How to Make a Conical Straw Hat

Asians have used conical straw hats for centuries.

Conical straw hats first appear in pictures as early as the 13th century. But archeological evidence shows they existed earlier. The conical shape of the wide brimmed hat channels water away from the face and protects the face and neck from the sun. Today many gardeners find this hat convenient and comfortable. Even though the hats are referred to as straw hats, they are commonly made from straw, sedge, bamboo or hemp.

Things You'll Need

• 5-gallon plastic bin
• Millinery straw
• Poster board
• Scissors
• Tape
• Plastic wrap

Instructions

1. Fill the 5-gallon plastic bin with warm water. Submerge the millinery straw. Let the straw soak overnight.

2. Cut a 30-inch-diameter circle in the poster board. With scissors, cut a wedge from the circle that is 4 inches along the circumference of the circle and reaches to the center. Remove the wedge and discard it. Bring the sides of the cut area together to form a cone and tape it. Cover the cone with plastic wrap. Overlap the plastic wrap and tape the seams together. This protects the paper cone from the wet straw.

3. Cross two straws in the center and place the crossed area over the point of the cone. Fold the ends of the straw down over the sides of the cone.

4. Place a third straw next to one of the first straws. This straw is next to the top and angles around the cone. It will cross the other two straws. Weave the third straw over and under the other straws as they meet. Turn your form one-quarter turn. The next straw starts perpendicular to the third straw and weaves through the first three. Turn the form.

5. Continue to work around the hat, adding straw and weaving it through the straws already in place. As one straw ends, overlap the next straw in the weave and continue so more straws are constantly added as the hat becomes wider. Continue until the hat reaches the bottom of the form.

6. Remove the hat from the form. Trim all the straw sticking out from the edge of the hat to 2 inches. Place a single straw on the inside of the hat along the bottom edge. This straw will help you bind the edge. Fold the straw over the binding straw and weave the end back into the hat. The binding straw and the extra woven straw adds strength to the edge of the hat.

Tips & Warnings

• When choosing your supplies, contact a millinery supply house and use true millinery straw and sedge. Do not rely on straw from bales. This straw is cut and bent during the baling process and is too short to make hats.

• Experiment with different sizes and shapes of cones for your hats.

• Some millinery supply shops sell waterproof conical hat forms.

References

• Cover Your Head: Straw Hats