Judith M - October 2007 Newsletter

Some milliners prefer straightening the wire length they plan to use as it can twist inside the hat if not handled properly, creating a distorted shape. There will be places on a hat where you will need straight pieces of wire, but as a general rule, do not straighten out the wire. Since wire already has a gentle curve it is ready for use. It is advantageous to avoid working against the natural curve in the wire whenever possible. If you need a larger arc than you find in the wire naturally or wish to straighten a section, use your hand to relax the curve in the wire by running the wire through your fingers while your thumb gently presses it into a broader arc. Do this slowly, applying firm even pressure, because doing this too fast will heat the rayon cover causing minor burns to your finger tips and kinks in the wire. Make sure your hands are clean before you begin to manipulate wire. Even though it will eventually be covered, you want to keep the wire as clean as possible.

Joining wire ends
Wire will not stretch, so care must be taken to measure accurately. There are a couple of ways to join the ends of your wire. My favorite method is wrapping the ends with thread. Using strong millinery thread, begin at one end of the overlapped wires and wrap tightly. Allow 2 inches overlap if you plan to bind with the thread method.

A second popular means of securing the ends of a wire is with a joiner. Joiners are also called ferrules, connectors or clasps. Hat Wire connectors are tiny tubes into which you can slide the cut ends of the wire to create a circle. We offer them in steel, brass and plastic.

The steel joiner fits #19, #21 and #23 wire
The brass joiner will fit #21, #23 and 1.35mm nylon wire
The plastic joiner comes in two diameters to accommodate all the wire sizes.

If using a metal joiner when connecting the two ends of millinery wire together, place a wire end into the joiner from either side and pinch joiner closed using a crimping tool or needle-nose pliers.

TIP: Brass joiners will not rust but are a softer metal which can snap over time. The steel joiners will rust eventually. We suggest applying a coat of clear nail polish to delay the rusting process.

To use the plastic joiner, insert wire ends into the joiner and overlap one inch. Apply heat from heat gun or flame, joiner will shrink to grip wire. Do not place directly into flame. Allow to cool before handling.

Spring Wire
Spring wire is strong, uncovered tempered steel wire and is used for the edge wire of very large hats and also for making medium-sized and large hats with brims in which no brace wires are used. It comes in a 20yd coil and has a silicone coating to help prevent or slow down the process of rusting.

Spring wire is used in packable hats that get twisted in a figure eight folding shape for storage because it has memory and will spring back into shape when opened.

TIP: wipe excess silicone coating from wire when ready to use and coat with clear nail polish instead.

Nylon Wire
Another type of support wire is the clear nylon monofilament, much like a heavier fishing line. It has a memory, is washable, and will not rust. It is also known as Brimlock or Brimreed. It will retain its shape if set under heat. Because of its memory aspect and being washable the nylon wire is perfect for cloth hats, or anywhere you want a slight definition to the shape.

For best results, setting should be done in the final blocking, with a temperature of approximately 275 degrees Fahrenheit (135 degrees Celsius). The hat should be kept at this temperature for 60 seconds. The 1.35mm is comparable to the #21 gauge and the 1.50mm would be comparable to #19 gauge wire. A heat gun can be used for this purpose.

Attaching Wire to the Hat
The most common stitches for securing wire to the edge of a brim are a buttonhole stitch for hand sewing and a wide zig-zag stitch when using a sewing machine. It is important to sew the wire to the edge, not on top or under the brim edge. The stitch width should be only the depth of the wire. If the stitch is too deep, the wire will slip away from the edge and can cause an uneven looking finish to the brim.

RESOURCES
Book titles with excellent information on millinery wire uses:
Basic Millinery For The Stage by Tim Dial
From The Neck Up by Denise Dreher
Hats: design and Construction by Stella V Remiasz

Remember, all of our instructions are general in nature. You will need to experiment to find what works best for you in your hatmaking situation.