Straw bonnet form instructions by Lindsey Koch

Purchase a straw hat or two and disassemble them, leaving only the crown intact. The crown should be about 7 rows of straw braid oval, and measure approximately 6” across.

Find a kitchen bowl about the size of a human head and turn this upside down. Place double sided tape all around the bowl. Next stick the crown onto the bottom of the bowl, do not lay it on flat, but in an oval shape.

Begin wrapping the straw braid around keeping an oval shape. The straw crown can be wet to form an oval shape. You will do approximately six rows of this braid before cutting it. This will form the entire crown of the bonnet. The rest of the braid will have to be cut to size before being stitched on. Stitch by hand as you wrap using an invisible stitch. Use a large needle and double thread try to catch the two strips of straw together with a small hidden stitch on topside and larger stitch on the underside.

Remember, everyone’s head is a different size, so for this reason it is smart to cut the pieces longer and shortened later. The next rows measure approximately as follows (it’s ok if uneven, as you will not have to cut them evenly at the bottom until the final steps):

Row one: 18 inches

Two: 17 ½

Three: 17 ½

Four: 18

Stitch each row on before cutting. The first row should be hand stitched under the crown and the next rows sewn slightly on top of the row edge before it.

Next comes the tricky part. Cut two rows of straw braiding, one 12 in. long, the other 9 in. long. These pieces will then be sewn in overtop of row four at the center top, to form the front brim shape. First the 12 in. length will be sewn overtop of row four, and then the 9 in. length will be sewn over the 12 in. These two rows will not reach the whole way to the bottom edge of the bonnet.

The next few rows will again form the bottom edge of the bonnet. Their approximate lengths are as follows:

Row a: 18 ½ in.

Row b: 18 ¼

Row c: 18 ¼

Row d: 19 ¼

Row e: 20

Row f: 21

There are only three full rows left. Their approximate measurements are as follows:

Row A: 27 in.

Row B: 28

Row C: 30

***Row A should not be completely sewn on! Pin Row A to the edge of the last row sewn. When stitching Row A to Row f leave a 4 in. opening on bottom each side. The next two rows, Row B and Row C, can then be sewn on normally.

Another tricky section! The opening left between Row A and Row f will need to be filled in with two rows of braiding. This will form the longer section, which reaches under the chin. This time instead of placing the cut pieces above the previous row, they will both be placed under, on the inside of the bonnet. Cut 4 pieces of braid, each measuring 4 ½ inches. Two pieces will be stitched on each side under Row A and Row f to fill in the gap.

Next a row of braid will be added to the bottom of the bonnet. At this point the bottom edges of the rows can be cut to suit the wearer. They should not be cut straight across, but slightly up at the center and lower at the bottom (like other civil war bonnets). The row of braid across the bottom can be basted on…this part should not show once the bonnet is trimmed.

The bonnet can now be soaked in water and formed to the desired height and shape, and let to dry. It might need to be propped up into shape. The two ‘flaps’ on either side of the bonnet can be clothes-pinned together at the front in order to form them to the proper shape.

After the bonnet is dry millinery wire can be stitched inside to help it to hold the correct shape. This can be stitched onto Row C and Row c.

Congratulations, you’re straw bonnet form is now finished and you can decorate it to your heart’s content!