The Myth of the Mad Hatter - Making a Victorian Top Hat

The Mad Hatter has become a character, rather than the reality of the 19th century. We hear about it as a macabre tale of Victorian ignorance- using a deadly poison for an industrial process and dismissing the warning signs. Though the phrase "mad as a hatter" had become common place before Alice in Wonderland, the origins and meaning weren't as clear at the time. As health issues within the hatting industry continued to rise, research was done to better understand the symptoms and the cause. By mid century it was well established that mercury was a primary culprit, but it took nearly another century before the use of mercury in hat making was illegal. How did this practice last so long? And why did they end up using a poison in the first place? To understand better, we need to look at the problem through the experiences of those working the line, rather than judgmental doctors or sensational articles.
The simple answer is Carroting. It was a process that prepared the fur on the hides to be removed and felted to make the hat blanks. That fur then continued down the line, through a dozen or more hands, to become the hat sold in a store. At the time, the mercury solution was the most effective option for this process. Even if both the workers and the owners knew its danger. But in the 19th and early 20th centuries there was no sick leave, no job security, no unions, and very few laws or regulations for safety. So workers often ignored symptoms in order to continue working and owners had little incentive to improve.
1877 Report: www.google.com/books/edition/...
The Danbury Shakes: connecticuthistory.org/ending...
Connecticut Magazine: archive.org/details/connectic...
Millinery Supplies:
www.hatsupply.com/
www.judithm.com/
www.etsy.com/shop/HatBlocksPo...
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🎶Music via Epidemic Sound (www.epidemicsound.com)
00:00 Introduction
01:50 The Madness
05:47 Carroting
08:10 Hatmaking Industry
15:17 Blame
22:24 Project Blocking
27:55 Project Trimming

[@Eloraurora]

The bit about claiming the workers had alcohol poisoning reminded me of when corporations claimed the radium girls just had syphilis.

[@doninis1354]

Yes, that was my tought, too. Are'nt we lucky today?

[@kobaltkween]

The symptoms you described are just _mild_ mercury poisoning. Acute mercury poisoning symptoms include extreme mood swings, bipolar disorder, and violent outbursts. For instance, my high school chemistry teacher warned us about it, because his brother-in-law flew into a rage and tried to kill his sister and their children with a crossbow due to mercury poisoning he'd acquired through his job/unsafe working conditions. The idea that this is a myth would only hold true if you believe workers would quit when they had mild symptoms, and you explained quite well why they wouldn't.

[@kathryngeeslin9509]

@@plague_doctor0237 Probably for the same reason they don't automatically euthanize rabies victims but try to prolong their lives as long as possible, which is tantamount to torture. Doctors (at least in the USA) see death as the great enemy and until our recent opioid crisis were not that strong on pain control (with exceptions of course, from ethical concerns or a lack of ethics). Our culture as a whole still has difficulty looking directly into the ethics of suffering and death. While most of us would greatly prefer a quicker less painful death to a slower more agonizing death we still balk at euthanasia or mercy killing. And are terrified of mercy killing being used as cover for inheritance murder or insurance fraud. Plus relatives unable to accept reality hoping for a miracle. Or misdiagnosis. So people facing horror are forced to endure to the bitter end.

[@babblgamgummi6029]

@@plague_doctor0237 Because euthanasia is always the choice of the patient and automatically killing everyone with a certain condition would be murder?! Nobody has the right to decide if someone else's life is worth living, no matter how short or unpleasant that remaining life will be.

[@kailedavid9160]

@@plague_doctor0237 there is a treatment for its called, chelation therapy.

[@aliceputt3133]

Chelation therapy was invented in the 20th century when sailors painting WW2 battleships with lead based paint were sickening and dying from lead poisoning. They discovered EDTA could be given thru a IV and it removed lead and other poisonous metals like mercury, aluminum…

[@LoverofHistory]

I really appreciate you going through the historical processes of clothing, not only in how it was sewn or made on a technical level, but also how that impacted the workers. It's interesting to learn about and also important to understand the ramifications of common practices in society, both historically and in current times. I'm looking forward to seeing your entire ensamble together! Thank you for the video :)

[@therewillbecatswithgwenhwyfar]

These academic videos are the only lectures I’m never late to!

