How to Make a Tri-Cornered Hat With Construction Paper

Make a tri-cornered hat out of construction paper.

Tri-cornered hats have brims with three points and were worn during colonial times. Some of the early American President's wore tri-cornered hats. You can make your own tri-cornered hat to celebrate President's Day, to use as part of a school lesson about colonial times or to wear with a Halloween costume. Create a simple tri-cornered hat with your children or students using basic home or classroom craft supplies. This straightforward craft can be made by children with some assistance.

Things You'll Need

• 1 sheet white paper
• Construction paper
• Ruler
• Stapler

Instructions

1. Lay one sheet of white paper on a flat surface. Draw a straight line, 9 inches long, lengthwise on the paper using a ruler and a pencil. Draw a 2-inch long perpendicular line at one end of the first line. Draw a second perpendicular line of the same length at the opposite end of the first line.

2. Place the point of your pencil at the top of the perpendicular line on the left. Move the pencil to the right, drawing a line that curves upwards. Make the highest point of the curve over the center of the horizontal line. Continue to draw the line curving downward and over to the top point of the second perpendicular line.

3. Cut out the shape on the drawn lines using a pair of scissors. Choose three sheets of construction paper, all the same color. Place the shape in the center of one of the sheets of construction paper. Trace around the shape with a pencil. Trace the shape on the remaining two pieces of construction paper in the same manner.

4. Cut out all three shapes from the sheets of construction paper using scissors. Layer two of the shapes together, matching up their edges. Join the left shorter edges of the two paper shapes together using a stapler. Pull apart the two paper shapes at their open end.

5. Match up the wrong or inner sides of the left shorter end of the third shape and the right shorter end of one of the first two shapes. Staple these ends together. Match up the wrong sides of the two remaining loose ends. Staple the ends together.

References

• The Franklin Institute: Colonial Tri-Corner Hat
• ConstitutionWeekUsa.com: Tri-Corner Hat