How To Make A Decorative Top Hat

With its towering cylindrical crown and slightly curved skirt, the top lid has been an eye-catching accompaniment for centuries. The historic topper oft conjures up images of stiffly-starched gentlemen in the Victorian era, or iconic figures such every bit Abraham Lincoln, Uncle Sam, Willy Wonka, and the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland.

Although traditionally made of silk on a felt base of operations, it's surprisingly easy to make your own paper-thin top hat with or without a felt layer. Whether you lot desire to create a peak hat for your child's schoolhouse play, a Halloween costume, or simply considering you'd like to try your mitt at DIY pinnacle hat making, follow our pace-past-stride guide for a fun and creative project.

Items Y'all Need

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In one case yous determine you lot want to make a summit hat, you'll desire to stock upwards on supplies. The skillful news is that you don't need a sewing machine — nothing has to be sewn with this acme hat tutorial. Even though you will exist doing everything by mitt, this exercise-it-yourself project is quite easy even for beginners who have never attempted to arts and crafts a tiptop hat before.

Y'all'll need:

Two pieces of poster board or cardboard (one firm, one flexible)
Drawing compass
Scissors
Two large pieces of felt
Pencil
Hot gum gun
Colored duct record or masking tape
Decorations

Cull Your Color

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How to Make a Top Hat In Five Easy Steps

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Top hats are traditionally black, simply experience gratis to choose whatsoever color you prefer. The purpose for using the height hat will help determine the color.

For example, are you planning to perform magic tricks or dress up as Abe Lincoln? If so, y'all'll want a traditional superlative hat in grey or black similar this wool felt top hat by Scala. Or perhaps y'all need a greenish topper for St. Patrick'southward Twenty-four hour period, a multi-colored creation more in the manner of Mad Hatter hats, or a distressed, java-colored steampunk chapeau for a music festival.

No matter the reason, the fun role well-nigh making it yourself is that you go to select all the details and customize it as much as yous like.

Measure out and Make the Brim

Go your firm poster board (this could be in whatsoever color) and marker a dot in the center with your pencil.

Starting at the dot, use your drawing compass to make a large circle with a diameter of about xv inches. Draw another circle inside it that is viii inches in diameter.

Use your scissors to cut out the center and cut effectually the larger circle. You at present have your skirt — it should resemble a large donut. Save the smaller circle cut-out for the top part of your hat (the roof).

Craft the Cylindrical Part of the Lid

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Grab your more flexible piece of cardboard (it could even be a large cereal box) and cut information technology into a couple of rectangular pieces. Accept the two rectangles and shape them into the barrel of the elevation hat. Tape them together until they fit snugly in the skirt hole. Use your duct tape or masking tape to ensure all parts are securely arranged. Accept the smaller circle that you cutting earlier and tape it to the summit of the hat so that your lid now has a roof.

Add Felt to the Tiptop Hat

Next, it's time to add felt to the top hat and make certain it looks seamless and smooth. Craft felt is a versatile fabric that has a slightly furry texture. Take a expect at this wool felt chapeau to see the cloth up close. Get your pieces of felt and use your hot glue gun to apply the felt to the barrel (cylinder) of the hat, the brim, and the roof.

Decorate Your Top Lid

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The terminal stride in crafting your top lid is the most fun. Here'due south where you lot can get actress artistic and embellish your hat. Try hot-gluing feathers, long strips of leather, rhinestones, and beads on the side, or apply grosgrain ribbon to create a band effectually the base of operations. You can even employ acrylic paint or glitter for added detail and color.

Don't be afraid to give it your own personal touch — you cannot go wrong by including decorations with special pregnant.

The Finishing Touch

Peak hats work for so many holidays from Halloween to Christmas (Frosty the Snowman or Ebenezer Scrooge, anyone?) and everything in between. Despite their history every bit loftier-finish caput warmers, the top hats of today are much more relaxed and fun and can even be used every bit pieces of home decor.

Go on in mind that this guide is for making a regular full-size top hat, only you lot could easily adjust the sizes by one-half to make a mini top hat. Either manner, get ready to enjoy your new wearable piece of art.