I started putting together the buckram form while on an eight hour road trip last week. I finished covering it today, with the gold silk that I picked up in that great silk sale. Here it is.
Now I need to make some paper roses and velvet leaves and pick up some English netting and silk ribbons.
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12/1/2012 Update - I picked up the English netting and attached it months ago but wanted to actually finish the bonnet before I posted pictures.
Several months ago we had a little crash incident that ended with the side of the crown being smashed. I was able to straighten it a good deal but there was still a noticeable wrinkle to the buckram form. Having no interest in starting over in the making of a new one, I chose instead to camouflage it with some navy silk organza.
I found some really nice paper flowers and velvet leaves on Etsy and posted links and images here: http://jessicadeandesign.blogspot.com/2012/11/millinery-flowers.html
Here is the bonnet as it looked on Friday evening at the Washington County Rural Heritage Museum's Candlelight Tours:
I think that I will add another row of English netting behind the row that is already there in order to fill it out some. Also, some velvet leaves in the front would look nice and perhaps some pink paper flowers to go with the white and burgundy one that are already there.
Here is a picture of the back, looking down from above:
I think the bonnet would be greatly improved by adding more flowers and leaves down the right side. Currently is seems that all of the trimming is on the top.
6/11/2013 - I started this project a year ago and it is getting closer to being done. I have added more English netting and trimmings to the front as well as down the right side. Here are the newest images. I will be keeping my eyes open for a different silk ribbon for the ties but I'll stick with these for the time being.
I really like how full the inside of the bonnet looks now. The flowers show nicely, even in a profile shot. I'll have to update with more pictures after our next event. The bonnet looks much better worn by a person than by a candlestick. :)
