Greetings From Poppy Land

‘Norfolk Poppy’ by Goodrum & Merryweather, October 2023.
With hand cut petals and leaves, hand dyed fabric and hand made in the Poppy Land of Norfolk, England.

Earlier this month (October 2023), I spent an intense Saturday afternoon being put through my flower-making paces by Jenny Roberts, the renowned milliner based in Harrogate, Yorkshire. I’ve taken several of Jenny’s online classes over the past two or three years and they are always excellent; full of tips, clear instruction and striking just the right pitch and pace. This latest class was a four hour-long Zoom session focusing on the hand production and custom ombre dyeing of poppies in a slightly hard-to-come-by fabric called cotton organdie (refer to image for end results)

Norfolk, the county where I’m based, has historically been closely connected to the poppy flower. However, I think I am correct in saying that, these days, the connections are rarely referenced in local or popular culture, save for the occasional tourist postcard or souvenir tea towel. Time was (in the late Victorian period) when visiting the ‘Poppy Land’ of Norfolk was nothing short of a fashionable craze and Norfolk was coined as the place “where the regal red poppies are born”. There are some wonderful old travel posters for the now defunct Great Eastern Railway promoting the “charm” of Poppy Land and the railway line as the “royal route to Poppy Land” (don’t forget, for example, that Sandringham House, the Christmas residence of the British Royals, is to be found on the North Norfolk coast).

The creation of the Poppy Land legend was largely down to a Victorian gentleman, lyricist, writer, poet and theatre critic for The Daily Telegraph named Clement Scott (1841-1904). In 1883 Scott, a Londoner, travelled on assignment to the area via the newly opened rail connection between Norwich and the seaside resort of Cromer. On arrival in tourist-y Cromer, and unable to secure accommodation, Scott walked along the coastal path to the neighbouring villages of Overstrand and Sidestrand. There, he stumbled upon the idyllic Mill House, where he lodged and fell in love with both the quiet beauty of the locale and with the miller’s daughter, Louie Jermy. Scott recounted his impressions of Poppy Land in his Telegraph column for several weeks and, later, in his book, Poppy Land – Papers Descriptive on the East Coast (1886). These descriptions of an unspoiled and remote vision of rural England may be attributed to kick-starting the, still flourishing, Norfolk tourist industry and the longstanding popularity of the county as a Summer holiday destination. Scott’s Poppy Land captured the imagination of London’s literary and artistic set, who travelled to Mill House and its surrounds in droves; so much so that Sidestrand became known as “the village of millionaires” for a time.

Ironically, Scott became frustrated by the growth in popularity and bustle that his own writings brought to the area and feared that the peaceful charm of Poppy Land may be threatened by development and what he referred to as the “Bungalow Land” of modern construction and incomers. His was, and remains, a common and unfortunate complaint. However, as a Norfolk resident, I am glad to have spent many happy hours over the years visiting, holidaying on, and thoroughly enjoying, the coastline of Cromer, Overstrand and Sidestrand alike, all of which retain a substantial portion of their simple and nostalgic appeal. And, as a Norfolk milliner, I am glad now to have learned the art of poppy making so that I may add a local and historical splash of colour to my hats; all of them proudly made in Poppy Land.

Silver Linings

‘To Every Cloud’ parasisal straw beret with cloud veil. Proof that Goodrum&Merryweather hats will have you floating on air. In aid of Hats for Headway Day, 19/05/23

The mid-Summer solstice has been and gone and I’m only too aware that a blog post is long overdue. The merry month of May was jam packed with millinery activity here at Goodrum & Merryweather.

Just three of its many highlights would be:

1. [13/05/23] I took an online ‘cloud’ veiling course with one of the best millinery tutors around, Jenny Roberts, who is based in Yorkshire but was delivering this particular course for the American Institute of Millinery Education (AIME). Isn’t it amazing that I can sit in my studio in Norwich, receiving instruction from a Yorkshire tutor, whilst sharing a class with fellow students scattered across North America and Europe? The internet comes in for a lot of, rightful, criticism but there are occasions when it is a wonderful tool. I know for certain that my own millinery skills and training would be much diminished without the access to tutors and classes the world over that online platforms facilitate.