[@evilinaharford66]

@@therewillbecatswithgwenhwyfar Same

[@kachambers3041]

Nicole makes such wonderful educational content. It's like a lecture/lab duo every video and I love this set up.

[@hanbanan3779]

Is it possible that the phrase "mad as a hatter" was originally intended/used to describe the actual symptoms that people were experiencing, and in Alice in Wonderland, Alice doesn't KNOW what the actual symptoms are because she is a child, and imagines her own idea of what a "mad hatter" would act like? It could be one of those jokes that only make sense to people of the time because they have the appropriate context. So i guess my hypothesis would be that Lewis Carroll unintentionally influenced the meaning of the phrase to modern audiences. This is purely supposition

[@bookmouse2719]

Perhaps, I wouldn't count Disney as a historian though.

[@ragnkja]

@@bookmouse2719 OP didn’t mention Disney at all.

[@KatieRoseHere]

@@bookmouse2719 The original book was written in 1865 by Lewis Carroll. Disney adapted to the book into an animated movie that released to the public in 1951. Disney doesn't own the rights to the story of Alice in wonderland, expect for the movie they animated. The story itself is public domain.:)

[@miekekuppen9275]

No reason to assume Carroll himself would be familiar with the specific form of "madness" experienced by hatters. Any neurological or mental symptoms might have been characterized as madness by the general public at the time.

[@hanbanan3779]

@@miekekuppen9275 you are right, we don't have any way of knowing for sure what he intended, but from the video it seems like there are historical docs that at least suggest that the general public had some idea what the actual symptoms of mercury poisoning were. But I want to reiterate that my comment was pure speculation. I don't even know what other mad hatter depictions existed at the time; Alice may not even have been the first to characterize it that way...Which would definitely tend to disprove the idea I suggested. Anyone know of other examples?

[@TheMetatronGirl]

I’ve always wondered why hats, particularly top hats, were brushed in the past!! I’ve never seen a genuine top hat up close, before, so this was fascinating. It just never really clicked that they were made from fur. Wool is the primary animal fiber I’m familiar with. The hat is gorgeous, and thank you for sharing your process, and the information!

[@adelemaisonneuve7470]

I’m Canadian, so we learn about beaver hats and their importance as a demand pressure that fuelled the fur trade when we study history in school. As a kid I was stunned that they were so elegant because I was picturing something more like a Russian ushanka or a Davy-crocket style hat.

[@en1909s9iah]

I think, besides the shiny it gives and the grain it creates on the hat, it was also a way of cleaning all things, coats, and skirts were also brushed regularly since it was not pratical to wash them.

[@TumblrOzymandias]

@@en1909s9iah it's actually still the recommended way to care for wool garments!

[@picassomanu185]

Well, isn't this on of the best historical costuming content in the KZbin these days? Informative, technical, and an actual project from start to finish. Thank you so much!

[@indigohalf]

Companies shifting blame for workplace health issues onto their employees? Say it ain't so! Thanks for this piece of labor history, Nicole. I didn't know those shiny top hats were actually fur felt. I knew beaver fur was popular for hats, but whenever I saw a shiny hat I always assumed it was covered in silk satin. Never imagined all the work that goes into making it look that way. I do love the ribbon you used, it's very eye-catching.

[@lorisewsstuff1607]

I think what makes me the saddest about the workers having to hide their illness to avoid losing their jobs is that the same thing still happens today. Where I live few people get vaccinated or wear masks and bosses don't want to give time off when an employee is ill. Whenever I leave home I see sick people all over the place working in stores because they don't have a choice. I feel sorry for them but at the same time I'm personally afraid. It's both horrifying and inhumane. When are we finally going to put caring ahead of profits?

[@werelemur1138]

The problem is, there is no "we." As long as the corporations and shareholders continue to rake in the money while other people (workers, people who live in areas polluted by industry) are the ones who live with the ill-effects, things like this will continue to happen. The wealthy class and the working class (which includes people who like to think of themselves as "middle-class") have interests that are diametrically opposed. The solution in the short term is unions. Don't cross picket lines, give to strike funds, educate yourself on the labor movement. In the long term? Smarter people than me are still stumped about how to create a world that's sustainable for everyone.

