How to Make a Thanksgiving Pilgrim Hat Craft

Pilgrim hats make lovely Thanksgiving decorations. You can use a pilgrim hat as a centerpiece for your table, perch it atop a pumpkin or use it as part of a pilgrim costume. You can alter the size of the pilgrim hat to suit your preferences. This project is simple enough that your kids will be able to help you. However, an adult must do most of the measuring and drawing to ensure that the project fits together properly.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Chipboard
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Black craft paint
• Aluminum foil
• Tape
• Hot glue

1. 

   Create a large circle on a large piece of chipboard and nest another smaller circle within it. Mark straight lines at angles on the circular strip so that only about one-third of the whole circle is used.

2. 

   Cut out the circle segment and wrap it into a cone shape. Fasten it on the inside with tape.

3. 

   Measure the diameter of the cone shape. If it's irregular, get an average diameter from several samples. Draw a circle of that diameter on a large piece of chipboard. Then create a larger circle around this circle to mark the outside boundary of the pilgrim hat's brim. Nest the circles exactly and ensure that they are not offset from each other. Use your ruler to measure if necessary.To create a perfect circle, attach one pencil to another using a string that is equal to the radius you want for the circle. Place one pencil directly in the middle of the chipboard. Pull the other pencil around it, holding the string tight while you make the mark on the cardboard.

4. 

   Draw a rectangular shape on the chipboard about the size of a belt buckle. Draw two smaller, narrower rectangles inside this rectangle.

5. Paint all parts of the pilgrim hat with black craft paint on the unfinished side. Allow them to dry completely.

6. Cut out the rest of the segments of the pilgrim hat. Make sure that you cut out the center circle from the hat brim.

7. 

   Use the hole at the top of the cone-shaped piece of chipboard to measure a smaller circle of chipboard. Paint this circle black as well, and cut it out when it is dry.

8. 

   Slip the hat brim down over the cone shape from the top. Turn the hat over and secure the brim to the top of the pilgrim hat with hot glue. Use hot glue to fill in any gaps. Hot-glue the small circle on top of the hat.

9. 

   Wrap the buckle with aluminum foil and hot-glue it to the front of the hat. Paint any areas of exposed hot glue with black paint.

Tips & Warnings

• Old gift boxes and cereal boxes make very good materials for the pilgrim hat craft project.