This was the first hat I have ever made that was not for a child or costume… I could not find most of the materials needed for the inner structure of the hat. So I replaced them with modern suitable sewing materials.  I first made the base shape from poster board. I made mine exact to the measurements.  After I had the poster board form the way I thought it should look.  I went to work on the real thing… I dismantled te paper form and used it as a pattern.  I cut the base from extra heavy craft interfacing (for hat brims) I used fusible on one side.  I fused a maroon taffeta to the base (just incase it showed through the tulle). I then started building the tulle. the picture show what looks to be pleats, mine were more like gathers.   I gathered and formed the tulle over the form until I liked the look and fit over the form.  I then started at the bottom center front and  hand tacked small groups of gathers and then glued the tacked area to the form. I did this up the front and back to keep to tulle in place. I had a very light hand because I wanted the tulle to look as if it were floating. I the took a narrow strip of matching velvet (contrasting would look great too) I started on the bottom of one side and then swirled it upward across the front to ride on the top of the hat on the other side. the bird wing bothered me so I found I great pin of white feathers in a circular shape with crystal and pearl accents.  I just pinned this to the center front.  The hat rides low on the forhead, but it does this in the picture as well. Is It meant to hide our wrinkles !!!