[@johannayaffe2647]

@@werelemur1138 The US seems particulary bad at giving sick leave. In the UK and other European countries sick leave and sick pay is a given. You may or may not need a doctor's letter depending on how long you're sick and which country. In many companies and certainly government/local authority jobs people are entitled to a certain number of sick days per year. Obviously this doesn't apply to zero hr contracts etc... and of course most western countries have universal health care free at the point of delivery, so you don't go bankrupt just because you got sick...

[@katherinemorelle7115]

Businesses (not “we”) won’t put caring ahead of profits as long as there is a profit to be made. When it comes to money vs humanity, money wins. Which is why I’m not a fan of the current system and think we should look at other options.

[@Jasmine-in-my-mind]

Near my workplace, there are a lot of construction workers doing building renovations (indoors) and none of them wear masks. I would be willing to bet that some of them want to, but the pressure must be so great to act as if they are invincible. (It makes me wonder what other safety measures are being ignored on that job site.) I thought of them when I Nicole mentioned the hat workers not taking precautions. They may well have been under pressure to pretend as if their jobs were not hazardous.

[@anna_in_aotearoa3166]

@@Jasmine-in-my-mind Agreed, a lot of it comes down not just to fear of losing your job if you rock the boat, but also to workplace culture? I used to work for our national workplace H&S regulator and saw lots of instances there where male-dominated industries like construction and agriculture had this strong 'macho' culture where taking basic safety precautions had traditionally been seen as sissy or cowardly (!) Changing very slowly over time thanks to better regulation and worker education & engagement efforts, but still very noticeable in how some older staff would pressure newbies to skip things like PPE? (personal protective gear) Combine that with the way many young men think themselves invincible, & you often still had a really problematic environment at times!! 😣

[@midnightqueen3332]

I was always taught and learned that the "Mad as a hatter" phrase comes not from the process of the felting and so on, but in the decorating of the hat since a lot of the glues, cements, and shellacs that would have been used are rather well fume-y. Ever been high off of rubber cement or the like from poor ventilation? This is plausible as they could have worked in batching- obtain hides, process hides, make hats, decorate the batch of hats. This would allow for the glues and so forth to fume up in the location/shop that the work is taking place in. This is just supposition based off of what I have learned from others around me.

[@kjt16]

A Gonzo cosplay? A Gozplay if you will. See also: Gonzo ensemble? Gonsemble.

[@ragnkja]

Early researchers into electricity went to milliners for their insulated wires after struggling to wrap cord around wires to insulate them themselves, because the milliners had tools that allowed them to densely wrap wire in whatever thread suited the hat it was going to be used for.

[@m.maclellan7147]

Not THAT is interesting! Thanks.

[@grannysquared7140]

One of my favorite part of costume prep and maintenance was brushing the top hat worn by Jean Val Jean. I loved the swirl on the top. Even though I handled it daily, I didn't know how it was made until now. Thank you for all the videos. I want to make everything from head to toe.

[@nickrhodes9031]

Remarkably appropriate video for me as today my daughter gave me a 1940's (silk) top hat for my birthday. My felt top hat with the sewn on Christmas lights unfortunately being lost last month whilst carousing I at least now know how to make another to replace it.

[@somebodycooliguess1597]

*Subtitle error!* : around 13:44 "health issues" becomes "healthy shoes", which I find hilarious but if anyone was confused, that's what is actually being said

[@annahackman2539]

I am always amused by the auto-subtitle errors.

[@ragnkja]

@@annahackman2539 As someone who has auditory processing difficulties, I’m more annoyed than amused by inaccurate subtitles, because they make it even harder for my brain to process what’s actually being said. If the captions are particularly bad they’re actually worse than none at all.

[@m.maclellan7147]

@@ragnkja that is rough ! Too bad KZbin doesn't help creators by offering help to do proper subtitles ! As a person with "normal" processing, I don't need the subtitles, but it stinks that you are stuck with a 'machine based' version. Once again, no profit = no service !

[@anna_in_aotearoa3166]

@@ragnkja 100% And I really feel like YT seems to have continued to actively made it harder to create and curate accurate CC rather than helping?? 😡 Thankfully there are some open source workarounds out there, but it's all still very clunky and their whole attitude to facilitating accessibility honestly makes me kinda mad.... (as a hatter??) Auto captioning really is not at all good for most content, so creators who take the time & effort to add accurate & sometimes witty subtitles have my serious respect.

