How to Make a Witch's Hat

If a witch costume is in your Halloween plans, the witch's hat is a must. Whether you crown your costume with it or use it as a decoration in your home, this spooky little number is deceptively elaborate and wickedly easy to make.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Assorted black ribbons, velvet and grosgrain
• Burned-out velvet
• Black netting
• Plastic spiders (optional)
• Fine silver glitter powder

Prepare

1. Purchase a yard or two of black fabric. Nylon or felt will do--you just want to make sure it bends and curves easily when you shape it around your paper cone.

2. Make an insert of lightweight poster board. Roll one corner of the poster board toward the center of the sheet as if to make a cone. Insert the cone into the witch hat and release so that it forms against the inside of the witch hat.

3. Trim the bottom edge of the poster board so that the witch hat can stand on its own. Make sure that the brim lays flat.

Decorate

4. Begin with two 2-yard pieces of narrow black ribbon. Choose one 1/4 inch wide and the other 1/8 inch wide. Glue the end of each piece to the tip of the witch hat.

5. Drape the two ribbons loosely around the cone of the hat three or four times. Glue both ribbon ends near the base where the brim connects to the crown.

6. Select two more lengths of ribbon. Working in the opposite direction, drape them as in Step 2.

7. Take a length of netting about two yards long and loosely twist it a few times so that it has a spiral flow. Make a small knot in one end and glue it to the top of the hat. Drape the netting around the hat and end at the base at the back of the hat.

8. Wrap the burned-out velvet loosely around the base of the crown twice. Tie in a generous bow at the rear. Let the tails drape down over the brim by at least 18 inches. Trim the tails on the diagonal.

9. Glue spiders here and there, one at the peak of the hat. A large spider can dangle by a piece of 1/8-inch satin ribbon from one side of the brim.

10. Finish the hat with a sprinkle of stardust (silver glitter powder). Using a light touch, gradually add glitter until you achieve the desired effect.

Resources

• Purchase witch hats.
• Purchase witch hats and accessories.
• Purchase ribbons and netting.

[dcallahan]

on 7/10/2008 I too have searched for a pattern and instructions and found this one. Pity it's missing very important instructions and key points as to how to design and create a true Witch's Hat from inception to completion.
think I'll write the instructions myself and see if it's more helpful
thanks, Dana

[MicheleImbach]

on 10/17/2007 I have search high and low for a witch hat how-to; and I found this one. I think it's missing a step or two in the contstruction - like how to creat the brim. Plus any comments on ratio between length of point to width of brim?