Jill Courtemanche + Heidi Paul = Hats !

Found an amazing milliner that has set up shop 

in beautiful Solano Beach in San Diego, CA 

http://www.jillcourtemanche.com

The good news is that the very experienced, professional trained

milliner; Jill Courtemanche 

offers occasional 2 day workshops at

her small jewel of a store.

Jill demonstrating blocking a felt hat

The best news is that in January I had the opportunity to attend

her two day workshop on blocking a hat.

Jill only has a fraction of the hat blocks ( the wooden forms that the hats are stretched onto )

compared to my most favorite milliner; Wayne Wichern.

Wayne easily has at least 200+ blocks.

But, Jill has the basics and great suggestions for manipulating the shapes.

  

I think it is important to learn from multiple instructors.

Jill has the education and has worked for a New York milliner

but, I would describe her approach to blocking hats 

more laid back and relaxed.

She also has a fantastic sense of humor.

All the students in the workshop left extremely happy
with their final product.

This is my final happy hat :)

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Another weekend in January,

another workshop

another hat,

but, what a different journey!

Heidi Paul is an amazing felt artist 

that also makes hats

http://heidipaul.com/dbhp/heidi_paul.html

Heidi has a gallery in Stinson Beach, which is just north of San Francisco.

She taught this workshop at the San Francisco studio
of my favorite milliner, Wayne Wichern.

http://www.waynewichernmillinery.com

I have never felted anything before so 

it was a long strange trip…

with some wool

a ball

some special tricks and tips,

soap, water and lots of agitation ( of the wool  ),

a few more techniques and 

in about 2 hours you've made a hat!

This is the actual hat Heidi made right in front of the students

This method of felting a hat on a ball was developed by Beth Beede,

and Heidi is very, very good at it.

After Heidi made her hat then it was the student's turn :)

These are the two wool colors I chose for my hat.

And two hours later I was actually wearing my hat!

Not a big fan of the shape on my head so 

I will be steaming my hat and re-blocking it into a different shape.

But, what is so exciting to me is the possibility of 

creating my own hat blanks that I can then shape 

however I wish.

I am currently hunting down all the necessary supplies

to try this hat on a ball at home.

I will definitely blog about the results.

Okay, so I got ambitious and DID re-block my Heidi Paul felted hat.

The finished hat is more structured and not so organic.

I really, really like it :) and am so excited
that I made it from raw wool.

Talk about one of a kind!!