[@charischannah]

We do still have a lot of issues when it comes to toxic chemicals and manufacturing processes and the effects on the workers. Lithium-ion batteries, while really important for making the switch from gas to electric, also have a lot of ethical issues because cobalt and lithium extraction continues to be dangerous for the workers since the companies that run the mines don't care about worker protection. And the battery manufacturers continue to use those materials (although at least some of them are reducing the amounts they use and looking for other options, but mostly because the cost of the materials has gone up--it's always about money).

[@elizabethcorwin-sapaugh3470]

that ends up being a very dapper hat. I could totally believe that Charles Dickens would pay for the upgrade to a watered silk in his top hat to celebrate the success of "A Christmas Carrol." so It is very Him in spirit even if not in precise fiber content. * shrug* the wider band makes for a good width proportionally on a non-Muppet sized body. It's not like a slightly darker brown would not have been available as a dye color in history.. so I don't think the anachronism matters from the movie version.

[@evilinaharford66]

I have recently traced my ancestors to the prairies of Canada, it seems that they were involved with the beaver trade in a variety of ways. Thank you for showing me and us what happened to the Beavers after they were shipped to England and the US. I learn something new with every video you make.

[@nataliestanchevski4628]

I remember being told in my high school Canadian history class that beaver was used in hat making but I had no concept of how involved the whole process was. Sleek fat animal turns into shiny top hat. That's all I was taught and my little teenaged brain never wondered about how that happened lol.

[@cherisseepp5332]

It is odd that they never went into at least the basic steps, isn’t it? BTW, it was difficult to put “isn’t it at the end of that sentence instead of eh, I very much fought that urge. Lol. That particular Canadian-ism is very much a part of my speech patterns.

[@nataliestanchevski4628]

@@cherisseepp5332 it's crazy, eh? I guess the hosers thought the politics and economics regarding The Hudson Bay Company and England vs France was more important. Tabernac! The school system never focused on the interesting stuff even when it went up to OAC/grade 13 like in my day. Sorry my reply is so long!

[@kimlopezinstructor2024]

I thought beaver and other animal fur hats were made from the tanned hide with fur on it. I didn't realize that they removed the fur and felted it! And the great explanation on how mercury was used was very understandable. Workers didn't complain, because there were many waiting to take the job. I'm also interested in the Public Health investigation- I had no idea it even existed. Once again, I learned something from your video. Kudos on the fascinating content. I also loved watching your own hatmaking process. Thank you!

[@DessertGeek]

I took a millinery class ages ago and it was both so neat to learn more about historical hatmaking here and to compare techniques! Like my wool hat was a two piece process, where the brim was cut and formed separately from the crown, and then they were sewn together after they dried with a ribbon covering the seam. (Also professional millinery steamers are amazing and I hope you can try one out, it helps hold moisture in the felt so much better so forming goes much faster!) Now you're making me want to take more classes and make more hats!

[@kateleighlambley1106]

This series is honestly a masterpiece, I learn so much every time I watch, and I actually want to watch the construction process as the history informs what I then see on screen. It's so clear to me how much thought and work must go into creating these epic videos, you're just quietly doing a masterclass every week. Thank you.

[@Hiker_who_Sews]

Perfect that an artist/creator/historian, that is...one who wears so many hats...should create a hat.

[@antiquitywright3533]

This makes me respect Johnny Depp's interpretation of the Mad Hatter all the more, since his plays more into a number of the forgetful, withdrawn, and trembling symptoms you mention! Unrelated, I purchased an identical hat block early this year--after falling down some of the same research rabbit holes it appears you did--and am hoping to try my hand at top hat making sometime in the next year. Thanks for showing how you accomplished it--yours turned out brilliantly!

[@lindak8664]

Your vast range of skills completely amaze me. Shoes, hats, leather, fabrics! I haven’t seen you make a handbag, although you probably have. Shoelaces! You are astonishing!

