The centre of the top of the crown, called in trade parlance the “Button,” is produced by taking an extreme end between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand, the left holding the length part of the plait. The right hand makes a sharp turn of the portion held and with a slight cupping motion, such as would be used by a grocer making a conical paper bag, permits the plait in the left hand to come under the cupped portion, through the lapping of which the first stitches are made. The spirals of the “button” are extremely small, and the beauty of this part is enhanced by the gradual and regular increase of the size of them. This operation produces a spiral going from right to left, as in Fig. 13, and is always the method adopted by hand sewers; it was in this way that all the bonnets and hats were commenced prior to the adoption of machinery for sewing plait. [Illustration: Fig. 13] The button finished, recourse is then made to the “block” or shape of the crown to be produced, for the subsequent sewing depends on its contour. If this is circular the continual working around the button until the desired diameter is reached, will achieve the required result; but if the shape is oblong (as they frequently are, the trade name for which is “oval”), it is necessary for the sewing to follow a slightly crowded course at the narrow width, and a slightly extended course at the length, for it is a desideratum that the edge of the top should synchronize exactly with the “turn down row” as it is called, so that with the first row sewn down the side of the crown, a clean cut and square edge will be produced. This done, sewing continues, always to the “block” contours, until sufficient depth is reached, and this finishes the crown where the base is at equal distance all round from the edge of the top. In some cases, however, it is necessary in order to produce the actual outline of the model, to add in one place or another at the bottom of the crown short extra rows of “gores” or “slopes” (the local terms) which will increase the depth of the crown at the place required; in some bonnets many extra rows are necessary to give just the fit to any arch there may be in the head line of the brim. In early times the bottom of the crown was always the same size in circumference as the head entry of the brim, and in that case the brim was commenced by sewing the first row of it to the last row of the crown. In some styles that still obtains, and the hats thus made are designated “one piece.” Modern models, however, often have the base of the crown much larger than the necessary head entry. In those cases the crown and the brim are made separate, and are called “two piece” hats when finished, the head fit being provided by the brim alone. In such cases the brim is commenced by sewing to a band of some cheap material sufficiently stiff, made to the necessary head size.