Elf Hat

Supplies

Instructions

The first step is to make a basic hat pattern from paper. Draw and cut a triangle with a base length and height of 13 inches.

For an adult-sized hat, increase the base and height measurements to 14 inches.

 Tie a pencil to a string and stretch the string taut from the apex (or tip) of the triangle until the tip of the pencil touches the midpoint of the triangle's base. While keeping the string taut, draw an arc spanning the two opposite sides of the triangle.

Before drawing the arc, you may find it helpful to tape your paper triangle to the table and the string to the apex of the triangle. 

Cut out the pattern. You will have something that looks like a slice of pie.

Obtain a large sheet (at least 22 x 14 inches) of green or red felt. If you want a soft or droopy hat, use thin felt or a soft-type fabric such as velvet.

*In case you don't have a large enough sheet of felt or fabric, you can use 2 smaller sheets. Each sheet should be able to accommodate the hat pattern you made. 

Align one side of your hat pattern along the folded edge of the fabric. Trace the pattern onto the fabric.

*If you are using two smaller felt or fabric sheets, trace the hat pattern onto each sheet. 

While keeping the fabric folded, cut along the hat outline.

For those who are working with two smaller sheets, cut out the hat outline on each sheet. 

Join the straight edges of the folded fabric by stitching them together or by gluing them together with a hot glue gun.

*When working with two smaller sheets, you will have to sew or glue the pair of hat cut-outs together along their two straight sides. 

When the glue dries, turn the hat inside-out so that the stitches or the glued edges are concealed inside. You will also notice that you now have a cone-shaped fabric hat. 

If you used green felt for the hat, obtain red felt for the zigzag lining at the base of the hat, or vice-versa. We have a template that you can print, cut out and trace repeatedly (approximately 3 times) to make a long band that can go around the entire base of the hat.

Cut out the entire zigzag band. If your felt sheet is not long enough, you can make shorter pieces or glue/sew them together to make a longer band.

Glue (use hot glue gun) or stitch the zigzag band at the base of the hat.

Sew or glue a jingle bell at the tip of your Christmas elf hat.

You may further decorate your elf hat by gluing small pompoms or tiny bells at the tips of the zigzag band.

Have fun wearing your Christmas elf hat!

This craft is reprinted courtesy of FirstPalette.com.