[@Selene13zz]

I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying this series. Not only is it based on arguably the best Muppet movie of all time, which has exquisite costuming, but it's showing how to this period of menswear is created from top to tails (so to speak). I'm not a historical costumer but have just started watching these kinds of vids in the last few months, and this just fuels the fascination. I really appreciate the knowledge and the demonstration of skill to make these kinds of garments (plus, shoes and hats?! Nicole is amazing, simply put).

[@roxiepoe9586]

While watching you make things is always a satisfying experience, I truly appreciate the research you present. The depth of detail and scholarship are truly a joy to me. I always leave your videos feeling smarter.

[@chloeedmund4350]

Thank you for researching all of this! I had thought it was just one person making hats instead of them being manufactured by many, many other people.

[@CraftQueenJr]

I’m mildly surprised it’s still possible to find the materials in a pre made form. I also like to ask where you sourced the brush for this, as it appears to be somewhat unusual?

[@NicoleRudolph]

I think I got this one from Judith M Millinery (link is in description)

[@CraftQueenJr]

Nicole Rudolph thank you!

[@bela516]

I happen to have a brush like this. It was my grandfather’s and I can only assume it was to brush wool coats or his fedora hats?

[@mariaduszak9064]

My favourite beauty of KZbin

[@m.maclellan7147]

#same !

[@joymattice837]

I love the education Nicole provides with all of her work. Infotainment in the best form here.

[@cherisseepp5332]

Seeing the nice, shiny, finished hat on the hat stand made me understand why men were so attached to their hats. I now also understand what books are talking about when they say that someone brushed their hat before wearing it out. Now I want a top hat. I have no where to wear it, but I want one.

[@NicoleRudolph]

I do have a serious urge to make SO MANY top hats now

[@Anopano3000]

that top hat is just *chef's kiss*, what a piece de resistance!

[@Smallpotato1965]

I've read somewhere that the phrase 'as mad as a hatter' originally was 'as mad as an atter'. 'Atter' is the old english word (apparantly) for 'poison' from which the adder (the only British poisonous snake). Think of Bilbo Baggings calling the spiders of Mirkwood 'Attercop' ('attercop' really is the old english name for spider, btw) which has the word 'atter' in it. So, according to this thing I've read, 'as mad as an atter' used to mean 'as dangerous/bad-tempered as a poisonous snake'. Hence it referring to bad tempered/dangerous people.

[@m.maclellan7147]

This is interesting! I love how language "morphs" over time !

[@ks.kyokudonanshun]

This had to be the best video in the series! How amazingly interesting. My jaw just remained hanging the entire time! I could not have imagined how historically informative a muppet's costume could be. I have really enjoyed your dilligent research on each piece of clothing and then going on to make each piece with painstaking detail. More! I need more! 😆

[@kjtherrick4031]

Haven't seen this to the end yet, but I wanted to take a moment mid-way through to say that once again your research into this topic is amazing and very thorough. Thank you!

[@robinsiciliano8923]

Ok. Just finished this video and as usual am just gobsmacked. So well done. My favorite project on KZbin ever. I must find a reason to make a top hat now. Heck, I want to learn millinery. Thank you again, Nicole. You crushed this series.

[@debbieshulman5610]

This was absolutely fascinating! I actually watched the part of creating the hat twice through! I never thought about why the hat would have been brushed but now understand the need to do this. The plight of the hatmakers being poisoned by mercury echoes many of the issues for workers in the trades before the unionizing of workers and passing of legislation that safeguarded their health and lives. My grandfather was a printer who suffered from a mild form of lead poisoning due to the handling of hot lead type. Love your videos!

[@michellecornum5856]

A top hat! I have no words. Also, I appreciate the deep historical dive into "mad hatter."

[@published1789]

That is really wonderful ... Just the finish to add sparkle to the eye and a bit of Gonzo's formal Dickens personna but with his own (which surely you are channeling) mischief.

[@amika74]

As a high school chemistry teacher, I'm definitely bringing this into our discussion of elemental chemistry when we talk about unique properties of mercury. It makes chemistry more meaningful to sophomores. Thank you for your thorough research; you always do such a great job with citing your sources and I'm appreciative of the confidence I have quoting you and viewing your sources myself if I choose.

[@Joe___R]

If you plan on making another felt hat you should get a steam cleaning machine, they produce a good amount of very hot steam which would make the process go much faster. They can regularly be bought for well under $100.

