Friday, September 28, 2007

A Tellerbarret Pattern

I found something on Saint Maximilians Landsknecht Reenactment Guild that started my research on the tellerbarret (or pizza hat) that the landsknechts wore in some of the woodcuts.

According to their site...

Hat

* Because we are often marching in the sun a hat called a tellerbarret (platter hat) is the best choice. It is sometime s referred to as a 'pizza hat'. It is a large fairly flat circle. The hat should be made from wool and selected from a woodcut. Be very careful about the size of the hat - don't make it too big, as it will get in the way of your pike. Somewhere between 16" and 24"(?). It can be a simple circle but it is recommended to do the style that is done by overlapping two somewhat more than half circles. There are many other details that are allowed- there are many woodcuts to chose from. The crown is usually a flat circle. You may have a smaller hat if you are absolutely immune to the sun but it is not recommended as your only hat.
* Feathers are optional; you may have from 1 to possibly 10 (if small) ostrich feathers, large or 'down'. The amount and color of feathers should be checked with the costume coordinator. Period feathers can be difficult to find since modern colored feathers tend to by dyed too brightly. Natural, white, or primary colors are encouraged. Pastel or neon colors will not be allowed. No other types of feathers allowed.

Found a couple of woodcuts of the type of hat my husband prefers along with a floppy version that I found interesting.



I found written instructions for making one of the more rigid tellerbarrets on http://www.fahnlein.com/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=206&posts=9&start=1 which I've included here.

Hat Instructions:

This description assumes that you have actually had your hands on one of these hats at some time and will generally understand the anatomy that I am talking about. If this isn't the case, I don't have the digital camera to assist you...

Materials Needed:
1.5 - 2 yards of mid weight fabric (brim and "box")
.75 yards of HEAVY weight buckram - the width I found with an acceptable weight at Hancock Fabrics was only about 20" - you'll only need a little more than 18".
One 18" Brass Macrame Hoop (the secret ingredient)
One package double fold bias tape.
One 40" cotton braid shoe string - in whatever color you want your strap to be.

Okay, start by placing your macrame hoop on your buckram. Trace a circle (using the outter edge of the hoop as a guide) and cut it out. Mark the center of your circle. Now: you will need to cut an rounded oval hole, centered on the center of the circle, for your head to go in. This is trial and error. once you have a hole that fits well, cut another .25" off (for seams and bias tape to make up later)

Using heavy thread, baste the ring to the circle around the edges. You should now have a "halo" with the ring at the edge to re-enforce the buckram. Once the ring is in place (and generally not moving around) use the double fold bias tape to seal it to the edge of the buckram - hand sewing time. Just open up the bias tape and place it so that it encases the brass ring and helps attach it that much better to the buckram when you sew it down.

Next, measure the widest point between the ring and the cut out for your head, this should be the broadest section of the buckram. Double this measurement and add at least two inches. This will be the width of your brim fabric. You will be cutting a long rectangle with the length being the circumfrence of your brim and the width being the measurement you just calculated. (Actually, I ususally subract at least one inch from the "lenght" of this rectangle so that the fabric fits the brim tightly).

Sew the width-ends of your rectangle together, now you have a big circle of fabric, like a ring, which should be something like 53" around (if you are using an 18" macrame hoop) and about 13" - 16" inches wide.

Place your rimmed "halo" inside the circle of fabric. Once it is centered on the circle, you should be able to see that the "brim" fabric will drape into place on the "halo", making up the top and bottom fabric covering on the brim of your "pizza" hat. This fabric needs to be either gathered or pleated into place and tacked down at the "inner" edge of the brim (the hole where your head will go). *This style will not have very deep pleats - see end of message for the variation.

Now, the "box" that goes on top of the hat can be made in a number of ways. No matter where you place the seams of the four parts on the "top" of the box, you will need to make a matching "bottom". Once this "bottom" has been constructed, center it on your brim piece and cut out a hole that matches the head hole in your brim. (You can line your "box" by replicating it exactly inside out - including head hole). Sew the square, outside edges of your "top" and "bottom" box pieces together (place liner inside at this point if you are lining it).

Line up the edges of the head hole on your brim with the edges of the head hole on your "box". Baste the two together. ALMOST DONE!

Now, make a peice of bias tape out of your remaining fabric. You dont need a lot of fabric to do this and you can find better descriptions of making bias tape online than I can give you here. Use this bais tape to cover all the nasty, thready ends that are now all around your joint head hole. This is going to be hand sewing.

Finish your hat with the cotton shoe string (minus plasticy end bits - use white glue and roll the cut ends between your fingers until they dry to reseal the ends of the cut cotton shoe string in a more "period" way) as the chin strap - lots of different methods here as well. You can include a covered button in the middle top of your box.

At one point I found visual instructions for making a tellerbarret and doing a little digging, I found the Flickr site again. http://www.flickr.com/photos/77086627@N00/page2/ He also has patterns for making other bits and pieces to the landsknecht outfit, but I'll post them later when I have more time.


Hopefully between the written and visual instructions, making one should be a snap. :D

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