The process of working beaver felt or a similar material into a hat body. Also concrete: the felt used for this, or the layer resulting from the…

Hat-making. The process of distributing the fibres for felting by means of the ‘bow’.

Hat-making. The shaping of a hat on the block (see block, n. 4a); also attributive, as blocking-kettle, blocking-machine (hence blocking-machinist).

Hat-making. The action of shaping and hardening a hat on a plank.

The process of stiffening hats and rendering them waterproof. Cf. proof, v. 2. rare.

a process in the preparation of pelts for making hats.