Hat Plait

Fashionable hats could be trimmed or decorated in an enormous variety of ways. Silk ribbons and artificial flowers were popular, but I want to introduce you to some of the straw products used to finish a beautiful hat in the 1800s and early 1900s.

The straw trimmings industry was mainly based in Switzerland however, the Swiss companies worked closely with the French millinery trade. Trimmings were also produced in Italy where there was an important hat industry. 

The manufacturers used a wide variety of products and materials to produce the most astounding trimmings. The zenith of the Swiss trimmings industry was during the 1800s. Crystal beads, jet, seashells, chenille were just some of the materials mixed with straw. 

Straw bird

Made in Switzerland in the mid 1800s the wings and tail of this bird are embossed straw. The straw was split, softened and then glued to a delicate paper backing. After pressing it was cut and embossed using a metal stamp. The body and ruff are made from a Swiss technique, Oberwiler rollen; fine split straws are wound then held in place with a fine wire. The eyes are tiny black beads. 

Approximate size: 7cm long, 5cm wide

Straw bird

This bird is another Swiss product, made from a fine cotton lawn. It possibly dates to the 1870s or 1880s. Look at the wings. There is tiny pressed and embossed flower-shaped straw paillette on each of the smaller wings. The bird’s head and ruff have been constructed from tiny pieces of cut lawn.

Approximate size: 5.5cm long, 6cm wide

Tasselled hat pin

The tassel is made from ‘undone’ Schnürli (straw threads). On the outside of the tassel there are brown Schnürli and on the inside undyed threads. The beads are wooden forms covered with dyed split straw. The larger of the two beads is decorated with the finest split straw plait. This plait is only 2mm wide. The tasselled hat pin was probably made in the mid 1800s in Switzerland.

Approximate size: 16cm long

Buckle 

This is another trimming made in Switzerland in the mid 1800s. The flattened straw shape has been decorated with tiny crystal beads. The edge is finished with the tiniest split straw plait, Glanz Zaggli. This plait is less than 2mm wide at its widest point. The buckle would have been threaded over a ribbon.

Approximate size: 6cm long, 4cm wide

Rosette

This may be the oldest of all the Swiss trimmings shown so far. The plaited split straws have been formed into delicate leaves surrounding beautifully matched shells, polished to show off their mother of pearl. In the centre there is a wooden bead that has been wrapped with split straw. All these component parts have been hand-stitched to a circular card backing.

Approximate size: 3.5cm diameter

Straw feather corsage

Imagine the drama of this place on a large hat in the late 1800s, early 1900s. Flattened bleached straw, glued to a delicate fabric background has been cut to feather shapes, then assembled into an elaborate arrangement. The feathers are decorated with flowers made from dyed straw, purple chenille and embossed straw centres topped with the tiniest of jet beads. To soften the effect, white horsehair strands have been added. 

Approximate size: overall length 38cm, maximum width, 15cm

Straw sequins - Paillettes

Paille the French for straw. These are sequins have been cut from sheets of flattened straw. The question has been asked if their name implies there is a connection between straw and the earliest forms of sequins. I do not have an answer. Straw paillettes became popular within haute couture during the 1950s. HRH Princess Margaret’s birthday dress, worn for her 21st birthday and made by Dior, in 1951, was decorated with straw sequins. The origins of these sequins link back to the Swiss industry, but they were made in France.

Approximate size: each sequin 5mm diameter  

Straw covered beads - Knöpfli or Kugeli

These are a Swiss product and were made in their millions during the 1800s. A linden wood bead is wrapped with softened split straw. The size of beads produced varied between a little less than 3mm to 10mm. They could be completely round or slightly flattened shapes according to their intended use. They were also made into pear-drop or teardrop shapes. Some wooden beads were wrapped with Schnürli.

Approximate size each bead: 6mm diameter

Tubular beads – Strohperlen  or Strohschmelz

This is another incredible Swiss product made during the 1800s and possibly the early 1900s. These long lengths of tubular straw beads, threaded onto a soft cotton thread, could be made from bleached or dyed straw. They were incorporated into braids used to trim hats.

Approximate size, length of each bead: 4mm

Straw corsage

This arrangement is made from over one hundred, two-ply split straw threads that have been dyed red. Small bundles of Schnürli have been tied together to form a dramatic corsage. This would have adorned a hat in the early 1900s. The manufacturer’s label is still attached and shows the stock number, the dye colour lot and tells us that it was Made in Switzerland.

Approximate size: length 21cm, 7cm at widest point

The crowning glory - a straw plateau

The starting point at the centre of the crown of a bonnet made during the early 1800s can be unattractive when the bonnet is made from products such as a Bordure (loom-woven braid). The Swiss solution was to create perfect trimmings to cover the area. This work of art is made from the narrowest of Glanz Zaggli, a split straw plait, Schnürli worked into a lace ground pattern and decorated with embossed straw flowers and crystal beads. A larger embossed straw flower is in the centre.

Approximate size: 6.5cm diameter