Starting and Designing

Starting and Designing

A note before you start

Beginning is often the hardest part of millinery.

Not because the work is difficult, but because there are too many choices.

What block should you use?
Which material is right?
Is the idea strong enough?

These questions can stop a piece before it has even begun.

Starting does not require certainty. It requires a simple decision and a willingness to begin.

This is not something that disappears with experience. Even established milliners return to this same starting point again and again. The beginning is always a place of possibility - and often, uncertainty.

Where most people get stuck

Many beginners feel they need a clear design before they start.

In reality, millinery rarely works this way.

A piece often reveals itself through the process of making. Trying to resolve everything in advance can lead to hesitation, overthinking, or work that feels forced.

It is enough to begin with one of the following:

• a block you want to use
• a material you want to explore
• a shape you are drawn to

These starting points are not just for beginners. They remain part of the process as your work develops.

Starting from a block

Working from a block is one of the simplest and most effective ways to begin.

Choose a block and allow it to guide the direction of the piece.

Rather than asking “What should I make?” ask “What does this block want to become?”

A single crown block can lead to many outcomes depending on how it is trimmed, angled, extended or combined with other elements.

Learning how to adapt one block will take you further than collecting many too early. At The Millinery Retreat Hat Block Library, access to a wide range of shapes allows you to explore this without the need to invest in multiple blocks too soon.

Starting from a material

Sometimes the starting point is the material itself.

A particular straw, felt or fabric may suggest a direction through its texture, weight or movement.

Instead of forcing it into a predetermined idea, take time to handle it.

• Does it hold structure or prefer softness?
• Does it fold, stretch or resist?
• Does it suit something sculptural or something minimal?

Let the material guide the decision.

It is also completely acceptable to change direction at this stage. You may begin with a block in mind and realise the material is not suited to it, or start with a material and shift your idea entirely once you begin working with it.

Testing is part of the process. Dampening a hood or capeline to see how it responds to a block is a valuable step, even if you choose not to continue. Materials can be re-used, reshaped or returned to later. Nothing is lost through exploration.

Starting from a trim

In some cases, the starting point is not the base at all, but a trim.

You may have created a flower, worked with a particular material, or developed an element that feels complete in itself. From there, the piece is built around it.

This approach works in reverse to more traditional methods.

Rather than asking what to add to a blocked shape, the question becomes:

"What does this element need to sit within?"

The base is then chosen to support the trim - through scale, balance and structure.

This is a common way of working in more decorative or racewear millinery, where the trim plays a central role in the final piece.

As with all starting points, the same principles apply. Keep the structure clear, avoid overcomplicating the base and allow the piece to develop in response to what is already there.

Keeping the first idea simple

There is a strong temptation to do too much in a single piece.

Multiple trims, complex shapes and unnecessary additions can make a piece feel unresolved rather than refined.

A strong piece often comes from doing less, not more.

Focus on:

• one clear shape
• one material
• one idea

This will give you a cleaner result and a better understanding of the process.

Some milliners develop a signature style that is bold, layered or highly detailed. This comes with time and a strong understanding of materials and construction. When learning, clarity and control are far more valuable than complexity.

Designing as you go

Once a piece has begun, the question shifts.

It is no longer “Where do I start?”
It becomes “What does this piece need?”

Design in millinery is not something separate from making. It happens through the process itself.

Each decision builds on the one before it.

The shape you block will influence whether a trim is needed.
The material will influence how much structure is required.
The scale will influence how the piece sits on the head.

Rather than trying to design everything in advance, allow the piece to guide you forward.

This way of working develops over time and remains part of the process, whether you are making for yourself, for others, or as part of a broader practice.

Letting the shape do the work

A well-resolved shape often needs very little added to it.

It is easy to rely on trims, embellishments or additional elements to carry a piece, but this can lead to work that feels overcomplicated.

Before adding anything, take time to look at the blocked form on its own.

• Is the line clean?
• Is the proportion balanced?
• Does it feel intentional?

If the shape is strong, it will already hold presence.

Once the shape is established, the next consideration is whether anything needs to be added.

Considering trims

Trims are often where uncertainty appears.

There can be a feeling that something needs to be added for a piece to feel complete. In many cases, this is not necessary.

A well-resolved shape can stand on its own. Trims should support the work, not carry it.

Before adding anything, take time to look at the piece as it is.

• Does it already feel balanced?
• Is the shape doing enough on its own?

If the answer is yes, a trim may not be needed.

When used, a trim should feel connected to the piece - supporting the form rather than competing with it.

In everyday millinery, pieces are often left untrimmed, allowing the form itself to be the focus. In contrast, racewear millinery frequently incorporates trims to complement an outfit or create a more expressive statement.

Both approaches are valid. What matters is that the trim feels considered and appropriate to the context.

Allowing the piece to develop

Not everything needs to be decided at the beginning.

Once a piece is blocked, new possibilities often become visible.

The angle may shift.
The scale may change.
A trim may become unnecessary.

Allow space for this.

Millinery is not a fixed sequence of steps. It is a process of responding to what is in front of you.

Knowing when it is working

A piece that is working will feel:

• balanced
• intentional
• not overworked

There is often a point where a piece settles.

Recognising that moment is part of the process.

Knowing when to stop

This is one of the most important skills to develop.

Continuing to adjust, add or refine beyond this point can take away from the strength of the work.

If you find yourself searching for something to change, it may be a sign that the piece is already complete.

Stepping away and returning with fresh eyes can help confirm this.

A simple working approach

If you are unsure how to move forward:

Choose one crown block.
Select a single material.
Block the shape cleanly.
Observe before adding anything.
Make one considered decision at a time.

This is enough.

A final note

Starting does not require confidence.
Confidence comes from starting.

Design does not require certainty.
Clarity comes from doing.

Each piece teaches you something - about materials, about proportion and about your own way of working.

If you begin simply, observe carefully and allow the process to unfold, you are already moving in the right direction.

If a piece feels resolved in its design, the final state is refining and finishing it with care.

Possum x