Make a Santa Hat
Making your own Santa hat is easy and it'll be a lot nicer in quality than the ones sold by the dollar store. This article provides two possible methods for making a Santa hat.
Contents
Steps
Using a Template
- Gather the supplies needed to complete the project. These are listed below under "Things You'll Need".
- Create the pattern template for the hat. Use a strong piece of paper to avoid tearing. Draw a triangle on the paper. The dimensions are best as follows:
- Child Santa hat: Draw a height and base width of 13"/ {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}
- Adult Santa hat: Draw a height and base width of 14"/ {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}
- Super large head: It's advised that you measure first!
- At the base of the hat, draw an arc which crosses the entire span of the triangle. Do this by attaching a pencil to a piece of string and taping the string to the top point of the triangle. The pencil should just touch the center of the base of the triangle. Simply draw across the circle with taut string and paper, and you'll create an arc.
- Cut out the pattern template from the paper.
- Fold the felt over.
- Attach the template to the felt. Use pins if this helps you to keep the template in place. Keep one edge of the template along the folded edge of the felt.
- You can either double over the felt and cut both pieces at once, or cut two distinct pieces from two different pieces of felt. Do whatever is easiest.
- Cut out the hat shape from the felt.
- Stitch the side edges together. These are the straight edges, not the curved edge that forms the base. If you don't want to sew the two pieces together, then glue them in place using a suitable glue for felt.
- If you cut a folded sheet, you'll only be sewing or gluing one side.
- If you cut two separate sheets, you'll have to sew or glue two sides.
- If gluing, leave to dry before proceeding.
- Turn the hat inside out. The hat will appear like a cone.
- Add the base trim. You have several choices here, depending on your preference for the final look:
- Cut a band of white felt measuring about 2"(5cm) in width of enough length to wrap around the hat base.
- Cut a band of white fluffy fabric to the same measurements. Be aware that cutting fluffy fabric can be a little messy but the end result is really good.
- Either sew or glue the white trim around the base of the hat.
- Finish up by sewing or gluing on the pompom, tassel, rolled up yarn ball or whatever else you've improvised, to the top of the Santa hat. If gluing, leave to dry before use.
- Try it on. It's now ready to wear.
Measuring With String
- Gather the materials needed to complete the project. See the "Things You'll Need" below.
- The color doesn't have to be red and white. You can choose other colors, such as green or royal blue. Make it festive!
- Fold the material. With the square of felt lying flat, first fold it into a cone shape. Bring the upper left corner over to the right lower corner. Pin the edges in place.
- Flip the material over. The pinned edges are now on your left rather than pointing right. Fold these pinned edges to the right side. Fold this into a complete cylinder shape.
- Cut the material. Start cutting where the corner meets the folded red felt. This should be about 60 percent below the top point of the cone.
- You will be cutting four layers in total, right corner to left, straight across.
- Take the string and measure where you want the hat to sit on your head. Take the red felt and measure that length across the bottom, starting in the lower left corner, and mark it.
- Cut some more. Hold the back of the white fur against the red felt material and trace the shape of the red material onto the white material. Cut approximately six inches (15cm) high, starting an inch below the traced line.
- Stitch the seams. Matching the two materials, stitch a seam, attaching the white fur to the red material.
- Turn the hat to the other side and fold the white over the red so that it's showing. Pin in place inside and sew a seam. Make sure that all of the edges are aligned and stitch them together, all the way from the top of the hat to the base at the bottom.
- Add finishing touches. Use the shears to snip off extra material. Turn the hat inside-out.
- Get creative! Customize the hat to a person's liking by adding their name. A fun idea is to let a child decorate it with craft supplies such as non-toxic paint and glitter glue.
- Make sure the hat is thoroughly dried before wearing it; this may take a while.
Printable Hat Pattern and Cutout
Doc:Santa Hat Pattern,Santa Hat
Tips
- The type of felt or fabric chosen will impact the strength and appearance of the final Santa hat. The thinner the felt, the more likely the hat will droop, the thicker, the more likely it'll stand upright.
- Very soft fabric such as velvet can create a lovely drooping effect but it's not to everyone's liking and is more suitable for "elegant" Santas.
- Use hot glue to dry the hat faster.
Things You'll Need
Method 1:
- Red and white felt (or similar fabric), minimum 22" x 14"/ {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} x {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}
- Needle and thread (if you're sewing challenged, use a hot glue gun)
- Paper
- Scissors
- Pencil and rules
- Pompom, tassel, or yarn ball, in white, for top of hat
Method 2:
- {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} red felt material, or similar material
- 1 white faux fur, slightly smaller amount
- 1 needle or sewing machine
- Scissors
- Pinking sheers
- String/twine - enough to wrap around your head
- 12 pins - a good amount to pin the corners
- Red thread - enough to sew the hat's seams
- Various craft supplies to customize and decorate the hat
Related Articles
- Dress Up As Santa Claus
- Make a Santa Hat for a Small Teddy Bear
- Be a Good Santa Claus
- Encourage Your Child to Keep Believing in Santa
- Celebrate Christmas Without Going Broke
- Fix a Santa Hat if the White Ball Comes Off
Sources and Citations
- Original source of method 1 – a very kind local librarian.
- Original source of method 2, VideoJug, Allton, How to Make a Santa Hathttp://www.videojug.com/article/how-to-make-a-santa-hat. Shared with permission.