Customer Reviews

Basic Millinery for the Stage

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This slim volume is a concise, straightforward overview of Mr. Dial's methods for stageworthy hatmaking, and if you've never made a hat or looked inside the "guts" of one, it's probably the best place to start. It's got photographs and diagrams to help elaborate on the text and is written in an easy-to-understand manner. If your interest in hatmaking is not for stage performance, bear in mind that Dial's book is aimed toward that--his techniques focus on speeding up production time and maximizing the durability of the hats. Stage millinery is slightly different from traditional millinery, in that traditional millinery employs meticulous handwork--often in a theatre milliner's construction, we'll substitute machine-stitching where possible in the interest of time-saving and durability. I have my graduate millinery students read this book in its entirety, then move on to the more traditional, in-depth text, From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking by Denise Dreher.

Good, easy to read book with instructions rather detailed. Sometimes it reads as if he is talking to a child but that's probably because it is aimed at the novice milliner, although don't be put off as this book will still be a valuable reference tool as the milliner gains confidence and experience. The exercises at the end of sections are a good idea if you want or need to do them. Overall a good starting point in reference material.