How to Make Straw Sombreros

Straw sombreros are good staples to have in any theater costume shop or to keep around for many occasions. Whether you are dressing up for Halloween, wearing the sombrero as part of a more traditional costume or simply using the straw sombrero to protect your face from the sun, making a sombrero is fairly easy. There's no need to weave straw into a sombrero when straw hat bodies are basic millinery, or hat making, materials. Making a sombrero is a good way to start off in millinery and requires a few cheap supplies.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Measuring tape
• Unblocked straw hat body
• Tall Styrofoam cone
• Water or steam from an iron
• T-pins
• Bias tape
• Pins
• Sewing machine

1. Measure the circumference of your head using the measuring tape. This measurement will help you in purchasing a hat form and hat body.

2. Choose an unblocked straw hat body with a tall crown and wide brim that will fit your head. See the Resources below for a few hat supply retailers.

3. Cut off the point of your tall Styrofoam cone. When choosing the cone, you will want the base to be about as wide as your head's circumference. Cut off about 3 to 4 inches off top--enough to allow you to make a dip in the crown of your hat body.

4. Moisten your hat body with steam, and pin it down onto the cone. Make sure that the steam makes the hat body mold to the shape of the cone. Use the T-pins to keep the hat body in place.

5. Press the crown of the hat inward, and pin it down onto the top of the Styrofoam cone. This will create a dip at the top of the hat.

6. Moisten the brim with water or steam, and turn the edge of the brim up slightly. You can use weights, such as beans or bags of sugar, to hold down the rest of the brim.

7. Let the hat sit overnight. If the hat has not taken shape, moisten it with the water and steam again, and let it sit.

8. Take the hat off the Styrofoam cone, and pin the bias tape to the edge of the hat's brim. Pin it all around until the two edges overlap about 1/2 inch, and sew the bias tape using the sewing machine. Make sure to backstitch at both edges.

9. Trim your thread, and wear your new hat.

Tips & Warnings

• To decorate your sombrero further, measure around the brim of your hat and buy a piece of thick, festive ribbon. Pin the ribbon down along the edge of your bias tape, and sew it at its top and bottom edges.

Resources

• Hats by Leko, wholesale millinery supplies
• Straw hat bodies at Judith M Supplies