1922—Millinery
by Charlotte Rankin Aiken, B.A.

Chapter IX—HAT TRIMMINGS—FLOWERS

Sources of Artificial Flowers

Until recent years almost all fine flowers were made abroad, chiefly in France. The Italians were the first people in Europe to excel in the art of flower-making, and later the French became very proficient. Germany and Austria made a great many of the lower priced ones.

Almost all small flowers, such as forget-me-nots, heliotrope, verbenas, lilacs, and wisteria were made in Europe until the war. Since then they have been well made in the United States, for the most part in and about New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Chicago. Violets, however, have long been made here by Italians. Roses and other fine flowers are made here also.

In former years much artificial flower-making was performed by sweat-shop labor in places which were often unsanitary. In English trade schools fifty years ago children were taught the craft and allowed to work as soon as they were able to move their fingers accurately, even at the early age of three. It is a relief to know that today most of the work has been taken over by factories. It is hard to supervise the sanitary conditions under which work is done in homes.

Flower Materials

The materials generally used in flower-making are muslin, silk, satin, velvet, and velveteen; but tinsel-cloth, ribbon, chenille, leather, celluloid, straw, crêpe, felt, and feathers are also occasionally seen. The great majority of flowers are made of a thin, fine muslin such as batiste or nainsook.

Stiffening and Cutting Out

The white muslin is first stretched on a frame and brushed with a mixture of starch and gelatin to stiffen it and to give the proper finish. The patterns of the flowers are then cut out. If they are to be "specialty" flowers, they are cut out by means of a die pounded by hand with a heavy mallet, but the less expensive ones are stamped out by machine. The layers of stiffened cloth are placed one above another and from half a dozen to seventy-two petals may be cut at one time.

Dyeing

They are then separated and dyed in bowls according to a color chart which, in the better factories, comes from Paris. The shading is done by dipping a brush into a deeper color and touching the flowers with it while they are still wet. The color spreads and shades off in a very natural way. Fine flowers are finished with a stencil, or are hand-painted. The finished petals are laid on sheets of blotting paper and dried either in the air or in ovens by artificial heat.

Making

Many flowers are cut in flat circular pieces with a hole in the center and the petals only partly formed. These are called "slip-ups." The flower-maker takes a bunch of "peps" or flower seed pods, which come already prepared, and fastens them to a wire. She then slips the number of circles required upon the wire, puts on a little paste, and finishes off the stem. If flowers are cut in separate petals, these petals must be pasted on one at a time. When separate petals are cut they are pinched into shape or "goffered" with pincers or a hot iron to give them a natural curl. The slight pull and twist which an expert can give a rose leaf changes it from a flat piece of muslin into a perfectly curved petal.

The stamping machine also cuts out, dyes, and veins the leaves. The stems are wound with some material or covered with a tube of green rubber composition.

There are various finishing processes, such as gumming, waxing, and dusting. Powdered glass gives a frosted effect. Fine cambric is used to a great extent for petals, and silk in expensive flowers, with sometimes a gauzy net backing to give strength and shape. Taffeta and velvet are much used for leaves.

The flowers made in this country are not yet equal to the best French flowers, as we are not willing to give the time necessary to do artistic work. In France the workman is an artist who imitates nature as carefully as if he were painting a picture. The last touches are put on with the living model before him or from a perfect copy. A flower-maker is usually kept at work on one kind of flower, i.e., a rose-maker always makes roses and a violet-maker violets. They naturally become very expert, but operators who are constantly changing their work cannot produce such results.

How Flowers Come to the Milliner

There are a number of forms in which flowers come to the milliner for use. They are put up singly, or in bunches, sprays, clusters, or groups of one kind to be opened and used as desired by the trimmer; or flowers and foliage which blend as to kind and color are combined in wreaths, bouquets, or clusters, thus forming a trimming ready to be applied without further blending or combining on the part of the milliner.

The kinds of flowers in general use may be classed:

• Roses
• Field flowers
• Applique flowers
• Violets
• Small flowers
• Odd flowers
• Rare flowers
• Natural flowers
• Foliage
• Fruits

Roses

Roses come in large, medium, and small June sizes. They are crushed for applique trimming with or without foliage, with or without combinations, with forget-me-nots, cowslips, or similar small flowers. American Beauty, LaFrance, Neron, cabbage, or other round or flat shapes with either foliage or ribbon, or both, are used for trimmings of softer effects. They are sometimes combined with other flowers in wreaths or standing clusters. June roses are used principally for children's or misses' hats or for mixing in tight bouquets.

Field Flowers

Poppies, bluets, daisies, buttercups, and pansies vary greatly as to size. Large single daisies and poppies are frequently used for appliques. Field flowers are generally used, however, in combination, frequently with foliage. The small and medium sizes are almost always used for misses', children's, and sport hats; although the dainty, small clusters are used on the dressier styles as well.

Applique Flowers

Dahlias, asters, camelias, gardenias, chrysanthemums, and poppies are used almost altogether in applique.

Violets

Parma, wood, and Russian violets are frequently combined with roses or other flowers, and are used principally on early spring hats. Trimmings of all violets are usually confined to matrons' hats, except occasionally in outlining the edge of a large, drooping brim.

Small Flowers

Forget-me-nots, heliotropes, verbenas, cowslips, primroses, lilies of the valley, hyacinths, etc., and blossoms are generally used in combination with other flowers, either as the basis of trimming or in branch form.

Odd Flowers

Lilacs, wisteria, orchids, hydrangeas, and sweet peas are used at times. These are especially subject to the changes of fashion; sometimes they are in great demand and in some seasons not employed at all. While they are frequently used as the basic trimming, they are generally combined with other flowers. They are especially adapted to toque and turban trimmings, although when in style they are used on hats of various shapes. Nasturtiums, apple blossoms, and baby's breath are also used somewhat.

Rare Flowers

Narcissi, fuchsias, jonquils, water lilies, and pond lilies are not very generally used, but when fashionable they offer a decided relief from the more conventional kinds of artificial flowers.

Natural Flowers

Natural ferns, sea moss, wheat, and mignonette are often used after being dried and treated. Most of these are also reproduced artificially.

Foliage

Foliage of all kinds is used in branching the various flowers with which it is found in nature. In some seasons, however, entire hats or entire crowns are made of foliage, or the crown edges or the brims are outlined with foliage. Entire hats are also made of flowers which are sewed flat to the frames and relieved with a little satin or velvet ribbon or an aigrette.

Fruits

Several kinds of fruits, such as grapes, cherries, small apples, peaches, and oranges, are used in trimmings.