[@MisSiszY]

This looks amazing! The outfit altogether really shines in a human size too ❤

[@audrey5941]

Your talent never ceases to amaze. Truly, you are amazing. Also, thank you for the deep dive into hat making,that in itself was quite the undertaking.

[@paulinedunne3481]

the golden coloured polished cotton gets me every time because it looks like the kind of shiny paper that's left when you peel off stickers

[@FlybyStardancer]

I’ve periodically wondered how to get that top hat shape, and now I know thanks to you!! Yours turned out gorgeous!

[@casychapin4647]

the little tilt of the hat at the end was so good, thank you.

[@Chibihugs]

I love the look and style of a good top hat! It may be because I am so found of the character of the Mad Hatter. This dive into the process leading the idea of the mad hatter is fascinating.

[@KenZchameleon]

Another fascinating history lesson. I had no idea so much was involved in hat making. It turned out beautifully!

[@christinareynolds8179]

Your sewing creations are so beautiful and so well made.

[@therewillbecatswithgwenhwyfar]

THIS WAS FASCINATING!!! OMG you’re so incredible, Nicole!!!

[@ilovethelittlepiggy]

The reveal gave me chills! I've really enjoyed this series, you make everything look so effortless. Thank you!

[@reformvideos4303]

Phenomenal job! Thanks for digging up and sharing all the history with us. (Your hairstyle here really suits you! I wish I could convince my curls to do that 😂)

[@claudiaaugusta8453]

I love how full of information your videos are! I enjoyed both the talking and the making, and the finished product is exquisite!

[@robinsiciliano8923]

I am not even done watching this video and I have to just say……this is everything! I want to do this!! I have a love affair with hats and this is something I want to do. Wow!! You are so talented and never fail to leave your audience better than we were before we watched one of your videos. Thank you for sharing your talents and knowledge and skill.

[@mrsgingernoisette]

Your content is pure art, thank you for being you.

[@Noel.Chmielowiec]

I never thought that hatmaking is something that interesting. Great lesson, thank you Nicole!

[@nixhixx]

So, I watched half of this video before my writer's group today, and lo and behold, Mad Hatter and Mercury Poisoning worked their way into my poem.

[@ColorJoyLynnH]

I am a fiberartist, mostly colorwork/sock knitting plus anything wool or other animal fibers. I have made a lot of mostly flat felt pieces, some several feet by several feet. I inherited a children’s derby-type hat block from a dear friend. It has two pieces for the brim and also two for the top. Maybe I will have to try it once. I teach a lot (non-pandemic ), and learning from this overview will help me answer questions from my students. Thank you for your work here. Your approach is fascinating and so helpful.

[@andreasiegel-salhoff4901]

Absolutely fascinating, what a work of art.

[@kathrynmacgown6575]

The history and the process were fascinating! Great job!

[@SnarkNSass]

Gonzo loves this.💜💙

[@guineverecassidy4855]

Such excellent research and execution of the beautiful top hat. I found the hat block so fascinating. Many moons ago (last century) I took and workshop with a professional milliner. One top tip she gave us that really stuck with me was that millinery wire or any wire I guess has memory not unlike nature fibers to a greater or lesser degree. She advised to always straighten your wire followed by bending or forming it into the shape it is to be in before sewing to an edge. Yes, it really does make a difference. It's that little extra step that brings a project to chef's kiss level in the end.

[@melissashiels7838]

Nicole, this was chef's kiss! I bought a top hat a few years ago when I was giving a talk on Victorian mourning traditions for a museum (I made full mourning for myself, and bought a top hat and wrapped a band of crape around it to show what men wore). I actually really love the hat, but have never worn it for fear of spoiling it - but this makes me want to wear it!

[@lilayogaom]

The hat turned out so well, it looks awesome. Great work Nicole! And thank you for the historical perspective on mad as a hatter!

[@megb9700]

I usually think shoes make the outfit, but now I think this hat does.

[@maienstern]

Huh, I always thought hat making was this big mistery, but it actually looks fairly simple. Now I want to make my own top hat. They are just the ultimate headdress in my opininon. Also, the one you made here turned out real pretty and suits you very well.

[@marygoodwin794]

Absolutely gorgeous, I love your attention to detail. Also the history lessons are amazing . Thanks Nicole!

