TECHNIQUES


Blocking a on a one-piece block


straw hood by Denise Innes-Spencer


Denise Innes-Spencer is the creative director of the British School of Millinery. She is a qualified teacher of millinery and fashion and has taught at universities all over the world. In 2017, she published ‘Tiara Headdresses’, a book about wire


techniques for bridal headpieces.


Blocking a straw cone on a perched block always brings a number of dilemmas:


Which way should I block the straw? Should I use the button top (+) or the cone edge?


This is even more difficult when the block is not a symmetrical shape. In this article I use a grade 2 (finely woven) parasisal straw and show you two ways of blocking from a straw cone. I have also used two


blocks that are exactly the same shape but are a mirror image. Furthermore, we will explore how to deal with the point of a block, and how to dispose of all that fabric you get at the point – in other words, how to get rid of all the bulk.


MATERIALS THAT CAN BE USED • Parasisal straw cone • Straw stiffener • Sinamay – 30 cm square • Silk/poly abaca – 30 cm square


• Hat elastic • Petersham for head-fitting


TOOLS • Pointed teardrop-shaped block


• Utility tool pack of sewing supplies


• Steamer • Iron


62 | the hat magazine #93


Straw techniques


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