re blocking a tam

[creagdhubh]

It could be an old Mackie bonnet, interesting.

[creagdhubh]

I am going for something similar to what the Duke of Argyll wears. It will have a red tourie and a black bottom band.

My next Balmoral order with Chris at Dunadd will be in the style of the Duke of Argyll: lovat blue crown (his has significantly faded), fawn and white dicing, fawn band, fawn ribbon tails tied in a bow, fawn cockade, and a red tourie. Of course, you could do a lovat green version as well, which would look quite nice with a red tourie.

Cheers,

[Harold Cannon]

That was the reason that I wanted to try and restore it. I darned all of the moth holes as best as I could and have lined the checked band with black cotton cloth. I am currently adding the grosgrain bottom band with the functional drawstring ribbon.

[Harold Cannon]

I thought the Duke's bonnet had matching dicing and a blackish colored ribbon bottom.

[creagdhubh]

I thought the Duke's bonnet had matching dicing and a blackish colored ribbon bottom.

[Harold Cannon]

Looks like matching dicing to me and the ribbon looks to be a faded black one.

[creagdhubh]

Looks like matching dicing to me and the ribbon looks to be a faded black one.

It's difficult to say if the dicing matches the colour of the crown precisely. In some photos it looks like a fawn colour, and in others it appears to be a lovat bluish colour. The band may had been black at one point, but I don't know...it looks like a heavily soiled fawn colour to me - years of sweat and dirt that have accumulated.

In any rate, the Balmoral in which I will have commissioned from Mackie, via Chris, will more than likely have a fawn band, with either lovat blue and white, or fawn and white dicing. I am not too keen on a black band unless it is on a navy or black coloured Balmoral.

Navy/navy tourie Mackie Balmoral with a black band. I do not tie the ribbon tails on my black or navy Balmorals - only the lighter coloured versions.


Cheers,

[Harold Cannon]

It sounds great either way! I am still torn as to the cockade though. I'm not sure about using tartan but at the same time I am not sure about a black one either. Plus 3 inch ribbon is hard to come by locally.

I could always do a livery cockade but gold and black will stand out a bit.

[Harold Cannon]

Here is an picture update on the bonnet I used pleaters advice about stretching the crown and I darned the moth holes. There is one area of bad damage but this will be covered by the cockade one I get it finished.

[David Thorpe]

Nice work. A white cockade would look nice, IMHO.