Lovely you have joined me in Hat Academy, Jessica. Hope you are inspired as Millinery is such a Creative art and so popular currently

No it makes no difference where you are as I am helping new students around the world - in Nigeria , Jamaica, Nederlands , Ireland, UK and Australia where I live, all through these online lessons. I am here to answer all your questions & help you as only an email away.  

To make the most of Hat Academy remember to read through the Welcome Page - Read here

Keep in contact,

Elaine

I don't mind at all that you added me as a friend. Thank you for the kind compliment about my hats. As far as teaching myself to make hats--I was fortunate that I learned to sew at my mother's knee.  We were required to learn a number of hand stitches before being permitted to use a sewing machine.  That lead to me learning to design my own clothing patterns and make my own clothing while still young. As an adult I designed and did alterations for private customers and clothing stores. I live in an area where millinery lessons are not available, so I knew I would need to teach myself.  Learning to design and make hats from flat patterns before learning to block hats, I believe, was an advantage for me. When you learn to make flat pattern hats, you get a very good understanding about the concepts and design elements that go into hat making. You can find 1920s shop manuals that were used to train young women to be milliners at the library of congress.  I used these manuals to teach myself millinery.  The basics are the same. Also study vintage hats and how they are put together. I still have a great deal to learn, but find the more hats you make, the better you get. Don't be afraid to experiment and make mistakes. Good luck and remember to have fun!