Hat blocks

An easy, inexpensive way to make a custom hat block for moulding felt hats. I make a lot of hats using flat-patterning techniques, but nothing beats wool felt to get a smooth curved shape. Felt has no grain, so once softened with heat and moisture, it can be stretched in any direction – and will […]

Can I make a hat bigger than the head size of my hat blocks? Sometimes you get asked to make a hat for a head that is bigger than the blocks you own. To make hats in a larger size is possible. You can do this by ‘double blocking'. Double Blocking a Crown Block Firstly,

My students frequently ask about hat blocks as they are beginning their millinery journeys: "Which ones should I buy first?" "What size(s) should I buy?" "Where can I purchase hat blocks?" I thought this would be a great topic for a blog post. My hat block collection is currently at about 150 blocks. I have a few t

Making men's hats with an upturned brim. Can I block the crown and brim together in one piece? You can block a hat in one piece by using either a single cone or a capeline. This technique is called ‘blocking in one’ and is often used when making men's hats. So, yes this is possible!

As a followup to my post on Making Your Own Dress Form , I've decided to share how I made my own duck tape hat block. Now, I'd like to make...

Block a perfectly fitting silk hat lining to put inside your crown.

It's perfectly possible to make hats without hat blocks, you can knit and crochet them and you can make them out of flat pattern pieces. How...

The making of an esparterie hat block. Using mostly off cuts from vintage stock.

Hat blocks from Guy Morse-Brown have arrived!