How to Make a Native American Headdress

Native American headdresses come in a variety of styles. Perhaps the most commonly recognized style is the full eagle-feather warbonnet. Although it was traditionally worn by only a handful of Native American tribes, they are often depicted in Western television programs and movies. Those who want to emulate this look for Halloween or a costume party can make their own warbonnet-style headdress.

Things You'll Need

• Colored construction paper
• Pencil
• Crafting feathers
• Hot glue gun
• Stapler
• Staple remover

Instructions

1. Cut a 2 or 3 inch strip out of construction paper. The strip should be long enough to fully wrap around your head. If one sheet of construction paper cannot provide a long enough strip, make two separate strips and glue them together.

2. Wrap the strip around your head and hold the two ends together at the back of your head with one hand. Hold a pencil in your other hand and use it to place a small mark at the sports where the strip covers your temples.

3. Lay the paper strip down on a flat surface. Use a hot glue gun to attach the bottoms of the feathers to the strip. Colors often found in Native American crafts include black, blue, green, red, white and yellow. Position the feathers closely to one another, leaving minimal space between them.

4. Glue an upside down feather at the two locations marked in pencil. Unlike the feathers attached in step 3, the tops of these two feathers should point downwards.

5. Leave the project aside until the glue dries.

6. Pick up the headdress, holding an end of the strip in each hands. Hold the strip in front of your head, making sure that the side to which the feathers are attached is facing away from you. Wrap the strip around your head and hold the two ends together at the back. The headdress should fit you snugly.

7. Staple the two ends together. Adjust the positioning of the headdress so that the two downward facing feathers hang down next to your ears.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a staple remover to open the headdress once you are ready to take it off. The next time you wish to wear it, simply re-staple the two ends together.

References

• Native American headdresses
• Native American designs and colors
• Native American headdress