"My visit to “Hat Blocks Australia" by Ruth Connor.

Recently my husband and I planned a trip to Adelaide in South Australia, and I thought this might be the perfect opportunity to drop in on Darryll and Renee, the warm and amazing couple who make up Hat Blocks Australia.

We found Hat Blocks Australia in a sparsely populated area just outside Adelaide and arrivied when Darryll was in full production mode with the dust extractor was roaring overhead. Once Darryll spotted us, he silenced the extractor and hung up his ear-phones. After a welcoming but dusty handshake, we started talking about his block-making and my hat-making. He gave us a tour of his wonderfully dusty workshop discussing  block making old and new, wood and its different densities.

Time whizzed by – so much to talk about, look at and touch, but finally we made it to the local pub and the four of us tucked into some great food, with some terrific conversation, peppered of course with Darryll’s hilarious humour.

We needed to get back on the road, and I still hadn’t discussed a small custom block that I wanted Darryll to create for me. He assured me that it would be no problem – I have since received my custom order and put it to good use!

Ever since I first came in contact with Hat Blocks Australia, when I first began my Millinery journey and knew nothing about hat blocks or even how to use them, Darryll has been a source of great information and amazingly patient.

My own journey has been a fast moving and very steep learning curve, from having to learn how to sew, to understanding different fabrics – one could say that I am mostly self-taught. My artistic creativity has been channelled into a passion for unusual headwear made from some of the finest materials around – and I am experimenting with new materials constantly.
» Ruth Connor– “Just For You Millinery”

» Explore the full range of hat blocks from Hat Blocks Australia.