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Hat Tactics -- Instructions for Creating Early 1950s Hats
by Brett Ours Drager

{softcover, 179 pages, 6x9, 2009, ISBN: 1934268917}

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Originally published in 1950, this book illustrates in detail the various processes of planning and making hats beginning with measuring your head to designing patterns to creating an array of hats -- with a focus on creating patterns you can keep for future use. Contents of this book include information on:

- beginning your hat by using the easy "folded paper" method to
  ensure measurement accuracy.
- using the "dot method" on your paper pattern to create various 
  brim sizes for your hats (which can then be stored as permanent
  patterns based on your own head size).
- methods for changing the shape of your hat brims.
- draping your paper pattern on a headblock to determine how the
  hat will look.
- working with felt.
- type of stitches to use for various hat making components.
- how to use millinery wire and tape for heavier brim edges.
- making your own hat frames (or working with purchased frames).
- working with straw including basic crowns, brims, blocking,
  covering frames and more.
- making your own hat blocks (or working with purchased blocks).

Instructions and illustrations are also provided for making a conventional sailor, sectional crown, soft brim, basic beret, pie beret, sectional beret, felt pillbox, felt crown and brim, numerous types of turban wraps and a host of other components including an accordian beret, finishing brims, making a tailored bow, covering wired frames, making a flange (ribbon or fabric swirled) hat, creating hats of straw or ribbon, dry blocking, wet blocking and so much more.

Over 300 illustrations accompany the instructions, each numbered and matching a corresponding text number for each follow along.