Hat form

[claudia]

Can I make a hat form using paper mache over tin foil? 

[wolgelukkig]

I suppose you could but a better way is making it from ready polyfoam in your headsize, ( like from an old matress or so) shape the top and cover it with duct tape. There is also a way of using a big vase, cover the inside with plastic fill the vase with Spray polyurethane foam with a nice top. When the foam is strong, take it from the vase, sand it to the size you want, cover it with duct tape and when putting wet felt on the hat form you first cover it with plastic foil. There is a tutorial about this subject on youtube.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZwC1D5KVLY

[claudia]

I don't really have an old mattress, but I'll see if something else is around that might work. A comment about when you said "in your headsize". Everything I've read says there is shrinkage...30%. So, wouldn't my hat form need to be bigger than my headsize? Also....I want to try a method of first using needle felting and then wet felting...for that, I would also need a hat form in the correct headsize, to use after the wet felting is ready to dry...

[Shepherdess]

The problem with a paper mache form is they don't do well with getting wet. Usually a hat block is only used at teh end for the final shaping. when wet felting a hat usually you do it over a flat resist and then open it up and shrink it to almost the right size and then finish it on a bloc. but you don't need to use a hat block. just keep trying it on until it is the right size. I have Rafia hat blocks that are hard foam at I use mostly to get consistent sizing because I sell them. They are good for pining into if you are adding folds and things. I think Hat Shapers sells foam blocks for needle felting hats and she sells hard hat blocks for wet felting. you cant pin into them though.

[claudia]

What if I did the initial needle felting on the paper mache and do the final shaping on the wooden ball I am currently using? The wooden ball is too small to use as the initial needle felting, but it would probably be okay to put the wet felt on.

I am making hats for dolls, so I haven't been able to find a hat block in the 3.5" size...

[Shepherdess]

Yes that would work. I would shrink the hat until it is almost the right size and then put it on the wooden one. You may find it hard to needle into the paper mashe.

[claudia]

So, I did make the wooden ball bigger by adding alum foil. I found some silver "duct" tape to wrap around the foil, so that it was slick. Currently needle felting so I will keep you posted! btw...if I can needle felt to the correct result, I won't use the wet felting.

[halay]

Here is another method using a big round plastic bottle. You cut off the top, stuff the bottle with old scrunched paper, make several slits on top and fold them in to get a nice crown, wrap everyting with strong water resistant tape to keep in place, then wrap everting in kitchen foil. You can easily shape your wet hat. Here is a tutorial in RUssian but pictures show everything. www.livemaster.ru/topic/231165-izgotovlenie-bolvana-dlya-valyaniya-shlyap?&inside=0&wf=

[claudia]

ok...for an update. I was successful in wrapping my bigger wooden balls with foil and then duct tape, extending the foil down past the curve of the ball, to get the longer length I needed. I needle-felt until I can take the hat off the form and finish by hand. So, now I'm on to making the embellishments...I'm currently trying out the wet felting technique for making flowers. Why do artists use bubble wrap? can't I use zip loc bags?

[MTRuth]

Bubble wrap is used to give some uneven surface that "agitates" the wool as you roll. You can use many different things for wet felting. Use what works for you.