Stabalisation

I have no idea if that is even a word, but this is the next stage in the making of a button hat.  Once the foundation material is bone dry (I use a good old hostess trolley) the base is extracted from the mould. I use a chocolate making mini spatula to ease the material off, as don't want to make dents in the shape.  In order to maintain the shape, a wire is sewn in. There are two schools of millinery thought, one that it is right on the edge, the other a little way in. I was taught the second method. The first is easier to sew, but I like having some 'wiggle room'.  The wire used is a cotton covered steel wire, and I have recently discovered a  wire manufacturer,  in Great Dunmow, about 20 minutes drive away, so I really am sourcing locally.  A length the circumference of the fitting plus three inches has to be measured, cut and then the kink taken out. I then shape it into the correct size, and tape the overlap with floral tape, then blanket stitch over the join for more stability. As I knew I was going to blip it, I thought I would do in red thread as a contrast for you to see. The next step is sewing the wire inside the foundation, with a form of modified blanket stitch, called wire stitch.