WIRE FRAMES
EQUIPMENT
Brace wire or frame wire
Tie wire
Sprung wire
Pliers
TO OPEN COIL OF WIRE--
Hold the coil in the left hand; unfasten and allow it to loosen
gradually in the hand; pass it over the arm and knock it until the coils
separate.
TO CUT WIRE--
Place wire firmly and squarely between the jaws of the pliers at the
point where they cut and press straight down. Be sure to cut with the
first attempt; otherwise, if the wire is haggled off, the pliers are
injured and the covering loosened at the ends of the wire which will
make it impossible to tie them together.
TO STRAIGHTEN WIRE--
Pass the wire between the thumb and finger with a sweeping motion. A
piece of cloth or paper may be held in the hand if the fingers become
tender. Do not make small dents in the wire in attempting to straighten
it, as it will be impossible to remove them.
TO TIE WIRE--
Ends of brace wire parallel.
Right angles tied diagonally.
Brace wire tied without use of tie wire.
Before beginning to make a frame of wire, time will be saved and
necessary experience gained by tying a few short pieces of wire, until a
strong joint can be made. Cut fifty pieces or more of tie wire
three-quarters of an inch long. Cut two pieces of brace or frame wire
two or three inches long. Lap the ends of the heavy wire one inch, then
lap one of these pieces of tie wire around once as close to the end of
the brace wire as is possible. Hold in the left hand and with the end of
the pliers grasp the ends of the tie wire as close to the brace wire as
possible and twist tightly until the joint feels firm. Place pliers back
a little and twist several times until a little cable is formed. Cut
this off, leaving an eighth-inch end. Press this end down flat with the
jaws of the pliers. Tie the other end in the same manner. Practice this
until a satisfactory joint can be made with ease, before attempting to
make a frame of wire.
[Illustration: TO TIE TWO WIRES WITH TIE WIRE]
[Illustration: TO TIE TWO WIRES DIAGONALLY WITH USE OF TIE WIRE]
[Illustration: METHOD OF MAKING PAPER PATTERN FOR DROOPING BRIM]
[Illustration: METHOD OF PINNING FABRIC ON DROOPING BRIM]
[Illustration: BRAID-COVERED BRIM SHOWING METHOD OF FILLING IN SHORT
LENGTHS WHEN THE DIFFERENCE IN WIDTH OF THE TWO SIDES IS VERY GREAT]
[Illustration: PATTERN PINNED IN PLEATS FOR SHAPED BRIMS OF FABRIC.
ILLUSTRATION SHOWS PATTERN PINNED ON BUCKRAM READY TO CUT]
TO FASTEN TWO PIECES OF BRACE WIRE DIAGONALLY--
TO FASTEN TWO PIECES OF BRACE WIRE WITHOUT THE USE OF TIE WIRE--
Hold the strand of wire against the wire to which it is to be fastened,
at right angles to it, with about two and one-half or three inches
extending beyond the point at which the twist is to be made. Press the
end straight backward, close to and parallel with the other end of the
wire. The end should pass once and a half around. Use the jaws of the
pliers to press parallel wires in the twist together, and to tighten the
twist. Cut the end off close and use the pliers to press the end down
flat.
TO MAKE WIRE FRAME FOR HAT HAVING FLAT BRIM AND SQUARE CROWN--
Always remember that it will greatly simplify the work first to make a
paper pattern for every hat. A hat is seldom made with all sections of
the brim of equal width, and this is one important reason why it is more
satisfactory first to make a paper pattern.
PATTERN FOR BRIM--
Make a pattern the same as for a straight-brim sailor, being careful to
fold the pattern in halves from front to back, and to crease sharply.
Fold the halves into fourths and the fourths into eighths and crease.
This is to determine the position of the wire spokes in the brim. The
eight creases will correspond to the eight spokes in the brim; this is
the correct number of spokes.
HEADSIZE WIRE FOR WIRE FRAME--
A wire frame needs two headsize wires, so cut two just alike,
remembering always that the headsize wire is the most important wire in
any hat, as the comfort of the wearer depends upon the measurements
taken for this wire. Measure as for the headsize in a fabric hat,
lapping the ends one inch, and tying them. Try on these wires and shape
to fit the head. They should usually be elongated two inches.
