How to Make a Raccoon Hat
One sign of frontier life for men was a coonskin hat. Made from the hide of a raccoon, a coonskin hat features both the face and the tail of the raccoon. This coonskin hat remains popular today among adults and children alike. You can make your own raccoon hat using the hide of a raccoon you caught while hunting, or from a hide you purchased, cleaned and ready to be sewn.
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Things You'll Need
- Raccoon hide
- Cardboard
- Marking pencil
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Fine needle
- Nylon thread
Instructions
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1
Obtain a coon hide that's free of blemishes and bald spots. Look for a tail that's full and well marked. If you don't want to hunt for a raccoon yourself, check with your local leather shop to see if they can get the hide for you.
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2
Cut a band of cardboard four inches wide and place it around your head to measure how big your coonskin hat should be. Mark where it touches and add an extra ½-inch to allow for the seam. Cut the excess cardboard.
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3
Shape the cardboard band in a circle and place it on another piece of cardboard. Trace the inside of the circle and cut out that piece of cardboard. That will serve as a template for the size of your head.
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4
Lay out the hide with the fur facing down. Fold the head straight up and lay the cardboard template flat on the hide, directly behind the center of the face. Trace the outline of the template onto the hide using a marking pencil.
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5
Fold the cardboard band in half, then cut it so that you have two even pieces. Lay one piece next to the edge of the circle, pointing out towards the head, and the other piece next to the edge of the circle, pointing towards the tail. Mark the ending points with your marking pencil.
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6
Cut the hide along the markings, being careful around the face. Stop anytime you hit an intersecting mark. Pay attention to the markings that you made around the band: Make sure you cut them so they remain attached to the circle.
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7
Join the seams together with straight pins to form your coonskin hat. Place the pins on the flesh side of the skin.
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8
Stitch the raccoon hat seams together using a fine needle and nylon thread. First, sew the bands around the circle. Next, work from the rear of the cap and work your way to the crown. Be careful not to pull the thread too tightly, or you may create openings in the skin.
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Slice the base of the raccoon tail 1/3 of the way on each side. Stitch it back together in a tubular shape all the way down. Sew the tail on your raccoon hat on the end directly opposite the raccoon face.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have an extra large head, it may be necessary to use two raccoons to make your coonskin hat. If that's the case, cut pieces from each one and seam them together. Make sure you match up hair patterns so it always runs from the head to the tail on your raccoon hat.