2. [17/05/23] I received a lovely invitation to spend an evening in the auspicious company of the Old Catton branch of the Women’s Institute. What a jolly and welcoming bunch they proved to be and there was a grand attendance of about fifty ladies in total. As is traditional with the WI, we sang Jerusalem and the National Anthem to top and tail the evening, and everything was done in a wonderfully proper way. As guest speaker, I was given an hour to talk about ‘the secret life of a milliner’. I kicked off with a little millinery-related quiz, showed off lots of my hats, talked about my process and demonstrated some simple techniques. The ladies were so game and happily joined in, trying on my hats and looking drop dead gorgeous in them. I was served tea on a silver tray and was invited to stay for the remainder of business, including the raffle. What’s more, the Old Catton branch meet in the spectacular and stately grounds of Catton deer park and it was a lovely balmy evening to take in the ancient trees and leafy surroundings. What a pleasure and thank you, OCWI, for your support and encouragement.

3. [19/05/23] Headway – the brain injury association – is a splendid charity, which aims to improve life after brain injury. I carry one of their Brain Injury Identity cards, which gives emergency information for, and about, those of us living with brain injury in case of accident, arrest or some such. One of their fundraising events is the annual ‘Hats for Headway’ day, when supporters are asked to wear a hat, take a selfie and make a donation. This year, I not only wore a hat for Headway but I made my very own (refer to image). In a serendipitous stroke of timing, I was able to put the new skills I had acquired on my veiling course (refer above) to good use and my ‘To Every Cloud’ hat was born. Isn’t it great when a plan comes together in such a way? Headway featured my ‘Brain Tumour and Me‘ story on their social media platforms, which included lots of detail about my millinery practice, images of my hats and even a photo of me in my ‘To Every Cloud’ confection. A silver lining, indeed.

Season To Taste

To everything there is a season, so the saying goes. And that is very much the case when it comes to millinery. Millinery, and especially fancy hats for special occasions such as weddings, horse racing and garden parties takes off as the cuckoo calls in Spring. It is generally held that milliners (in the Northern hemisphere) ramp up their business and production from about Easter/April and go flat out until late Summer/beginning of September. In the UK, this period coincides neatly with what is referred to among the gentry and aspirant hangers-on as ‘The Season’, something dating from the 17th century, peaking in the 19th century, and still very much observed among the smart set today. Annual, very exclusive, events form the bones of The Season and are occasions at which to be seen and in which to participate in order to maintain one’s social, and historically, political, credentials. Events include the merry-go-round of Glyndebourne, Chelsea, Ascot, Goodwood, Henley, Wimbledon and Cowes (not a definitive list by any means). Hats for both men (in the order of boaters, top hats and panamas) and women (tending towards floral, Summery, confections) are very much part and parcel of these proceedings.

It is useful to set the seasonal scene (refer above) because it explains, to a degree, the flurry of activity that has taken place since my last journal entry back at the beginning of March ’23. Dear reader, things have hotted up. I have been busy. And some exciting projects, planned and prepared in the depths of the Wintery off-season, have finally come to fruition. In order not to confuse or bewilder, I have selected five highlights from the past five weeks. Hopefully, this will give a taste of the depth, breadth and pace of Goodrum & Merryweather activity at the moment. In sum, these ‘5 in 5’ display clear progression of, and development in, my millinery endeavours, and I am proud of these achievements. Rather than writing acres of text (we’d all be here for an age), I’ve decided to present my ‘5 in 5’ in the form of an annotated gallery. Click on.

• 

  Highlight ONE: A Goodrum&Merryweather headpiece was selected by the esteemed jury for inclusion in the ‘Bold Perspectives’ exhibition, which ran at The Forum in central Norwich, 11-19 March 2023.

