How to Make Cirucs Top Hats

Creating costumes for plays, Halloween, or special events can be fun. If you are planning a circus theme costume, this circus top hat is quick to do and is sure to receive many comments. This hat does not have a top, giving it a whimsical appearance and makes the construction quite simple. Choose bright colors to make your circus hat and have fun with it. Cotton fabrics seem to hold their shape and work the best for this project.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2 yard bright striped fabric 1/2 yard bright solid lining fabric 1 yard fusible interfacing Sewing machine Scissors Iron Straight pins Compass Measuring tape Newspaper Pencil Calculator

Instructions

1. Measure around the head of the person who will be wearing the circus top hat. This is the circumference. You need the diameter of the circumference around the head. Divide the circumference measurement by pi to get the diameter. 3.14 is pi.

2. Draw a circle on the newspaper using the diameter measurement. Add 8 inches to the diameter and draw another circle around the outer rim of the first. This is your circus hat brim pattern. The brim will measure 4 inches. Cut out the inner and outer circle of your brim pattern.

3. Cut one brim piece each from the bright solid lining fabric, bright striped fabric and the fusible interfacing using the brim pattern.

4. Iron the fusible interfacing, glue side down, to the wrong side of the bright striped fabric brim.

5. Place the bright solid brim right side up on your work surface. Place the fused bright stripe brim, right side down, on top of the solid lining and pin. Sew a 1/4 inch seam allowance around the outer edge of the brim. Trim the seam allowance an 1/8 inch from the stitched seam. Turn the brim inside out and press.

6. Draw the pattern for the circus top hat sides on the newspaper 9 inches wide by the circumference measurement, plus 1/2 inch. Cut the side pattern out.

7. Cut one side piece each from the bright solid lining fabric, bright striped fabric and the fusible interfacing using the side pattern.

8. Iron the fusible interfacing, glue side down, to the wrong side of the bright striped fabric side.

9. Fold the fused bright striped side in half matching the short ends and pin. Sew the pinned ends together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Press the seam open. Repeat for the bright solid lining fabric.

10. Turn the bright striped fabric tube right side out. Place the bright solid lining fabric over the bright striped fabric tube. Match the edges on one end and pin. Sew around the pinned edge using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Trim the seam allowance an 1/8 inch from the stitched seam. Turn the bright solid lining fabric to the inside of the bright striped tube and press the seam. Match the raw edges on the other end and baste.

11. Place the circus top hat brim over the raw edge end of the circus top hat sides. With the right side of the brim facing the right side of the hat side, pin the brim to the raw edge of the hat side. Sew the brim to the hat side using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

12. Pin the sewn seam edge inside the opening of the hat side and top stitch the seam to the hat side.

Tips & Warnings

• Add embellishments or fold the sides down to shorten the height of the circus top hat.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish