The Red Hat - #2

I have a number of images of Rus' Hats and Headdresses to use as inspiration. I would especially like for the hat to compliment these newly completed Ryasny.

A Pelican's set of Ryasny

I have always liked the vertically beaded Hats and Headbands. This one, with three bead arches, is a reconstruction of the elements found in The Great Kremlin Hoard. The hoard is thought to have been hidden away in the Winter of 1238 prior to the invasion of the Golden Horde. It was discovered near the Spasskiye Gates in the Kremlin on 17 May 1988.

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From: Archaeology Reconstruction Board (You must expand discussion #38 to read the article)

Fig. 13. Formation of an ochelion of three-bead arches in a scanno-grain dress in the second half of the 12th century:

1a - a typical reconstruction of the enamel dressing; 1b - Kiev, the estate of Leskov, 1876; 2 - Kiev, Mikhailovsky Monastery, 2000; 3 - d. The wheel of Kanevsky u. The Kiev gulf .; 4 - Kiev, Mikhailovsky Monastery, 1824; 5 - Kiev, the Grebenovsky Manor, 1899; 6, 7 - Old Ryazan, 1967; 8 - Old Ryazan, 1974; 9 - Lgov, 1979; 10 - Vladimir, 1837; 11 - Old Ryazan, 1979; 12 - Verbs of the Lvov region, 1920s; 13 - Terekhovo Orlovskaya Gubernia, 1876; 14 - Typical reconstruction of the ochelja from three-bead arches; 15 - Old Ryazan, 1992; 16 - Vladimir, 1865; 17 - Vladimir, 1896 year

Not only are these beautiful headpieces made with silver, but they were also produced in gold (or gilded silver).

From one of the Ryazan Hoards - 12th to first quarter of the 13th century

I definitely wanted to produce my hat in gold so the search for the appropriate beads began. After about two days of searching on ETSY, I finally found one that I thought would work. Turns out, they are bead caps that were soldered together - which I thought was okay. However, since they were a tiny bit too big, I squished them with pliers - ever so gently - and a few of them separated into two bead caps. Glad there were some extras in the package.

Gold Beads

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While waiting for the beads to arrive in the mail, I started making the headdress. I wanted it to be red and I wanted it to be in hat form.

I own two different vertical bead headpieces that I occasionally wear. They are both in the form of headbands and they both give me a headache - because they cinch around the forehead.

my headpieces - by my hand

I wanted a headpiece that would not bind. Something comfortable, where the whole head would carry the weight. It needed to be a hat.

I have been making four panel Rus' hats this summer, but they all have a pointy top that droops to the side.

Rus' hat - made by my hand

I wanted the hat for this project to still be four paneled but to have a flat top. I also wanted it to have a mounded brim that is NOT fur (so it would need to be padded out). I had a McCalls pattern laying around that had the panel pieces already engineered, and a padded brim, so I decided to try it out.

I cut the panels from a pretty Martha Stewart Tablecloth that I had picked up at a second hand store. I cut the lining from a bit of deep yellow cotton. 

Four Panels cut on the design

The pattern instructions do not call for a lining, but I lined them, constructing them the same way that I had made all the Rus' hats. Each Panel and Lining are sewn right sides together and then turned. Then, the Panels are hand sewn together with a decorative constructions stitch like this.  

Decorative Construction stitch in yellow

I had to make them twice, because the first time I cut them out,  the design was too low on the hat and would have ended up being covered by the brim.

Second Try

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I re-engineered the Hat Brim - twice. It was too small and then the beads came in the mail and they were a bit too big so the brim became twice too small. But, I worked it out. Here it is, full of stuffing and still just pinned.

View of Lining

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Got out the drill and a HUGE needle (at least 6" long) to use as a mandrel, and then coiled some brass wire for the spacers between the beads so I could start constructing the three bead arches.

Extant Bead Arches from Ryazan

First Three Bead Arch with separation coils and links at the ends for sewing down.

Then there were 10. I thought I might be able to get away with just ten columns. But no. The Ryasny hung in the wrong place. One more column on each side to go. 

The last thing, I needed to make was a little piece on the hat that the Ryasny could hang from. The intention of any design I came up with was that the Ryasny could be easily changed out with a different set and could be removed for separate storage from the hat.  

It's just a little spiral hook but fun to make. I also lined the little pieces I had made that the chains hang from. They were a little scratchy on the back from the tying wires.

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Finished!

I added a little bit of a veil. I didn't have enough fabric to make a full veil so this is whip stitched to the back and sides of the inside of the hat.  I fondly call it "Plug and Play". It is a lot of work to dress yourself in Rus' garments. All the veils take a lot of time to arrange. It is proper that a Woman (not a maiden) has her hair totally under wraps. With this hat, you can do all that quickly, just in case you are in your tent, lounging around, and get called to court.

I gifted this to my friend at An Tir Twelfth Night - 2018

Best Thing Ever!

And what became of the second hat that wasn't cut exactly right for this application?  I finished it with fur and gave it to the College of Cranehaven for their Auction at Jaegerfest Hunt Feast.