The Fascinating World of Fascinators

For those of you who follow me on Facebook or Twitter you'll probably be aware that I decided to spend my birthday money on a Fascinator workshop, which finally arrived (seemed like forever, though in reality was less than a month after my birthday!) on Monday this week. My tutor was a lovely lady named Lenette Isko, who began making couture hats and fascinators 6 years ago when she was faced with the prospect of 4 weddings in one summer!

My day with Lenette started at 10am, at her home in Longhope, Forest of Dean (so a nice easy 10 minute drive from my house!) and immediately I felt at ease in her company and knew I was going to really enjoy my day.

Lenette showed me a huge range of fascinators that she had made and after working out which ones I preferred  we got to work on the basics of rolling. Rolling means to roll the edges of the sinamay (the material fascinators are most often made from) rather like rolling a cigarette or a joint - I knew all that practice when I was younger would come in handy ;-)

Having decided that I didn't actually want to make my fascinator with the rolled flower petals, I'm very glad that she showed me how to because my 1st commission (later that same day!) was from a friend who is going to the same wedding I am this Saturday and who needed a fascinator fast, so I put my new-found skill to the test and have made her a black and pale blue effort:

I'm really quite proud of this as it was without any help, but I am totally in love with the one I made at the workshop... it's exactly the kind of thing I've recently seen other people wearing and that I've, quite frankly, lusted after! (I know, I'm odd!!) so here is my lovely creation (which obviously I made with quite a lot of help on the day!):

My one is made from the same material, but the two round base layers are stitched together with a bais trim on each layer and then the thick loops are made from a long piece of bias with the edges ironed in (this stuff sticks to itself - so clever!) and the thinner loops are made from a piece of bias with wire sewn into it, to keep it in place, then all artfully arranged (ahem, more luck than judgement!) and sewn together. Et voila!

Sorry for the rather long post... I'll spare you the details of Seren's headband (my 3 year old) until next week (after the wedding) and once I've got stuff to say about things other than hair embellishments!