How to Make a Fascinator for Spring Racing

I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of horse racing. Living in Melbourne, though, you really can't help but get a little swept up in the excitement that is Spring Racing. While the races might not be for me, I do enjoy the fashion - and we all know that the fashion is as important, if not more so, than the actually running of the horses.

In particular, I enjoy the amazing headwear on display. I'm blown away at the loops and twirls of sinamay, crinoline (do I sound like I know what I'm talking about?) and feathers - oh the feathers! The Carnival rewards these talents through the exclusive Millinery Award as part of the Fashions on the Field, for which competitors are specially invited to showcase their wears.

Tuesday week is Melbourne Cup Day (5 November), which, for the uninitiated, is the race of the Spring Racing Carnival. So significant is the race that Victorians are given the day off to attend either the race itself or one of the myriad of related events around the state.

In order to prepare for Cup Day I've put together a brief how to for those of you wanting to look a little bit fancy for an office afternoon tea, those feeling a little creative, or those too cheap to buy a designer fascinator. These instructions are pretty basic, but adaptable, and effective.

The lovely Pip modelling a fascinator headband.

How to Make a Fascinator / Headband

You will need:

• Two felt panels (one cut slightly smaller than the other).
• A fabric or ribbon covered plastic headband.
• A sparkly trinket (such as a button).
• Craft feathers.
• Glue gun.

The following steps correspond to the numbers in the image below.

Step 1: Using the larger teardrop as a template, lay out the feathers in the desired arrangement. You'll probably need a few layers of feathers - two to four - to get the right distribution and ensure the felt backing is not visible.

Step 2: When you're happy with the arrangement, flip the feathers over and begin affixing them to the large felt panel with the glue gun. You may have to press the feathers in place for a few moments while the glue dries, so watch your fingers as the glue will be hot.

Step 3: Continue with the next layer of feathers, waiting for each layer to dry sufficiently before adding the next. You don't want the front layers to stick to the glue you've used for the back layers.

Step 4: Once all of the feathers have been glued onto the felt panel give it a moment to dry. Check that you're happy with the way the feathers are sitting. You might need to trim them slightly to get the right shape, but try to minimise this if possible as cut feathers can look scrappy.

Step 5: Get your headband ready - before you glue the panel on, check how far along the headband you want it to sit. Turn the feathered felt panel over and glue a line down the middle, from the tip to where it bottoms out. Press the panel onto the headband in the desired position. You will need to hold this for a few moments until the glue dries to ensure it sits on the curve.

Step 6: Take the smaller felt panel and glue a line down the middle, around the edges and zigzagging in between.

Step 7: Quickly position the panel onto the underside of the feathered panel and the headband, pressing it in place until the glue has dried. Be careful with this bit as it can be a little tricky. Unfortunately with hot glue, you usually only have one chance at these things, so be ready.

Step 8: The final step is to attach the sparkly trinket (or button, or whatever you have available) to the point where the bottom of the feathers meet the headband. Make sure you affix the trinket to both the feathered panel and the headband, as this will help with anchoring the panel in place. This might take quite a bit of glue, but be careful not to use too much, as you don't want it to leak out and be visible. You will definitely need to hold this in place for a good couple of minutes until the glue has dried.

And, you're done! The final step is, of course, to look fabulous.

As you can see, this really is a very quick, simple and effective way to compliment or even liven up your race day outfit. Using these basic instructions you can use a number of different materials in place of feathers - flowers, bows, even a pack of cards (well, maybe not a whole pack). You can also adapt it to use combs or clips in place of the headband. Let your creative juices flow and impress your friends on Cup Day!

-Stevie O'C