Millinery: Straw and Sinamay

About this course

Participants explore professional millinery techniques for creating fashionable or vintage hats from straw and sinamay. The course covers developing designs, shaping materials through steaming and blocking, cutting, construction, finishing and the use of trims. Teaching combines whole-class demonstrations and discussion with one-to-one guidance, examples, samples, hand-outs and feedback. Learners are encouraged to develop individual project work where appropriate, while those with existing skills can extend their design and technical abilities.

What you'll learn

• Develop hat designs using straw and sinamay.
• Steam, block and cut a range of straw materials.
• Apply suitable methods to construct and finish hats.
• Create and attach trims using appropriate methods and materials.

Is this course right for you?

The course is intended for beginners and welcomes learners without established millinery experience. Sewing-machine competence is desirable but not essential. Participation includes whole-class teaching, individual guidance and project work, with some activities involving standing at high tables. Students must be able to read, write and understand fluent English.

• Learners with existing skills can develop their designs alongside their technical work.
• Class activities involve collaborative studio working and sharing tutor attention.
• Some activities involve standing at high tables for periods of time.
• Lift access is available to the first-floor fashion studios.

Before you go

• An apron is required.
• Students must bring a basic sewing kit, including fabric and paper scissors, small trimming scissors, a tape measure, dressmakers' and blocking pins, millinery needles, a thimble, chalk or pencil, sewing threads and UHU glue.
• Students must provide their own straw hoods, trimmings, haberdashery and millinery wire. A materials and suppliers list is provided at the first lesson.
• Pattern paper and card are available in the studio. A machine bobbin must be obtained from the tutor and is refundable at the end of the course.
• Health and safety induction is provided before students use machinery or specialist equipment.