The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-07
The Summer Girl
 Makes Rafa Hats.

Girls who last year sat on the piazzas of summer hotels embroidering collars or knit ting sweaters are enthusiastic over rama hats this year Only few rana lace hats are to be found in the shops and the prices of those are so high that the girl with moderate allowance can do no more than gaze mon them eovetously. To make one of these hats costs a great deal of labor and care but not much money, so if girl has more time than funds she can well afford to make her own hat.
 The raha hat-making is development of the raha basketry. which has been popular fad for the last season or two. Rafa york; whether for. baskets or hats is not trying upon the eyes, and the fibre, which is from a palm that grows in Madagascar, Is pleasant to handle.
 A great charm of raaa hats is their light ness. pound of the fibre will make four or five braid hats and at least half dozen lace ones. The fine braid hats, woven In four or six strand braids. are satisfactory either for shopping or travelling or for shade hats while the lace ones are smart and elegant or picturesque, according to their pattern shape, style of trimming and also-an important factor-the amount of labor put into their making, for there are exquisitely fine lace hats, and-others
 Any one who has ever made the macreme lace that prevailed in the days of millinery
  of raha lace hat-making, for the patterns are adapted from it. and the knots and net work are copied. The hat is begun in the center of the crown. Eight long strands of rafia are doubled and tied by drawing the ends through the loop around a stout bit of rafa This foundation bit is then tied Into as small a. ring as possible The eight strands form the m6rbs of the pattern, and upon every one holding the doubled strands together seven iong flores are tied In double Solomon's knot. With these strands the whole pattern Is developed.
 Beyond the star of the crown the pat terms are varied according to the taste and ingenuity of the worker and to harmonize with the shape. The illustrations show what variety can be achieved in them by differ ent workers, every hat being stamped some what with the individuality of its maker. Even the crown centres are not alike in any two hats although the pattern Is really the same But no two girls tie the knots with the same frmness or possess equal knack In holding the strands evenly. Deftness of touch and manipulation, together with natural love for panstaklng, imparts Q beauty to each hat that distinguishes it from others.
 The donble-brimmed flat hat Illustrated was made by girl in q large college, where dozens of girls have made hats this season, and some of them are already wearing the products of their labor.
 Fine, even strands were selected for this hat which is made upon A wire frame, the pattern being adapted to it. It represents nine days steady work,
 Other handsome hats have been made in 30 hours and some in even less time But the latter are made of coarser strands and knotted loosely so the pattern fills up rap idly.
 Most hats are made without frames and have only the>necessary wires to keep them in shape. These are all worked Into the hat, the raha being knotted over them as the pattern is developed.
 Handsome hats are being made of black rafa, but 1t does not show the beauty of the lace as effectively as the natural color.