Marge sent me this ADORABLE photo of her in her prairie school teacher costume for cowboy day. She did awesome!

bonnets: high above the forehead, there’s also the main decoration; ‘spoon bonnet’ ( early 1860s bonnet, mid 1860s bonnet); hats are now sometimes worn instead of bonnets ( 1865 fashion plate) (prior to the 1860s hats were just worn at the seaside, in the country, or by children) In Detail 1840s If your strips for the cap frill aren’t long enough, join them with small French seams after hemming. ( Close-up of hem with running stitches and ruffle joined with french seams (enlarge the picture)) bonnets: close round the face in a ‘horseshoe’-shape; from the side view a long, rather straight bonnet shape; ‘coal scuttle bonnet’ ( original 1840s bonnet); sometimes the brim and crown piece are still constructed of two pieces ( 1840s bonnet)I bought my 6 mm wide plastic boning at MakeBra here. 50 cm gave me enough for the four 10 cm bones. I was left with 10 cm of boning that I used to add bones to the front side of the side seams. I used my Dremel to sand out and round the ends of the bones. Round 3. Ch2, 1dc in same st, 1dc in next st, *2DC in next st, 1dc in next st*, repeat from * to * for a total of 9 times, sl st to top of ch2 to join [30 sts]. Sew the frill to the front of the brim, again with overcasting stitches from the inside, like you’ve attached the crown to the brim. ( Close-up of cap frill, rolled whipped gathers, and running stitches; woman’s cap with whipped ruffle) Following the directions on your particular interfacing, iron the interfacing to the wrong side of one of the brim pieces. fashion plate with hats, fashion plate of walking dress with hat, fashion plate with bonnet and hat, fashion plate of small hat Detail Pictures of Bonnets 1840s

Once it is all cut and glued, you will have two pattern pieces. One for the bonnet cap, and one for the bonnet’s brim. Step 2. Cut Out The Materialbonnets advance a little more over the forehead than those heretofore worn, and are very open at each side of the face. The bavolet, or curtain, is cut square, not very deep, and is set on in double plaits. The ribbon employed for the strings is edged on one, or on both sides, with a plaiting of narrow ribbon. Velvet flowers or feathers are the ornaments most used.’ ( Peterson’s Magazine, 1859) 1860s Round 1. Ch2 (counts as your first dc here and throughout crown), 9dc in the circle, sl st to top of beg ch2 to join [10 sts].