Pin the headsize wire on the paper pattern, placing the joining on the
back crease and the exact center front of wire on the front crease; next
pin the sides securely, being careful to keep the wire shaped to fit the
head. Allow one-half inch inside of wire and slash every half inch out
to headsize wire. The pattern may now be tried on the head for any
necessary alterations. The brim pattern may be added to or cut away.
WORKING MEASUREMENTS NEEDED--
Make a pencil mark on the pattern around the headsize wire. Before
removing the wire, mark the eight different points where it crosses the
creases in the paper pattern. Remove the wire from the pattern.
STICKS FOR BRIM--
Straighten and cut four pieces of frame wire the length of the diameter
of the brim plus three inches for finishing. Place one of these sticks
across the headsize wire from front to back on the marks made by the
pencil, allowing the ends to extend an equal length. Fasten to the
headsize wire with tie wire. Place the next stick from side to side,
joining on the pencil marks. The two remaining sticks when placed on the
remaining marks divide the circle into eighths. This is called the
skeleton of the brim; the wires are named _front_, _back_, _right side_,
_left side_, _right side front_, _right side back_, _left side front_,
_left side back_. The position of these ends or spokes should correspond
to the creases in the paper pattern, and the length of each one should
be determined by measuring the corresponding crease on the pattern.
EDGE WIRE--
Cut a circle of brace wire the exact length of the circumference of the
brim plus one inch for lap and tie. Lay this close to the edge of the
pattern and mark on it with pencil where each crease touches it, always
keeping the tied ends on the back crease. If these measurements are
carefully made, the brim will be exactly like the pattern.
TO JOIN EDGE WIRE--
Begin at the back and place the mark on the edge wire on the back spoke
at the pencil mark. Twist the end of the spoke once and a half around
the edge wire, using the jaws of the pliers to tighten the twist. Cut
the end off close and press the cut end flat with the pliers. Next
finish the center front spoke, then the sides and those in between. A
great deal depends upon accuracy in making an acceptable wire frame. Add
as many circles of wire between the edge wire and the headsize wire as
desired, fastening to the spokes with tie wire. Keep all wire laps at
the back on the center spoke.
COLLAR OF BRIM--
Cut the wire inside of the headsize wire in the center. Twist these
wires once and a half around the headsize wire, bringing the ends up at
right angles to the headsize wire. Join the second headsize wire to the
top of these wires, using the same method as for joining the edge wire.
This collar may be made very low or as high as the wires will permit. A
separate crown of wire is not always used in a hat covered with very
sheer material or sheer braid. In such a case the collar would be made
as high as possible to make a support for the crown trimming.
SQUARE CROWN FOR WIRE FRAME--
Straighten the brace wire and cut four sticks or pieces long enough to
reach from the base of the crown at the front up over the proposed crown
to the base of the crown at the back, allowing eight inches for
finishing. Cut and join a small circle of brace wire--about three inches
in diameter--for the crown top. Lay the four sticks across this circle
dividing it into eight equal sections as at the beginning of the brim,
and join to the sticks with tie wire. Cut a piece of brace wire one inch
smaller than the headsize wire. Lap the ends and tie this wire. Elongate
slightly. Join to the sticks outside of the small circle. Keep all
lapped ends of circles on the center back spoke. Bend spokes down _over_
this circle, then measure down from this circle for the height of crown
and mark on spokes with pencil. Be very accurate.
BASE WIRE FOR CROWN--
Measure and cut a length of brace wire one-half inch longer than for the
headsize wire. Lap the ends one inch and join with tie wire. The base
wire of any separate crown must be large enough to fit over the headsize
wire on the brim. Place this circle, after having shaped it like the
headsize wire, on the inside of the spokes at the point marked,
beginning at the center back, and finish as any edge wire by twisting
the ends of the spokes once and a half around the wire. Press the wires
down tight with the pliers. Cut the ends off close and press flat with
the jaws of the pliers. Many more circles may be added and tied on with
tie wire if desired; also more spokes may be added. This would be
desirable if the frame is to be covered with braid, or if used for
blocking fabric for frames.
TRANSPARENT HATS--
If a wire frame is to be covered with thin material, great care and
thought should be given to the frame, for it then forms part of the
design of the hat. A finer wire is sometimes used in this case, or a
beautiful frame may be made for thin materials by using a satin-covered
cable wire, and using as few wires as possible. It may seem advisable
after a wire frame is made to cut away some of the wires.