How to Make an Origami Sailor Hat

An origami sailor hat is very easy to make. It's a good complement to a sailor costume and also works on its own. This hat can also double as a sailboat. Although it's not suitable for floating on the water, it works great for make-believe games because it can accommodate small dolls and action figures. Once you've got the hang of the sailor hat, experiment with different sizes of paper to outfit the entire family.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 8 1/2-by-11 inch sheet of paper
• Stapler or tape

1. Place the sheet of paper on the table in front of you with one of the longer sides facing you. Fold it exactly in half, width-wise. Crease the fold tightly so it stays.

2. Fold the paper in half width-wise again, but this time don't crease the fold tightly. Put the paper back how it was at the end of Step 1. Now fold the top left and top right corners in to meet the fold line you just created. You'll have two triangles that are mirror images, plus a thin rectangular flap at the bottom. Crease your folds tightly.

3. Make a horizontal fold on the line where the front rectangular flap meets the triangular portion of the hat, so the flap folds up and makes a cuff. Then flip the paper over and repeat this step on the other side.

4. Staple the rectangular cuffs to the triangular part of the hat so that they don't fall down when you put your hat on. Try to make the front and back flaps meet at the corners. This will help the hat better keep its structure overall and give it a more streamlined look.

5. Turn the hat so that one of the pointy sides is facing you. Then place it on your head.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use tape instead of staples. However, tape can rip the paper after repeated wearing. Decorate your hat with marker or use colored paper for a more personalized look. Make bigger hats by using sheets of newsprint or smaller hats by cutting your paper in half before you start. If you want the hat to look more authentic, fold the tip of the hat down to make it look more rounded. Tape the tip to the back of the hat.
• Children can make these hats on their own, but supervise them when they're using the stapler.

Resources

• More paper crafts