• 

  Highlight ONE: ‘Bold Perspectives’ was part of the Norfolk Makers Festival, an annual celebration of craft in the region. The festival had a marvellous, diverse and packed programme of demonstrations, events, and workshops. There was such a buzz.

• 

  Highlight ONE: My exhibition piece was a response to the theme of ‘Bold Perspectives’. The headpiece is named ‘Her Infinite Variety’.

• 

  Highlight ONE: The headpiece was accompanied by an artist’s statement, as follows, “The piece plays with perspective through aesthetic contrasts: positive space/negative space; decorative/plain; smooth/textured; straw/silk. Viewed from varying angles, it reveals its differing perspectives and personalities and uses a riotous colour palette to bold effect. The headpiece has been made using traditional millinery techniques and blocked and stitched entirely by hand.”

• 

  Highlight ONE: It was such a thrill to be part of a jury-ed exhibition and involved in this high profile event. The exhibition was professionally curated and looked very smart.

• 

  Highlight TWO: 29th March 2023. I took a half-day course with Yorkshire-based milliner, Jenny Roberts. The class was an introduction to the intriguing material called ‘buntal mats’. I have long admired the sculptural quality of these mats and have been desperate for the opportunity to learn how to use them effectively. Here’s my resulting hat, which I’ve named ‘Shoo Shoo Baby’ in reference to the 1940s vintage vibe going on here.

• 

  Highlight TWO: The buntal class was online, with participants from Australia and the US, as well as the UK. It was fun and informative. I am pleased with the outcome and have a couple more mats ready to be sculpted in my studio. Buntal is now my thing!

• 

  Highlight THREE: Who’d have thunk? At the end of March, I was awarded ‘student of the month’ by the London Embroidery School for this organza rose. I’d been gifted a LES teach-yourself tutorial as a Christmas present and had posted the results of my trials online. I am keen to get to grips with flower-making but it is quite a specialised skill. Practice will make perfect, I hope. It’s so encouraging to receive this recognition.

• 

  Highlight FOUR: Another Goodrum&Merryweather hat on exhibition. In London. 6-15th April 2023. With an accompanying auction of artworks in aid of The Brain Tumour Charity.

• 

  Highlight FOUR: The exhibition was themed around ‘TIME’ and the many interpretations this might have in relation to serious illness, caring, recovery and finding a cure. Some 150 artworks were on exhibition.

• 

  Highlight FOUR: It was wonderful to have the opportunity for my work to be seen in the metropolitan context of Islington, London. The Business Design Centre, where the show was located, is a well-known landmark. There were some internationally renowned artists being showcased at the event, including David Shrigley. How exciting to be rubbing shoulders, metaphorically speaking, with the likes of him.

• 

  Highlight FOUR: ‘TIME’ achieved lots of publicity and was promoted across the London Tube network and in the free London newspaper ‘Metro’. This visibility is a bonus for me and, of course, a very important profile raising device for The Brain Tumour Charity.

• 

  Highlight FOUR: And here’s my TIME headpiece, titled ‘Take Time To Smell The Roses’. The base of the hat is made from parasisal straw. Then there’s trim, lots of trim, in the form of silk abaca and jinsin swirls and some lovely silk flowers.

• 

  Highlight FOUR: The headpiece reflects some of my own experience: receiving a diagnosis, undergoing treatment and convalescing from a brain tumour. Chaos and beauty in combination.

• 

  Highlight FOUR: The Brain Tumour Charity has been a tremendous source of support to me over the past few years. It is a privilege and a pleasure to be able to return this by getting involved in the exhibition, even in a small way.

• 

  Highlight FOUR: I wonder how many gallery visitors spotted the little bug hidden among the floral festoonery of my hat? It was fun to add this humorous twist to my design but there’s also metaphorical symbolism here, too.

