It takes time and patience and skill to make the hat, but when it is finished you are doubly repaid for your work and the time spent on it.
The crown is woven first and then fitted to the crown of the wire frame. Take a small strand of raffia to make a ring of very small dimensions, say about one quarter of an inch in diameter. To this ring, knot eight strands of raffia as shown in [Figure 211]. Eight more strands are tied around each of the eight strands, using the very pretty and effective "Solomon's Knot."
Fig. 211. The crown of the hat
This knot is a very simple twist and may be tied either with a double or single strand. The strand which is tied on is laid first under the main double strand and then both ends are crossed over each other. The right one goes first under the end of the left-hand one and over the double middle strand and then again under the loop of the left-hand one.
It would be well to practise with strands of raffia other than those used in making the hat so as to become quite familiar with the knot before using it on the hat. Counting the eight strands tied to the ring and the sixty-four strands that are Solomon-knotted to the original eight we have seventy-two strands in all. They start from a common centre and are brought down and outward through the pattern and are knotted one by one onto the main strands as they cross.
If you were to trace any one of the seventy-two strands you will find that it comes to the outside edge of the square through a very simple course. The last or eighth strand, knotted to the main strands, is used to tie up the bunch of strands coming from the sides of the diamond. It falls into place with the other strands and is tied up in turn as the others are. The larger knot tying up the bunch of raffia in the centre of the diamond is the same kind of knot as the smaller ones. It may look slightly different in composition, but that is due to the fact that it is being tied around a larger bulk.
After the knots have been all tied at the edges of the diamonds, the ends are woven under and over making a sort of a square design as shown in the illustration.
The finishing of the crown is done by taking four strands, two from each of the squares at the centre, and knotting them together with a simple knot. Two from each side are knotted together.