In this very full three day workshop, Sahar will teach several types of hats which you can make using only a simple crown block.

This workshop is aimed at people who want to do some millinery at home but they lack all the blocks and equipment. With this class, all you will need to go forward is a simple round crown block and you will know how you make 9 different hats ranging from vintage styles to contemporary fedoras and caps. Not only this, but you will be able to create almost endless possibilities of hats based on a few simple techniques and tricks you will learn – many using household items and cheap craft supplies.

These include:

– 3 different types of 40’s / 50’s style ‘percher’ hats

– 2 different styles of 20s style cloche hats

– Flat brim hats including fedora styles

– Peaked cap

– Turbans and headbands

– What to do with off-cuts to use as decoration so as to eliminate waste.

– Also learn about how to edge and finish your hat, and the various inner fittings including leather sweatbands and bands how to make your hat fit multiple headsizes.

Ideally you would have done a class in felt blocking so you already know how to wire, use petersham etc.

Day one and two must be booked together, Day three compliments the first two days and it is highly recommended you complete the full programme. (day 3 is the 3 different types of 40’s / 50’s style ‘percher’ hats, headbands and turbans, and what to do with offcuts)

Information:

Duration: 3 days (optional)

Dates: 14th, 20th, 27th April

– The tuition cost is £190 per day or £540 when booking all three days.

This does not include materials (the materials cost depends on how much you’d like / have time to make – each felt is approx £10, I’d recommend bringing around 3 felts at least, it might be possible to buy off me if you are super speedy and want more!)

Please make payment via bacs and then let Sahar know (sahar@saharmillinery.co.uk):

It’ll be a small class – approx 3-5 participants. We will discuss ahead of time what your aims are and therefore what you should bring to the class.

– Duration: It’s hard to predict how long the day will be because it depends on the speed of the participants… I’m going to estimate 5-6 hours?

– Venue: Sahar Millinery studio Central London

– If you only want to learn one or two of the above hats get in touch and we’ll see what

we can do.

You’re going to get A LOT in a day (at least three different types of hats per day will be

demonstrated and it’s up to you how many of those you make). So come eager to learn and eat a good breakfast beforehand! (teas, coffees and biscuits will be plentiful!)

Sahar

sahar@saharmillinery.co.uk

In this afternoon workshop, you will learn how to make a fascinator from sinamay.

Sinamay is the lightweight woven straw-like material you see in most summer occasion hats. Participants are taught the process from start to finish as they make their own fascinator base, make roses, and learn to manipulate feathers, and attach birdcage veils.

There are four main components we teach in this class – all of which are easy to learn techniques but very effective in their results, making it perfect for beginners:

1) Sinamay roses: using the raw material to sculpt roses / shapes from the sinamay, and roll the edge of the sinamay to create neat, thin edges.

2) Feather Manipulation: how to cut / strip / curl / shape feathers to achieve drastically different looks.

3) Bringing the elements together, with net veiling and other adornments such as gemstones. How to design the shape to complement your face and create something that suits you.

4) Bases – how to make a simple fascinator base by ‘blocking’ around a head form, then finishing with hand wiring and making our own bias binding from the sinamay. (This component is often skipped for corporate workshops and hen parties in favour of ready-made fascinator bases).

By the end you will be confident and have a good knowledge and skill set of how to make fascinators.

We provide all materials such as sinamay, feathers, net veiling, gems and all sorts of adornments. If you have something special e.g., a brooch or piece of fabric, please bring it along and see if we can incorporate it into your hat! If you have an outfit in mind to match your hat with, feel free to bring it along.

It’s a very creative class in that you design your own finished piece using the skills which we have taught. They are small classes so you get a lot of one to one attention. No experience necessary, but basic sewing skills help.

This is a great first crash course for people who are curious in the art of millinery and those who would enjoy craft courses, as well as those who just want a new fascinator!

We normally finish out fascinators using elastic, however, if you would rather learn how to make a fascinator on a headband or comb, please inform Sahar ahead of time to make sure she can supply the correct materials.

If you know someone who might want to learn how to make a fascinator then you can purchase a gift e-voucher for this or any workshop. Tip: Buy a hat box and print out the voucher, to present in the hat box!

