DIY: Top Hat Decoration

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I enjoy making props for party decorations or room decor and I love it when a prop comes out as cute as this top hat! Top hats are the perfect accessory for many types of themes. Depending on the fabric/embellishments used, hats like this one could be made into mad hatter hats, clown hats, steampunks or top hats for New Year’s Eve party or a magic party. How about a Parisian theme with this top hat? The possibilities are endless. This project is being featured on Kirkland’s Pinning Parlor. See details at the bottom of the post on how to win $2000!!

My tutorial shows how easy it is to make these top hats with a glue gun and scissors – no sewing involved! The top hat shown is for decor purposes only – it’s not made to wear.

Supplies needed:

1 large poster board
Fabric – enough to cover the poster board
spray adhesive
glue gun
scissors
embellishments for top hat (e.g. ribbon, flower, feathers, tulle)
candle stick
old CD

To get started, cut the fabric to the size of the poster board and lay it on a flat surface, face down. Take the time to really smooth the fabric out so that it has no wrinkles. Then spray adhesive over the entire surface of the poster board. Starting at one edge lay the sticky side of the poster board on top of the fabric (wrong-side of the fabric) lining up the edges. Flip the poster board over so the fabric is on top. Apply pressure and smooth over – make sure there are no wrinkles or bubbles. While you don’t need to rush, you do need to work quickly to smooth the fabric before the adhesive sets.

Using the pictures above as a guide:

For the hat brim, trace a 12 inch round circle onto the -poster board and cut. Remember, this hat is not destined for the top of your head, so there is no need for a hole in the brim circle.
For the hat band, cut out a 10 x 22 rectangle.
Roll the hat band so the edges overlap slightly and form a circle. Hot glue the hat band edge together. This will be the tube of the top hat. Snip notches every 1/2 inch along the top and bottom of the hat band.
Fold in the notches on the top and bottom of the hat band and hot glue the hat band to the hat brim circle. Turn the hat upside down and trace around the circumference of the top of the hat band onto the fabric poster board and cut. Hot glue this piece of the hat top onto the hat band. Embellish your top hat with ribbons, sequins, flowers, feathers, etc!

Since this is a hat to liven up your party decor or room decor, you will need some way to display it. To make your own hat stand, start with a tall candle stick holder. I usually can find these inexpensively at my local thrift shop or at a craft store. Hot glue an old CD to top of your candle stick holder. When the glue is dry, go ahead and glue on the bottom of the top hat onto your newly made hat stand.

And there you have it! One amazing prop that looks great and doesn’t break the bank! I’d love to hear how yours turn out.

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