• 

  Highlight FIVE: And in just the past week (w/c 10th April 2023), Goodrum&Merryweather has been accepted onto the ‘Norfolk Wedding Directory’ website. This is a hub for all wedding related services, suppliers and small businesses in the region. Weddings are such an important part of the millinery world, whether or not it be mother-of-the-bride statement hats, pretty little flower girl headbands or something quietly sophisticated to match a smart outfit. I’m excited to see where this collaboration takes me and my millinery.

• 

  Highlight FIVE: Even better, the kind folks at Norfolk Wedding Directory decided to nominate Goodrum&Merryweather as the ‘featured’ listing in their Bridalwear category. This support and recognition is much appreciated and gives me a very welcome boost. Onwards and upwards, and always in a hat.

I ‘Heart’ Millinery

The ‘Truly Madly Deeply’ Boater (18-inch diameter brim in sinamay with lace overlay). A labour of love for Valentine’s Day from Goodrum & Merryweather, February 2023.

There is millinery and then there’s couture millinery. The word couture is bandied around a lot in the circles I move in and many claim to operate in the couture tradition. Remember your high school French? Haute couture literally translates as ‘high sewing’ and millinery is all part and parcel of this rich discipline. Indeed, it is useful to conceive of the art and craft of millinery as a discipline with its exacting standards, precision techniques and refined sensibility.

It was with a good deal of trepidation, then, that last month (January 2023) I logged on to a two-day course of online tuition with the much celebrated couture milliner (and hat-maker to some very famous, regal, heads), Justine Bradley-Hill, who is located up in the hills of Yorkshire and operates under the fabulous strapline of “head candy for the brave and the bold“. Hers is high-end making, writ large with exacting standards and fastidious detailing. Pernickety by nature, I love and admire this type of approach but I was terribly nervous about whether or not I’d be able to keep up in class.

My teacher was generous and encouraging in her coaching, and opened my eyes with her painstaking approach. If the word ‘couture’ is overused, then so, perhaps, is ‘inspirational’. Yet this was an inspirational experience, which has left me striving for ever greater heights of my own and marvelling at the skills of others (and I cannot stop talking about it). I learned enormous amounts both practically but also philosophically about life and work in couture (and plan always to use my fingertips, rather than a brush, to apply millinery stiffener from here on in). The results of my class are pictured here (left), in the form of the Truly Madly Deeply boater, fortuitously just in time for Valentine’s Day. It’s a striking object, 18-inches in diameter, with almost 5 metres of pink sinamay used in its construction. And I am delighted by the soldier-straight seams and razor sharp edges that `I achieved under JB-H’s expert, kindly and fun tuition. A quick, rough, calculation suggests that the finished hat took approximately 25 hours in the making. And I relished every single second.

Feeling Felty

Loop-de-loop. My first attempt at an Autumnal felt flower trim. Inspired by the British Millinery Association training weekend in September 2022.
Technique demonstrated by Jenny Roberts of JR Millinery, Yorkshire.

It’s been an absolute age since I’ve made anything from felt. My first lessons in millinery, back in 2014, were felt-related and because of that initial grounding I have long regarded it as my most familiar territory and textile. But a hiatus has ensued. I’ve been distracted by my ambition to master the worlds of sisal and straw and, as a result, felt has taken a back burner for quite some time.

Millinery is a seasonal trade with the vast majority of orders, clients and custom concentrated in the sunny months of May, June and July when race meets, garden parties and weddings abound. Orders placed in this busy period tend not to be felty. Felt is derived from wool or fur and has warmth-giving properties. It is heavier in weight, thicker and, therefore, regarded to be Autumnal and frost-inviting.

It is no surprise then, that as the calendar turns on the month of September and a nip arrives in the air, I have been ferreting through my stash of felt hoods in order to seek inspiration. I have nothing short of a rainbow selection of colours and hues to choose from, ranging from a fabulous mustard yellow through to a dusky rose pink. Now I need to get busy and actually make something. I will be much aided in this task thanks to a recent (17/09/2022) British Millinery Association training weekend (these take place every couple of months and are worth their weight in gold, thanks to the heavily subsidised, online, tutorials and demonstrations for BMA members) that allowed me to freshen up on my felt skills and also introduced me to some rather nifty little techniques in the form of flowery felt trims (refer to image, left). You can’t beat that felty feeling.

