In my previous post about the gat, I noted that the reproductions you can buy are the later, cylindrical shape. I wanted to see if I could make the round crown shape myself.

The traditional method of making a gat is far beyond my ability, so anything I did would have to be an approximation. The shape, color, and transparent mesh look were what I was primarily trying to achieve. After some searching and experimenting with materials, I settled on using sinamay, a woven fiber material used for modern millinery. I built the crown on a wooden form and made the brim flat, then sewed them together and added a cloth binding over the join. I added hooks just like I did for my purchased gat to attach the gatkkeun.

I stiffened the fabric with Mod Podge and thinned wallpaper paste, which did a pretty good job but didn’t hold up well to humidity. I may try adding another type of stiffener to make it more water-resistant. I would also like to try making a more rounded brim next time to improve rigidity and get closer to some of the shapes seen in the portraits.