Customer Reviews

From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a hat designer, I've gone through about every hatmaking book out there. In this new millenium and the resurgence of hatmaking, I'm delighted that Denise's book is becoming available again with the 20th Anniversary reprint. She manages to guide the reader through every step of making a hat. Her book is divided up into separate "Lessons" and each lesson leads the student to a complete understanding of hatmaking. She gives basics in design; materials; stitches, etc. Then she leads you through pattern-making, soft hats, buckram shapes, blocking, felt and straw, and much more. She doesn't skip out on trimming ideas or the interior of the hat either. Filled with romantic illustrations of hats and black and white photos of techniques, her book continues to be my favorite and the one I return to time and again.

Without a doubt, From the Neck Up is the best written, most precise, millinery instructional book on the market. My hat's off to Denise Dreher! Her attention to detail and millinery expertise is a gift perfectly packaged in these pages. From the Neck Up was my first Millinery "how to" book purchase, nearly 10 years ago. Since then my library has greatly increased, including every "new" and out of print book or instruction guide I could get my hands on. Nothing on my library shelves are better than Ms. Dreher's From the Neck Up. I am a professional milliner and still refer to her book ... my millinery bible.

"From the Neck Up" is a complete and informative guide to designing, making, and trimming hats in all styles and materials. It has been the basis for my own business in millinery design.

This book has helped me to figure out what hat is right for the time period and how to make that hat. it is more than just a "how to" book it tells you when to use a type of hat and other history things that you might need to know. as a costume/ millinry student I have found this book to be a great learning tool, and hope to some day have one of my own and not have to use my profesors

As a historical costumer, I'm always on the look out for quality sources. This is the best book I've found on millinery, with complete construction techniques, glossary, and graphed patterns. The book starts with Egyptian crowns and goes up to baseball caps. If you have even a passing interest in hat-making, this book is a must have.

I bought From The Neck Up only a few weeks ago and I've already made one hat and am part-way through another. I definitely need more practice, but before this book I had no idea how to even start.

Even though it's for beginners, I think that you'll need to already be pretty comfortable with sewing for this book to be useful. The techniques seem to be mostly hand-stitching with some glue and a tiny bit of machine-sewing. (Hand-basting. Lots of hand-basting.)

The text is pretty dense and you need to read the directions carefully BEFORE you start a project (learned that the hard way). It's got a kind of dated, instruction-manual feel and there is nothing glossy or coffee table-ish about it. All the photos are black & white and a few of them are too dark to see much detail.

The chapters go from designing your hat, to pattern making (including some draping), to building the foundation, to covering the shape and then attaching trimmings. It also teaches felt hats, wire framed bonnets and crowns, straw hats, veils, and how to make and use a hat block (I am soooo not there yet).

Most of the examples are of historical styles, but the instructions are for general hat shape-making. And there is a very cool section in the back with pattern layouts for many different kinds of hats. Many of the materials mentioned I have never heard of and don't know where to get, but from the descriptions, I've managed to get along with substitutes.

So far, I like this book and I'm glad I bought it. It's given me a lot of ideas and demystified the hat-making process. There is a ton of information in there and I'm going to be learning from it for a looong time.
The only reason I don't LOVE this book is because I'm a visual learner and I feel the pictures are more to augment the text than to illustrate it. But if I'm really paying attention, the written instructions are clear and easy enough for me to follow.

While at the library, I found their copy and read through it.. After spending all my time with this book, I just had to have one of my own :) If you like costuming, this is a great book to finish off any outfit; whether new or old.

This is the best book on millinery available. It is very thorough on many aspects of millinery, from wire whimsys to hats. There is alot of information in this book. I can only give it my best recomendations as it will answer many of your questions plus provide much more information that you didn't know you need. A great reference book. I can't applaud it enough.

So you want to make hats. Get this book.
Dresher has put together a complete study guide for the art of millinery. Follow her guide lines to learn design and technique. Some what advanced for a complete novice. She jumps right in with the essentials starting w/ pattern making as the first technique.
This book has been referred to time and time again within the millinery trade.
A must have in your library.

This is one of those books that costumers always talk about and tell you you must have a copy. Well, I'm another telling you to get this book. When I found a copy at a used book store I pounced! The instructions are clear and concise, the pictures are great and you can go to the website [...] for hat making supplies!