colorful! Anyways, great job on the hat, I actually enjoyed this video more than the berry dress, I think the buckram? process in particular was very interesting here. Very sculptural. I quite enjoyed the...was it shirring process? I love how dense & voluminous it makes the fabric.
Thank you Elinor! Definitely, for Victorian it’d be simple but not by modern standards hahaha. Especially not with the popularisation of minimalism and such today 😊 I’m glad you enjoyed the video so much! It is buckram and shirring. Shirring can also be used for bodices and it produces such a pretty effect!
You are the reason I started hand sewing and I love it now!!!!! Where is your accent from??
Ahhh that’s amazing!! Thanks for telling me that, how lovely to hear 😊 my accent is a big mix of things I think! I’m Russian/America, so my Russian parent has an accent and I grew up bilingual, and I’ve used British spellings since I was a kid. And now I’ve lived in Europe for 6 years, so that has a big effect on it as well 😊
Let's be honest, back then, all sewing was designed to be a long term project, What else did they do in the evening?
That looks amazing!
Am I the only one who does not like sped up video? I don't want to say anything if it turns out just to be a me thing.
Thanks so much Inch!
I’m not a huge fan of sped up video either unless it’s time lapse, etc., but due to how the algorithm works on RUclips, I try to keep my videos down to a certain length in order to keep people engaged, etc. as they just perform much better. So because of that I often have to speed up the footage a lot in order for people to understand what’s occurring in the step but also to keep it under a certain time 😊
@@VBirchwood lt seems like this was just a screen size issue. I am watching this on a full size screen, instead of my tiny phone, and it is much more comfortable. Also I will get a better view of your pretty bonnet :)
Oh that’s wonderful to hear that it’s better with a full size screen 😊
This makes me wonder...if one wanted a specific ensemble for a specific event...I wonder how long in advance one would need to order it made? ...and events world, therefore, need to be announced WAY ahead of time. 🤔
I usually need 6 to 9 months notice if I want to make a whole ensemble from scratch including designing it 💕
@@theglitterballlifestyle675 ...kinda gives us insight into a while new level of respect for dress makers back in the day. ...what if you got orders from several ladies attending the same event? 🤯
@@bonniehyden962 pray you’ve got a good assistant 😭 folk sewed a lot faster overall back(Nicole Rudolph recently released a video about mens shirts and some folk were able to sew four or five shirts a day by hand ) then though and there was less emphasis on finishing seams and such on the inside unless they specific fabric was going to fray especially on garments not likely to be worn loads or that wouldn’t need to be washed (so
Like chemises always had tidy seams but we’re washed way more frequently than a evening gown would be )
Fabrics were historically woven much tighter than they are now so things frayed a lot less too which helped.
@@theglitterballlifestyle675 , I did see Nicole's video on shirts ...and almost dropped my teeth on that fun fact she shared! ...then to take into account how much such people were paid! Oy! I'm still working on my first complete ensemble for mid-18th century, average woman. ...it's been a year! Of course, I take into account I knitted my own stockings with thread and needles the size of pencil lead. 🙄 ...and I've not worked constantly. AND...I'm learning as I go. Husband still says he'd hate to have to wait on me to make clothes for our entire family! ...we have 7 children. 😂😂
I think it would totally depend honestly! There were some gowns in a day being made, perhaps nothing super, super complex, but also sometimes more than one dressmaker/tailor would work on a project at once to get it done faster. It’s quite fascinating to think that an extant garment may have actually been made by many different people. I always wish that people would have been able to put their names on all their creations, as it would be so fascinating to see, and also would honour their craftsmanship. I’d guess that if the person had the money to pay for a fast turn around of a gown, there would likely be some dressmaker somewhere that could complete it in a day or two for the right price.
You look like Bathsheba Everdine!
Thanks!
More puns!
There are plenty more to come 😂
You may have said this already and I missed it, so I apologize if I'm asking you to repeat yourself. Are you entering this in the Foundations Revealed "Nature Inspiration" competition?
You haven’t asked I don’t believe! I will not be entering it 😊