New bonnet

[KMCMICHAEL]

I got one of the bonnets from Gloria @ Historical caps. It is seriously warm with lots of wool. I may not wear it much until next winter.

[dcommini]

I got one of the bonnets from Gloria @ Historical caps. It is seriously warm with lots of wool. I may not wear it much until next winter.

Looks good, bet it would look great after a decent shaping. I might just be interested in buying one.

[KMCMICHAEL]

I am not sure I want to change the shape just yet.

[Steve Ashton]

I was going to make a comment that the bonnet would look better if you did not stand on your head.

[KMCMICHAEL]

I was going to make a comment that the bonnet would look better if you did not stand on your head.

That does tend to flatten them...

It shows upright to me but I had to upload it about 5 times.

[Profane James]

I have several from Gloria, great stuff! Give it a good soak!

[KMCMICHAEL]

I have several from Gloria, great stuff! Give it a good soak!

She indicated that's one shouldn't steam it. Do you soak yours totally?

[Profane James]

I 'jocked' them using advice from this very forum. All of my bonnets have the inside adjustment; I sized it up before I started this process.
I folded a towel making it just wide enough for the bonnet to fit, leaving the length stretched out, placed nearby on the floor.
I filled my kitchen sink with hot water (enough to submerge the bonnet),
Submerged, then drained a few times, enough to thoroughly soak. DO NOT WRING/ SQUEEZE, just allow to drain out a bit.
After thoroughly soaked, let drain the last time (doesn't really matter how long, just so the bulk of the water is out), then place, flat - as it was shipped - in one end of the towel. I then folded the bonnet up in the towel, end over end, keeping it flat - when I ran out of towel, I ROLLED it up and at this point, pressed and squeezed. The pressing and squeezing is just to get the remaining loose water out.
THEN...
Unroll it and put it on. This is when I smoothed, stretched, pulled, folded it into the shape I wanted.
Wear it like that as long as you can. It will still have a lot of water in it, so be prepared for some dripping on your shirt. I rolled a towel up to 'prop' it when I took it off. Seems to take a few days to fully dry out, but the process can be repeated if the shape doesn't take on the first try.
I need to man up and make a video maybe?

[Walkman]

I 'jocked' them using advice from this very forum. All of my bonnets have the inside adjustment; I sized it up before I started this process.

Thanks for the detailed instructions, James. This is a timely post for me, as I just invested in a Robert Mackie balmoral and need to "Jock" it so I can wear it next weekend. What is the "inside adjustment" that you mentioned above? I ordered my bonnet a size too large based on a comment from Jock Scott in a previous thread that they tend to shrink a bit during the Jocking process. Hopefully it will, as it is a bit too loose at this point.

I folded a towel making it just wide enough for the bonnet to fit, leaving the length stretched out, placed nearby on the floor.
I filled my kitchen sink with hot water (enough to submerge the bonnet),
Submerged, then drained a few times, enough to thoroughly soak. DO NOT WRING/ SQUEEZE, just allow to drain out a bit.

After thoroughly soaked, let drain the last time (doesn't really matter how long, just so the bulk of the water is out), then place, flat - as it was shipped - in one end of the towel. I then folded the bonnet up in the towel, end over end, keeping it flat - when I ran out of towel, I ROLLED it up and at this point, pressed and squeezed. The pressing and squeezing is just to get the remaining loose water out.

THEN...
Unroll it and put it on. This is when I smoothed, stretched, pulled, folded it into the shape I wanted. Wear it like that as long as you can. It will still have a lot of water in it, so be prepared for some dripping on your shirt. I rolled a towel up to 'prop' it when I took it off. Seems to take a few days to fully dry out, but the process can be repeated if the shape doesn't take on the first try. I need to man up and make a video maybe?

Great instructions! I think a video would be very helpful. In particular, it would be nice to see how the shaping is done after it's been soaked, rolled, pressed and squeezed. Do you have any "before and after" photos of your bonnet?

Thanks,
Randy

[Luke MacGillie]

Did you order it artifically aged, and or with the last skein in the dye pot look?

I agree its needs "Jocked?, and a good shave. I might even go so far as to try and blue it up with some Indigo dye.