[@jellyfish3895]

Super excited to see everything together! It all looks super high quality and it is! Thank you for sharing, looking forward to your future videos ☺️

[@raraavis7782]

Wow. The process of turning that flabby, furry thing into a sleek, elegant top hat... magic! I had no idea, that that was how this type of hat used to be made. The history part was also highly interesting. Such thorough research!

[@rachaelbao]

I never expected to be so excited about a hat. I sure heard a lot about fur trappers getting the pelts to make hats, growing up in a region that has that as part of its history.

[@tristambre632]

I'm so amazed by your works, this top hat is simply perfect *_*

[@waterbitten]

This is truly awesome! In the truest sense of the word.

[@kadih1973]

Thank you for putting so much effort into informing us about the history! I always learn so much about the culture, practices and situation of the people in the past when watching your videos. I love it!

[@kilgirlietrout]

Could mad as a hatter quite simply imply that you had to be mad to do that job?

[@marynimocks6791]

YOU ARE SIMPLY AN ASTONISHING CREATIVE ARTIST!! WELL DONE!! And THANK YOU!

[@rhondadarnall1805]

Fascinating! I love how you research and then impart the information to the viewer thus following up with the step-by-step process as you make the item. I am in awe of your ability to not only sew but make the shoes and now...a hat.

[@anna_in_aotearoa3166]

IKR?? Milliner, cobbler, seamstress, researcher, educationalist... Nicole's breadth of talents is just kind of mind-boggling 😲 And the fact she combines all that with wry humour, super-high production values and such an easy-to-listen-to presentation style is just #chefskiss

[@thirza9508]

Your videos are like watching a documentary every single time, I love them so much!

[@tenaoconnor7510]

It’s so cool 😎 the whole process was interesting. I didn’t realize how much and how many people it took to make a hat 🎩. If i had to describe your hat I would say it looks like a expensive Swiss chocolate. Beautiful 😻

[@timetravellingwardrobe8294]

This is absolutely amazing. It was riveting and mind blowing. Thank you so much for this.

[@rachaeldiviney712]

You look so pretty! The colour of the hat really compliments your eyes. Also when you showed the underside I was struck by what high quality work this is

[@IceNixie0102]

Your haircut, coupled with the hat and mischievous smile, are perfection.

[@BobU2b1]

Really is two videos, the history one and your hat fabrication one. Loved them both. Scrumptious hat, beautiful work!

[@jenniferb4764]

Here I thought top hats were all shiny fabric and all hats were made by one person at a table in the back of the shop they were bought in. Thank you for the correct info!!! Poor people just going with it bc they didn't have the ability to fight for safety.

[@Art_911]

Wow, just wow! your commitment to this is outsstanding and amazing!

[@zexycakes]

I really just adore watching your videos -- the history lesson about the piece you're creating, the research into what it was like for people to make them in the time period you're recreating, all of that is so fantastic to learn and it really humanizes the people who made these things and allows a connection to the past that doesn't seem otherwise possible. And seeing the completed piece is always so satisfying and wonderful. On top of that, your work has given me a real appreciation for just how much labor goes into the creation of clothing/hats/shoes -- especially shoes! I had no idea the labor that goes into them and I appreciate the shoes I own so much more now, even if they're mass manufacture -- which I think is something a lot of people don't realize/understand about clothing and it's helped give me so much more appreciation for the things I own and made me value my *own* sewing projects so much more. Basically, thank you so much for sharing your work with youtube! Your videos are amazing ^^

[@sylviapesek5193]

Oh, Nicole, this was just ... um ... dandy! Hats off to you!😉

[@annaweis661]

Its lovley to see you working on a hat, I worked at a master hatmaker for two years and started studying fashiondesign because my hatmaker master recommended it because unfortunately you don’t earn much, so it brings so much joy to see someone doing my old job and passion. A tip for the steaming, usually we have special steamers that steam the raw felt throughly while its closed with a pin then you have around 10 seconds to take it of and shape and pin the basic shape down to the block (part of the skills of a hatmaker) so it was quite funny for me to see you use a waterboiler and working so slowly on it. But for the conditions overall you did a lovley job!:)

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

Wow that’s so very impressive!!! It also looks stunning! Thank you for this lovely video that was so fun to watch. I have a friend who has sheep and does felting. Now I sort of want to order a hat block so that I can make one too. I’m sure I could get a blank…. Well she might just put me in a class and make me make it myself!!

