How to make a paper hat

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Content

Steps

Making a sailor hat or an Alpine hat

Making a conical paper hat

Create a paper plate hat.

Tips

Warning

What You Will Need

Make a Sailor Hat or an Alpine Hat

Create a Conical Paper Hat

Create a Paper Disc Hat

Wearing a hat is a perfect way to express your personality at parties or fun gatherings. Instead of purchasing one from a shop, you can easily craft your own. Making a hat is a simple yet enjoyable task suitable for all ages. Once you learn the basics, you can get creative and design your own variations!

Steps

Making a sailor hat or an Alpine hat

Fold a rectangular sheet of paper in half. Fold the paper lengthwise. Press the crease with your fingernail, then unfold the paper. You will use this crease for the next steps.

A sheet of paper measuring 75x60cm works best, but you can use an A4 sheet to make a smaller hat for a doll.

Fold the paper in half widthwise. Bring the two short edges together and press the paper flat (like a hamburger). Run your fingernail along the fold to make the crease sharper. Do not unfold the paper.

Fold the top corners into the center crease. Rotate the paper so the folded edge is at the top. Fold the left and right corners in towards the central crease in the middle of the paper. You should now have a shape resembling a house.

Fold one edge of paper upwards along the bottom edge. There are two flaps at the bottom of the house shape. Fold the top flap upwards. The new crease should align with the bottom edge of the triangle shape.

Fold the brim of the hat inside if it’s too wide. Open the brim to reveal the crease. Fold the bottom edge up to this crease, then fold the brim upwards, similar to the previous step.

You can adjust the width of the brim to your liking. Most people prefer the brim to be about 2.5-5 cm wide.

Flip the paper over and fold the second brim upwards. If you have already folded the first brim twice, repeat the same for the second brim.

Glue the corners of the hat brim if desired. This step is optional, but gluing the corners will enhance the appearance of the hat. Apply tape along both edges of the brim to secure them in place. You can also use glue, but make sure it dries first.

To make an Alpine hat, fold the corners of the brim inward to create a triangle shape, then glue the edges of the brim to the hat.

Open the hat and wear it on your head. To resemble a mountain peak, wear the hat with the triangle pointing towards your ears. For a pirate look, wear the hat with the triangle pointing towards your forehead.

Making a conical paper hat

Choose a piece of paper that is twice the height of the hat you want to make. For example, if you want the hat to be 30 cm tall, select a paper at least 60 cm long. Pick a color that matches the style of the hat you want to create. For instance, pink is perfect for a medieval princess cone hat, while black is ideal for a witch’s hat.

Construction paper or notebook paper works well for smaller hats. For larger creations like a princess or witch’s hat, use poster paper.

Draw half a circle on the paper. You can use a plate, compass, or a pencil tied to a string to draw the semicircle. The circle should be twice the height of the hat. For example, if you want a 30 cm princess hat, the circle should be 60 cm wide.

Draw the circle along one edge of the paper to ensure you get exactly half a circle.

Cut out the half circle with scissors. If you are using regular printing paper, now is the time to decorate it with paint, highlighters, stamps, or stickers. Avoid attaching any bulky decorations to the hat just yet. If you’re using paint, make sure it dries before proceeding.

Roll the paper into a cone shape and tape the edges.

Roll the two edges of the paper together, layering the paper until you form a cone. The deeper you roll the paper, the smaller the cone becomes. Once you’re happy with the size, secure the edges using tape, a clamp, or glue.

Cut the brim of the hat to attach it if making a witch hat. Stand the cone shape on a piece of paper and trace around the base of the cone. Lift the cone and draw another circle around the first one to make the brim wider. Cut out the larger circle and then cut out the smaller circle from the larger one. Use tape or glue to attach the brim to the base of the cone.

Hot glue also works, but you can use tape—apply it to the inside of the hat so that it is not visible.
Skip this step if making a different type of hat.

Attach a thin rubber band to the base of the hat if desired. Cut a length of elastic that is long enough to go under your chin when wearing the hat, plus an extra 5 cm. Tie knots at both ends of the elastic, then attach it to the base of the hat. Position the knots on the inside of the hat where they won’t be visible.

Decorate the hat to add personality. This step allows for plenty of creativity. To make your hat stand out, simply add different decorations. Hot glue works best, but you can use multi-purpose glue if necessary. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

Clown Hat: Paint colorful dots all over the hat, then add a large pom-pom on top.
Santa Hat: Attach a pom-pom to the top of the hat and add smaller pom-poms around the brim.
Party Hat: Cut a strip of crepe paper and glue it to the inside of the brim. Attach a pom-pom to the top using hot glue.
Princess Hat: Glue strips of crepe paper, tulle, or tissue paper to the top of the hat. Use hot glue to attach a white scarf around the base of the hat.
Witch’s Hat: Wrap a Halloween-colored ribbon around the base of the hat. Cut out a buckle shape from paper and glue it onto the ribbon.
Wizard’s Hat: Draw stars and moons using gold or silver glitter.

Allow the hat to dry before wearing it. The drying time depends on the type of glue used. Hot glue will dry in a few minutes, but multi-purpose glue may take several hours. Once the glue is dry, you’re ready to wear your hat!

Create a paper plate hat.

Fold a large paper plate in half. Take a thin paper plate, approximately 25-30cm in size, and fold it in half. Ensure that both sides of the plate are white. Avoid using thick cardboard plates.

Cut off the edge of the plate. Rotate the plate so that the folded edge is upright. Start cutting from the folded edge and stop about 2.5cm from the opposite fold. For a larger hat, cut closer to the edge of the plate, or for a smaller hat, cut farther away. Don’t cut out the entire circle from the plate.

If you're making a crown, cut the inner section of the plate into several wedge-shaped pieces, like a pizza. Begin cutting from the fold and stop just inside the edge of the plate. Don’t cut through the edge of the plate.

Draw half of a shape starting from the untouched 2.5cm section. Using a pencil, sketch half of a shape along the fold, such as half a heart or half a star. Make sure the bottom of the shape connects to the 2.5cm section that wasn’t cut.

The shape you draw should connect to the untouched section to keep it intact.
Skip this step if you’re making a crown hat.

Cut along the lines you’ve drawn. The excess paper between the symmetrical shape and the plate’s edge will separate. Discard this excess paper.

Open up the plate and decorate your hat. Once you open the plate, you’ll have a circle with a symmetrical shape in the center. Decorate the hat however you like and allow it to dry.

Use acrylic paint, poster paint, or glue-based paint.
Draw shapes on the hat with glitter.
Apply rhinestones or sequins for extra sparkle.
Add other decorations like stickers, pom-poms, or buttons.

Fold the inner shape upwards so that it is perpendicular to the hat. Find the connection point between the shape and the hat. Fold the shape along the connection so that it stands upright. If you’re making a crown, simply fold all the triangular shapes upwards.

Wear the hat. If the hat is too small, cut around the inner edge of the plate to enlarge it. If the hat is too large, cut the brim at the back. Overlap the two ends until the hat fits your head, then glue or pin it in place.