Please see here for photos and booking: https://www.saharmillinery.co.uk/product/sinamay-fascinator-making-workshop/

What participants have said:

‘I’ve been wanting to try some craft courses for a while now so I decided to learn how to make a fascinator with Sahar Millinery. It was so much fun! Sinamay is a very different material to what I’ve used before, and felt like an interesting mix between fashion and sculpture. I definitely came away feeling like I know how to make fascinators, and now looking forward to my next millinery course, where I get to actually create a hat!’ – Kim, London

‘My sister, a friend and I attended a fascinator making workshop with Sahar and had a fabulous day. Sahar was a fantastic teacher and was incredibly generous with her knowledge and resources, she guided us through the process completely but let us run wild with our designs (and her supplies!) so that each of us left with exactly what we had hoped for plus an additional enthusiasm for millinery! We will be booking the next course as soon as possible. If you are looking for something In particular for an event or just fancy a slightly different day out with your friends I can thoroughly recommend one of Sahar’s workshops.’ – Emma, London

For more reviews, check out our 5 Star reviews on Google.

In this class, you will join Sahar in her studio in central London and make a ‘percher’ hat out of felt. We use wooden hat blocks, and the finished results are always stunning.

It might be possible for you to make a ‘full’ hat eg an upturned 1920s cloche hat or a trilby – please email to discuss the options: sahar@saharmillinery.co.uk

You can choose your felt colour and book your block as you book, or if you are booking last minute, Sahar has a good choice in her studio.

We use steam and there is lots of pulling felt, so please bring an apron and expect to work hard!

No experience is necessary, everyone is welcome. You can bring your own Marigold gloves if you wish (we have some in the studio, which we wash after use, but some people prefer to bring their own) – if you are sensitive to heat, you could also bring some standard woollen gloves to wear underneath the marigold gloves.

Please email to book over bacs, or simply book here and email Sahar to confirm this date: https://www.saharmillinery.co.uk/product/on-day-vintage-hat-making-workshop-in-felt/

A few weeks ago I got an email out of the blue asking if I host gatherings for amateur milliners, because this person missed going to Rose Cory’s super awesome space in Lewisham…. That got me thinking… I miss that space too…. No one in central London does this…. Cue; LIGHT-BULB MOMENT!!! 

So, starting in July, the Sahar Millinery studio will host a weekly workshop space for milliners. Aimed for hobbyists, amateurs, students and milliners starting out and millinery professionals to get together to make and create,  finesse skills and build on existing knowledge. 

Sahar provides the space and her equipment and you come with your materials and together we create the good vibes!

Every Tuesday;  One session in the afternoon (3 – 6pm) and another in the evening (6 – 9pm) – you can come to one, or both, every week or one-off.

This is a hybrid between a weekly co-working space and a hat making workshop, where some 1:1 help / teaching will be available. So the cost is a sliding scale dependent on how much teaching / 1:1 help you need. For example for each 3 hour session if you need no teaching then the cost will be £40, but if you are quite new to millinery and need a fair bit of tuition then it’s £90. Or you might be in-between. We’ll assess this on the first session and as you go.

These workshops are not suitable for total beginners, they are designed for you to practice and built on what you already know. Examples:

1. You’ve blocked a few parasisal percher hats, but never a 2-piece – That’s fine, come along and we’ll help you out!
2. You’ve blocked a Parasisal 2-piece but never a Panama – That’s fine, come along and we’ll help you out!
3. You’ve blocked a Felt percher but never used sinamay – Hmm not fine – completely different technique and you need to do a class in sinamay first.
4. You’re curious about buntal mats, never used them and would love to try – Again – not in this session – a new material and you’ll need to do a class first then come along to the workshop to practice and experiment because we won’t be able to do a 1:1 for something entirely new. However, we are open to negotiation – if there are, say 5 of you who ALL want to learn buntal mats, then we can be persuaded!

We’d LOVE to see full-on experimentation between the various materials and techniques you already know and how to navigate to bring them into new realms and create competition-worthy pieces.

Details:

Costs: (sliding scale depending on how much teaching you require):

3 hours: £45-£90

6 hours: £75 – £160

Times: starting 30th July every Tuesday 3 – 6pm and 6 – 9pm. 

Venue: Sahar millinery studio, in between Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus (WC2H 7DT). 

Spaces limited so advance booking essential. Please email sahar@saharmillinery.co.uk or call on the day 07891041378 just in case.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR 2024: FIRST SESSION £20!!!

I have the following equipment plus more (I’ll add to this list as time goes on:)

• Millinery /Steamer
• Blocks (I’ll try to count them one day!)
• Tools like egg iron, pin pusher, string groove
• And just all the other basics – email me if you need anything specific.

We hope this sounds super fun to you and we can create spaces of curiosity and learning together!