[@gencolley1907]

I have really enjoyed these videos, educational and fun you are a great communicator, thankyou💜

[@victoriabergesen6775]

Fascinating. The mercury poisoning can be put into context by looking at the lead poisoning in the pottery industry. Many more pots were made than top hats and the use of lead glazes, while diminished, continued in England until the early 1980s when the US banned importation of any pottery with lead content unless it is labelled as 'not for food use'.

[@m.maclellan7147]

Wow ! 1980's ?! Insane !!!

[@victoriabergesen6775]

@@m.maclellan7147 There are still lots of imports from Mexico and China among others that have the paper labels on at the store, but of course the labels are removed and people may use them for food. A few small British family potteries, art potteries, in the early 1900s worked on non-lead glazes because they wanted to protect their families from the lead. Lead persisted because it produces such vibrant colors and a very glossy glaze.

[@m.maclellan7147]

@@victoriabergesen6775 Luckily I have many artist friends who make ceramics, so I am normally buying from them.

[@argusfleibeit1165]

The curves on that style of top hat are so much more flattering to the wearer than the early "stovepipe" lines, such as we see Lincoln depicted wearing. Is there a particular word for that style, and when did the change take place? Did all styles continue to be worn, or was it eventually a fashion faux pas to wear the earlier versions?

[@argusfleibeit1165]

@@brennerc180 Thanks. That's kind of hilarious. I just assumed the stovepipe was an earlier stupid-looking thing because they didn't have the technology to make a more graceful looking tall hat.

[@anna_in_aotearoa3166]

Really interesting! Do concur the tall stovepipe hat is kind of ridiculous looking and seems less flattering to the wearer - guess it was just another example of how fashion trends once initiated always seem to have to proceed to rather ludicrous extremes before they deflate or disappear..? (Cf. the horrendous 'whale tail' trend and its cousin, the exposed boxer shorts 🤣 Yikes!!)

[@bandicootcollector]

This is about how they make felt hats, but an entirely different method was used for silk toppers. This is the best amateur-made top hat I've ever seen. The shape is much more accurate than those made by professional modern hatters!

[@marikotrue3488]

Truly living history with a dash of irony as a Muppet based on a character in a novel being the inspiration for this project. I am a fan of irony and also that hat which can be made "steampunk" ready for a convention in a matter of hours. I love these videos that tell us when, why, how and "here it is"!❤️

[@tangogent]

Utterly fascinating. Gave me a level of insight into the lives of the 19th Century workers I'd never had before. Thank you very much. Subscribed!

[@skirtedgalleons]

Impressive. You keep bringing the best costuming videos and information. Thank you!

[@fiberterian]

Oh this was a delight to watch. I made a wool hat on a block for a costuming class in college and I recall using the same methods. I made a bowler and it was a lot of work but so satisfying getting to see it being used on stage know that I'd made it.

[@bonniek356]

YES this is the part I’ve been waiting for! Thank you so much for all your hard work!

[@SarcasticPeachie]

That little hat tip at the end. Its like your asking me to fall in love with you

[@ShannonLambert]

Gorgeous! Thanks for the history lesson as well - it's always interesting to see where cultural ideas start and how they take hold.

[@CristinaAlmarazLopez]

I still wonder where the stereotype of the loud and crazy mad hatter comes from. It is probably rooted in the real history of mercury poisoning that you talked about but I bet the myth, as you called it, comes from some specific writer or caricature that decided to depict hatters in the mad way that we are familiar with. The most famous example in literature is in Alice in Wonderland but that’s 1865, I bet there are earlier examples. Anyway, that is far from the topic of fashion history and you did an excellent job of describing the whole process of hat-making, and of course making a gorgeous hat yourself! Just goes to show how interesting a single garment can be

[@SusanYeske701]

A previous commentor said the symptoms she listed were "mild" mercury poisoning. Severe mercury poisoning is apparently a whole other animal. A lot closer to the expected notion.

[@megelizabeth9492]

Also it may have referred to the effects of the fumes given off by some of the different glues, cements, and shellacs that were used.