DIY Fascinators

Hey everybody, I had the opportunity to go to a “Mad Hatter” party last week, and I learned how to make this amazing fascinator. If you don’t know what a fascinator is, it’s like a little hat that attaches onto your head with a headband – the kind that Kate Middleton and her ilk might wear.
Previously made from toxic materials that would literally make milliners go crazy (hence, the mad hatter), now most fascinators (and other hats) are made from a material called sinamay, which I believe was just recently developed in the 1990s.

We were all given a base to start with, which was a circle of sinamay with a wire sewn into the circumference. We then folded a strip of sinamay around the wire and sewed in an elastic headband. The sinamay bends and molds when heat is applied, so we used irons to meld the sinamay to the base.

We were then given free reign to make loops and twirls and all sorts of things to add to the top of our fascinators. I opted for a figure-eight sort of design with the purple sinamay. In order to make the loops I had to work with the sinamay a bit. Basically you take a large strip, fold it in half, and then start ironing and stretching it, alternating back in forth until you get it to the width you desire (the more you stretch it the longer and narrower it becomes). I then used a curling iron to curl the sinamay and make it into the desired loop shapes I wanted. I finished by adding in some complementing blue loops and finished the hat off with some spiral curls and small black feathers.

The mad hatter party was so much fun – I seriously suggest if anyone has the chance to attend one of these parties to go ahead and do it. The cost was $30 for the class and materials, and I would definitely do it again if given the chance.




13 Comments on DIY Fascinators

  1. Just Jaime
    at (12 years ago)

    So cool! I totally want to try it! Yours looks great.

    Reply
  3. Lynn @ UpCountry Olio
    at (12 years ago)

    I am such a Kate wannabe, well more of a Kate’s mom wannabe. This is such a fun tutorial.

    Lynn

    Reply
  5. Jen @ frazzled 5
    at (12 years ago)

    Why cant we in the US wear them all the time? I love them!
    ~Jen

    Reply
  7. Tauni
    at (12 years ago)

    So cute! I would love to have something like this for my witch’s party in October.

    Thanks for linking up to Show & Tell at SNAP! I really enjoyed reading your post.

    xoxo, T.

    Reply
  8. Crystelle
    at (12 years ago)

    This is cute! Where were you when I needed a hat for the Pinewood Derby party….???

    thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  10. Honey at 2805
    at (12 years ago)

    So cute! I too am fascinated by fascinators! I’m bold enough to wear one, but where?

    Thank you for sharing your all of your neat and crafty projects at Potpourri Friday! Hoping you will make it a weekly or regular party stop!

    Reply
  11. Miss Kitty
    at (12 years ago)

    wow! This project is so darn interesting and unique! I don’t know where I would ever wear a fascinator but the techniques that you descibed are just fascinating and maybe could be used in other applications. Thanks so much for sharing the “how to”s. I saw your post over at Potpurri Friday at 2805 blog.

    Reply
  12. Sarah @ Becoming Martha
    at (12 years ago)

    So cute! I love that idea. I would love to go to a party like that!

    Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and inviting me over – I am off to check out some more of your ideas now 🙂

    Reply

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