Intro to the Hat Bench: Felted Wool Hat-Making, with Shawn Simon

Join us at the with instructor Shawn Simon making your own wool-felted hat, bolstered by an in-depth look at hat-making from past to present.

Over this intensive two-day introductory course, students will be introduced to the history, tools, materials, and basic technique of professional hat making, and craft their own felt hat using the techniques learned in class.

We will start with a brief look into the history of the hat industry, unpack some of the exploits the industry has benefited from, and look at how this industry has shaped the western world that provides context for where we are today.

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Much of hatmaking comes down to the rare and specialized tools that we use. Most people have very little knowledge of all the equipment required for fine hat making, let alone the names and terminology for all of it.

Students will be introduced to a wide selection of tools, from your basic set of hatmaking tools, many of which are antiques dating back over 100 years, to contemporary tools hand-designed and fabricated by the instructor.

Select hat-making tools students will learn about include:

• Hat Blocks
• Brim Flanges
• Tolakers
• Pull Downs and Push Downs
• Irons
• Shackles
• Steam Boilers
• Band Blocks
• Stretchers
• Pouncing Sponges

Body:

The primary material for this hat will be wool felt from domestically produced sheep and felted in the USA. Students will have multiple colors to choose from. We will also discuss some of the other types of felt that are often used in hatmaking (rabbit fur, Nutria fur, Beaver fur, ect..) and their different qualities.

Details:

Leather will be applied to the hat in creating a durable sweatband and sourced from full grain leather produced by USA tanneries.

Rayon will be used to line the inside of the hat, sourced from a NY based hat liner manufacturer.

We will not focus on trim in this course, however if time permits, there may be the option to work with basic ribbon or chord.

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The backbone of craftsmanship is an inquisitive mind and learning from failure. This will not be a class where participants create a perfect hat, but they will make a hat from their own hands and learn from the experience. By the end of this class students will have gained insight into the hat industry, developed understanding of the material of felt, and walk away with a hat made by their own hands.

Maximum 8 students.

Participants should bring:

• *Attendees must wear closed-toe shoes*
• Any personal snacks, lunch, and beverages. Coffee and tea will be provided.
• A notebook and pen for note taking is encouraged.

Instructor Bio:

Shawn Simon is a Hatter by trade and long time fiber artist living in Dunsmuir Ca. His interest in hats initiated with learning to make felt by hand and exploring the many applications felt material is used for. From rudimentary beginnings , he has developed an appreciation for the journey into craft and how materials can be refined with care and skill.

Instagram: @new_west_hats

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Fibershed is offering limited workshop scholarships for our workshops. If you would not otherwise be able to attend, and would like to be considered as a scholarship recipient, please see our Scholarship Application. Responses will be reviewed by Learning Center staff and kept strictly confidential.

Fibershed is also offering limited assistance for travel and/or childcare. If you would not otherwise be able to attend a workshop due to transportation challenges or limited resources as a parent, please apply for our Accessibility Assistance application.

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Cancellation Policy: Refunds (minus Eventbrite fees) are available up to 7 days before the event. If you cancel after 7 days before the event, we are unable to provide refunds unless we can fill your space from the waitlist. (**Please note that this is not common.**)If someone is waitlisted and is able to purchase your space, we will refund your ticket, minus the Eventbrite fees. Otherwise, there will be no refunds. You are also welcome to transfer your ticket to someone who wishes to purchase it directly from you, or let us know if someone is coming in lieu of your name.

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There is livestock onsite, so we ask that visitors please keep their pets at home. Service dogs are permitted.

You can now support the Fibershed Education Fund by selecting an optional donation amount during ticket registration, or email us at [email protected] for alternative donation methods.

Host or Publisher Fibershed