Cool process you used at your link in the OP.Have you tried steam shaping?Heck, I've found that I still like an aluminum pie-pan over a pot of boiling water better than anything else I've tried.....but an old tea kettle works pretty good too.
Yeah, when re-doing an old 'cardboardy' hat you need to start with the denatured alcohol (methanol) the driedout shellac stiffener, then acheive the desired shape, then 're-set' the shellac with steam. Newer or older finer felts don't need the methnol treatment first.
Here's the other dumb post 'Trilby' is what we Brits call a short brimmed fedora, it comes from a play of the same name where a hat in that style was worn by a woman.Thanks for that info FQ, I will endeavour to search them out.MP
LOL........check on my sister up in Mount Glorious sometime Sledge - she's gone completely bush as far as I can tell.....if you'll pardon the expression