Madame de Pom-pom-padour

Fabric pompom making with Elena Shvab, London Hat Week, August 2022

As avid followers of this journal will be aware, London Hat Week (1-7th August 2022) presented the opportunity for Goodrum & Merryweather to represent the British Millinery Association in the form of an exhibited hat (refer to the post, Heading South, for more details). But, thrillingly, London Hat Week also presented manifold opportunities for some Continuing Professional Development in the form of its extensive, varied and too-hard-to-choose programme of millinery workshops, demonstrations and masterclasses.

After much deliberation, I settled upon a morning of fabric pompom making (via Zoom) with one of my milliners-of-choice, Elena Shvab of Elena Shvab Millinery. The saying goes that “every day is a school day” and 3rd August 2022 was certainly one of them as I learned this new, and rather nifty, cutting, folding and sewing technique. But learning comes in surprise packages and unexpected places. And, for me, the most interesting, yet unanticipated, part of the class was not so much the end result of a pompom (pictured) but that the class allowed me to have my first encounter with the mysterious and magical material known as Bondaweb (an iron-on paper adhesive, in case you were wondering).

A significant chunk of the excellent three hour class involved preparing – making, indeed – our own bespoke textile from which to cut the pompom template. In readiness, I had acquired some royal blue cotton fabric and some peacock blue tulle and, with the wonders of Bondaweb and a great deal of ironing in circular motions (for half an hour or more), was able to fuse these two together to form a stiffer and, importantly, fray-resistant textile. And like most things, now that I have gained some guided experience of what Bondaweb is and how it works and performs, there is going to be no stopping me. I’ll be able to adapt its use to all sorts of trim-making scenarios and can’t quite believe I’ve spent so long in the dark about it (especially as it is widely available and much used, often associated with appliqué work). My Bonda bonanza starts here.

The Braidy Bunch

Small and imperfectly formed. First attempt using straw braid, thanks to the British Millinery Association and its training session on Zoom, 8th July 2022.

My July update will be short and sweet as I am busy with other life events at the moment. However, there is always – always – time to be made for a millinery themed Zoom workshop. The perfect end to a hectic (and swelteringly hot) week came last Friday evening in the form of an ‘Introduction to Straw Braid’ masterclass with the inspirational Kimberly Hutsel of Two Foxes Studio in upstate New York. Every now and again, the wonderful British Millinery Association (of which I am a member) hosts a training weekend and I was able to take my pick of discounted sessions on straw braid, flower making, social media maximisation and Regency bonnet construction (one can never have too much of that).

Seizing my opportunity to learn something about straw braid and, finally, to put the hank of it that has been hanging, decoratively, from the peg in my studio for well over three years, to some kind of boater-ish use, I zoomed in on the act. Kimberly taught us how to make a straw button (pictured) by hand and I happily joined in, dunking my braid in a bowl of water to make it pliable, forming a specially coiled starter knot, then sewing (carefully, so as not to split the straw) the spiral in place. Once I was past the initial fiddly bit, the sewing was quite therapeutic, as was the evocative smell of the dampened straw.

Kimberly then gave us a show-stopping demonstration of how the tiny, hand-sewn, button becomes a large, full-blown, hat. Using her specialist vintage straw braid sewing machine, which zips along, chain stitching, at a cracking rate, she magically conjured up a crown and brim before our very eyes. The process was mesmerising and it was a privilege to witness such skill and expertise. The hat (a beautiful hand dyed indigo colour) grew and grew with each turn of braid. In total, Kimberly told us it takes about 35 or 40 minutes to make a hat on the machine. As a hand sewer, that sort of speed is nothing short of turbo-charged and it’s fair to say that the entire experience has instilled me with some very welcome va-va-voom of my own.