Eve McLaughlin wrote: >chunky, according to intended purpose, but if you look at a panama, you will see the delicate lines of plait. > > > > But panamas ARE made with plaited straw - plaits could be fine or Yes, of course - I was thinking of the fineness and the white colour that panama hats very often are. I didn't realise that ordinary old straw could be plaited that fine. Lila. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * An Fhirinne in aghaidh an tSaoil - The Truth Against the World

In message <43BCEA93.5060008@ihug.co.nz>, Lila Richards <lilar@ihug.co.nz> writes >Eve McLaughlin wrote: > >>chunky, according to intended purpose, but if you look at a panama, you will >see the delicate lines of plait. >> >> >> >> But panamas ARE made with plaited straw - plaits could be fine or > >Yes, of course - I was thinking of the fineness and the white colour that panama >hats very often are. I didn't realise that ordinary old straw could be plaited >that fine. They bleached the straw - and there were machines with a ring of holes with sharp cutters on which split the straw lengthways, into very narrow splines. I imagine there is an illustraion on the net somewhere. Try Luton Museum to see if they have such a page. -- Eve McLaughlin Author of the McLaughlin Guides for family historians Secretary Bucks Genealogical Society