Design and Make Your Own Couture Cloche Hat

Description

$461.00 7 Hours / Session Course/Workshop All Levels, Beginner Friendly In-Person Class Materials: Included

East Village in New York

Join a couture cloche hat making workshop in NYC and learn how to drape, shape, and finish your own felt cloche hat.

Cloche hats came into fashion during the 1920s. Usually made out of felt and designed to be worn low on the forehead, their bell-like shape closely hugs the head, making them cozy and stylish hats to wear during the cold winter months.

In this two-day millinery workshop, Tierre Taylor will share the draping techniques and trim detailing that make her couture cloches so unique. You’ll create your own cloche shape by draping a felt hood on a balsa utility block, then finish it with classic millinery techniques.

Please note that this two-day workshop has different hours each day.
• Day 1: A shorter 3-hour session on Saturday, October 17, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Due to a system limitation, the listed end time may appear later during booking or in confirmation emails. However, this Day 1 session will end at 12:00 PM.

• Day 2: Sunday, October 18, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, including a lunch break. Please note that the Day 2 session will start at 10:00 AM.

• Total workshop time: 10 hours, including the lunch break.

This class is beginner-friendly for hat making, but basic hand sewing skills are required. You do not need previous millinery experience, but you should be comfortable threading a needle, tying a knot, and making simple hand stitches.

If you are new to hand sewing, please practice before class. You can copy and paste this YouTube link into your browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhZTc1x1-pM. You can also search online for “basic hand sewing skills for beginners” and practice before arriving.

What You’ll Learn

  • How a couture cloche hat is shaped, structured, and finished
  • Drape a felt hood on a balsa utility block to create your own cloche form
  • Stabilize the head size by adding a sweatband inside the hat
  • Reinforce the cut edge with millinery wire
  • Finish the edge with grosgrain for a clean, polished look
  • Add decorative trim to highlight the lines of your chapeau
  • Leave with a handmade felt cloche hat designed and made by you

How The Class Works

  • This is a two-day hands-on millinery workshop. You’ll work step by step from shaping the cloche form to adding the finishing details that make the hat wearable and complete.
  • The total scheduled workshop time is 10 hours, including the lunch break. The workshop includes demonstrations, individual guidance, and hands-on studio time throughout both days.
  • No previous hat making experience is needed, but learners should arrive with basic hand sewing skills.
  • Please review the Class Description above for the detailed daily schedule, as this workshop has different start and end times each day.

Supplies And Materials

  • All core materials and studio tools are included.
  • Learners will use a felt hood, balsa utility block, sweatband, millinery wire, grosgrain, and decorative trim to shape and finish their cloche hat.

Space and Atmosphere

  • East Village Hats is a cozy working boutique and millinery workshop in the East Village. Visitors are surrounded by hat blocks, trims, ribbons, and tools used in daily production. Classes take place in a real shop environment, so the atmosphere feels intimate, active, and close to the materials.

What To Bring

  • You’re welcome to bring decorative elements you may want to include in the final finish of your hat, such as ribbon, fabric, vintage trim, or small embellishments.

Cancellation Policy

We aim to be fair to both learners and instructors while ensuring artists and studios are paid for their work. This policy helps ensure instructors and studios are compensated for their time and preparation. We encourage learners to review class details carefully before booking and to reach out with any questions in advance.

Tickets are refundable if canceled at least 7 days before the event. Please note that processing fees are non-refundable, even if your ticket is canceled. If you’re unable to attend, you’re welcome to give your ticket to a friend. Please have them check in using your name.

In the rare case that the event does not meet minimum participation requirements, we’ll contact ticket holders at least 48 hours in advance with the option to reschedule or receive a full refund (excluding third-party processing fees).

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at suport@dobedous.com.

Location

East Village, East Village Hats, 80 E 7th St, (Located at Street Level), New York, NY, 10003 View Direction

Additional information

Enter through the street-level storefront entrance. The space is wheelchair accessible.

Your Instructor

East Village Hats is a working millinery studio and boutique in New York City, led by English milliner Julia Emily Knox. Trained at FIT, Julia joined Barbara Feinman Millinery in 2012 and took over the business when it moved to its current East Village location in 2016. The studio is also home to a collection of traditional millinery tools, including an antique sewing machine that reflects Julia’s appreciation for the craft’s history and enduring techniques.

Through its class program, East Village Hats introduces students to hat making, repair, styling, and related creative skills in a hands-on way. Taught by Julia and East Village Hats milliners, the workshops give students a chance to learn traditional tools, methods, and materials from people who work with the craft every day.

Additional Information

Admin should send out an additional email to explain the schedule detail due to the unusual scheduling that has different duration, start and ending time for two day workshop.

Please note that this two-day workshop has different hours each day.
• Day 1: A shorter 3-hour session on Saturday, October 17, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Due to a system limitation, the listed end time may appear later during booking or in confirmation emails. However, this Day 1 session will end at 12:00 PM.

• Day 2: Sunday, October 18, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, including a lunch break. Please note that the Day 2 session will start at 10:00 AM.

• Total workshop time: 10 hours, including the lunch break.

Who This Is For

  • Adults, 18+
  • 16-17 with a parent or legal guardian

Good To Know Tips

Arrive a little early

Please arrive about 10 minutes before the class starts so you can settle in comfortably.

Check your confirmation email

After booking, you’ll receive a confirmation email with directions and any important details for the class.

What to expect

Class format, materials, and preparation are all outlined in the class description. Most classes are beginner-friendly unless noted otherwise.

About the instructor

All classes are taught by vetted artists and makers who are experienced in both their craft and teaching.

Why DoBeDoUs

We offer local, artist-led classes that support ongoing creative learning and bring people together through community.

View full FAQs

East Village Hats

What we love about this studio

Teaching Rooted in Traditional Millinery

East Village Hats teaches from the perspective of a working millinery studio. Julia Emily Knox and East Village Hats milliners bring their professional experience in making, repairing, restoring, and styling hats into the classroom. Their teaching is practical and material-led, giving students a chance to learn traditional tools, methods, and construction techniques as they are used in real studio work.

Encouraging, Hands-On Teaching

Classes at East Village Hats are small, focused, and hands-on. Students often describe the instructors as knowledgeable, helpful, and encouraging, whether they are beginners or already studying millinery. The atmosphere feels approachable and supportive, with enough guidance for students to try unfamiliar techniques without feeling lost.

An Authentic East Village Hat Studio

Classes take place inside an intimate working boutique and workshop in the East Village. The space is filled with felts, straws, trims, sewing tools, and a long-collected set of hat blocks, including antique forms over a century old and newer designs by Julia. It gives students a close view of the materials, tools, and everyday setting of a real neighborhood hat studio.

View School’s Profile

Design a one-of-a-kind cloche hat with felt, trim, and classic millinery finishing details.

Still Have Questions?

If you don’t see what you’re looking for, view our FAQs or contact us.

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