New bonnet

[Walkman]

You'll probably notice the head band will not be even all the way around and the bonnet will be some shape other than round. That a sign you did things right.

Thanks for the information on "Jocking" a bonnet, BB. Does the head band shrink too? Is the shape that is "other than round" the shape of your head (i.e., shrink-to-fit), or is it just the effect of the wool shrinking in a non-uniform manner?

[CollinMacD]

The hotter the water the more the bonnet will shrink. To get lots of shrinkage use hot water and high heat. You could turn a bonnet into a bit of doll clothing. My water heater is turned all the way up. The water is too hot to be comfortable. It burns. I soak my bonnets and berets in this water. You need to soak a bonnet long enough to get sopping wet. I generally just toss mine in, go watch paint dry, and then take the chapeau out and flop it on a medium size towel. I roll the towel and bonnet tightly then wring it hard. The bonnet won't get distorted doing this.

When as much water is as wrung out as possible put the bonnet on your head and shape it to suit. Periodically touch it up. When it's mostly dry you can carefully take it off and lay it on a flat surface to finish drying. Just don't try to do anymore shaping. Now that hot weather is coming you could probably put the damp bonnet on and get it dry while mowing the lawn or something.

You'll probably notice the head band will not be even all the way around and the bonnet will be some shape other than round. That a sign you did things right.

I've done this with army berets, a Mackie bonnet, my massive bonnet by Gloria, and berets from South Pacific Berets without failure.

Shave the bonnet after it is shaped. Use one of those battery powered things for removing pills and fuzz from sweaters. You could probably age it with a torch. Don't let the flame get too close to the wool and keep it moving. This will stink. Do it outside.

Felted bonnets are very water repellent. My bonnet from Gloria is about 98 percent waterproof. A bonnet could be even more hydrophobic with a lanolin treatment.

Thank you so much, I will follow directions to the "T". I just got my bonnet from Gloria yesterday and its the best bonnet I ever got, just love the quality and the make. I hope to purchase another one soon.... I will let you know how things work out...Thank you,,,Collin

[Benning Boy]

Thanks for the information on "Jocking" a bonnet, BB. Does the head band shrink too? Is the shape that is "other than round" the shape of your head (i.e., shrink-to-fit), or is it just the effect of the wool shrinking in a non-uniform manner?

The headband won't shrink as long as you have it on while drying. If too big it will snug up a little. It won't shrink if you take it off when nearly dry and set it down to finish drying. I think most of the shrinkage happens in the hot water. The rest when drying. Our skilled bonnet makers can explain it better. Dixiecat does a great job of it. I actually stretched my bonnet from Gloria. I have fine, thick longish hair. Hats slip around on it, so I screwed the bonnet down tight to where it wouldn't slip off and let it dry, actually stretching the headband a bit.

The headband on a Historic Caps Tam, or one of those blue bonnets that likes to go over the boarder, that is a traditional one, will take on the shape of your head of course, but as you shape it the edges may roll in places and stand up in others. The band like the rest of the bonnet will take on the unique shape you give it. The band on my Mackie bonnet didn't change much at all. A wide diced band will probably not change much. Military berets and older style bonnets do change shape around the band. It's Traditional!

A round bonnet fresh from the knitter when shaped will stretch one way and shrink another. It won't be round when you're done with it.

I wouldn't call what I do Jocking a bonnet. After all Jocking means doing it in the manner of Jock Scott. Perhaps Benning Boy Bonnet Bashing or BBBBING a bonnet, or taking nontraditional shortcuts.

[Jock Scot]

Everyone will have there own idea of what they want and how to achieve it, but I think that we need to remember that we are talking civilian attire here, so is the severe military look and shaved bonnet really necessary? Personally that look is not for me and it just makes extra work of the whole process and the extra wool that will felt overtime does add that extra bit of waterproofing.

Yes a bit of GBH to the bonnet does assist the shrinking/fitting process as does heat when(if) necessary, but the towel bit just seems a bit over the top. Just sit the soaked bonnet on a fencepost or hang it from a tree/tap/nail/whatever, until the worst of the wet has dripped out, then the important shaping process can be done whilst the bonnet is at the quite damp stage and then worn on the head until dry.

[KMCMICHAEL]

Thank you Jock, Scottish pragmatism such as we all admire.

I hung mine outside as you suggested.

[KMCMICHAEL]

This thing needs some weight in the front for balance. Has anyone used a cap badge on a bonnet such as this without the cloth attachement(brocade?)???

[slothead]

Thank you so much, I will follow directions to the "T". I just got my bonnet from Gloria yesterday and its the best bonnet I ever got, just love the quality and the make. I hope to purchase another one soon.... I will let you know how things work out...Thank you,,,Collin

Collin, which style did you get from Gloria?

[dcommini]

I wouldn't call what I do Jocking a bonnet. After all Jocking means doing it in the manner of Jock Scott. Perhaps Benning Boy Bonnet Bashing or BBBBING a bonnet, or taking nontraditional shortcuts.

That's just what I call shaping it. You follow the steps that you mentioned and then put the bonnet/beret on your head and shape the headgear to the shape of your head. Though, when I went through Basic Training we were told to put our berets on while still sopping wet and let them dry that way - so after we were issued our berets and had free time the entire bay had guys walking around with wet berets on their heads and towels on their shoulders.

I bought a bonnet from a vendor at the TN Renn Faire, and it's ok, but it isn't historically accurate in the least since it seems to be made from two parts (plus the headband that has a cord run through it). So there is a seam that runs all the way around it. I think the vendor did that so people could use it as part of different costumes. Anyway, I like it, but I usually don't wear it, and instead just wear my black beret instead because I don't want a balmoral with the puff on top (nor do I want to buy one and cut off the puff). However, if I could get my hands on a Glengarry again (had one, but it was lost in one of my numerous moves) I'd wear that with a tweed coat - I always did like the garrison caps over the berets anyhow.

[slothead]

This thing needs some weight in the front for balance. Has anyone used a cap badge on a bonnet such as this without the cloth attachement(brocade?)???

Hmmm... I would think that if it won't stay on your head without "balance" it is too loose. IMHO

[Benning Boy]

This thing needs some weight in the front for balance. Has anyone used a cap badge on a bonnet such as this without the cloth attachement(brocade?)???

Check out this site, which describes making a stiffened cockade.

http://creativecockades.blogspot.com...-cockades.html

A bit of buckram worked into a cockade ought to provide enough stiffening to carry a badge. Buckram stitched to the inside of the bonnet might also stiffen enough from the badge. Buckram is pretty good stuff. my highly skilled ex-wife used buckram a lot in her tailoring.

The above linked site also mentions grosgrain ribbon as being stiff. Perhaps you could work the cockade in that to gain extra stiffness.

Of course, if you can get it, a silver bade will be lighter in weight than a pewter one.

I don't recall ever seeing anything worn on a traditional bonnet but a cockade, usually a white one representing loyalty to the Stuarts. Perhaps some of the reenactors could pitch in and describe the wearing of badges on a traditional bonnet. I think badges are somewhat of a modern fashion trend, not dating back to the era of bonnets such as you wear in your picture, and I wear also.