How to Make Newsboy Caps Out of Paper

You have probably seen some old movie or cartoon before that showed a pint-size kid standing on a corner wearing suspenders and a huge, floppy cap screaming, "Read all about it!" That kid is called a newsboy, and that signature headpiece is called a newsboy cap. Though the caps are largely considered antiquated and out-of-fashion, many people still wear them as a fashion statement. You can make one yourself--out of newspaper.

Things You'll Need

• 30 sheets of newspaper
• Ruler
• Fine, felt-tip marker
• Scissors
• Stapler
• Scotch tape
• Glue

Instructions

1. Make four stacks of five sheets of newspaper. Fold each stack in half horizontally (along the paper's pre-designed fold), then using the ruler and marker, draw four 3-by-7-inch rectangles on top of the paper. All the rectangles should connect along one long side. Cut the rectangles out of each stack. You should now have sixteen rectangle stacks of the same measurement each 10 layers thick. Discard the newspaper remnants.

2. Fold the sides of each rectangle stack over, folding all 10 layers of newspaper, to form 16 long, narrow triangles. Each rectangle stack should have one short side that is uncut. This side should form the bottom of each triangle. The triangles' long sides should be equal. Use the stapler to staple the sides of each triangle down securely.

3. Arrange all 16 of the triangles into a large circle. The sides of each triangle should touch. Tape the triangles together along their sides. Only tape the top 5 inches of each triangle together and leave the last 2 inches untaped. Set this circle aside.

4. Make another stack of five sheets of newspaper. Fold the stack in half vertically, then keep folding it over by 1 1/2 inches until you reach the opposite edge of the paper. Tape the paper along the vertical fold to seal it tightly. Bring the ends of the long, folded strip of the newspaper together so that they form a circle, and staple these ends together. This will be the inner rim of the cap.

5. Return to the first newspaper circle. Fold all of the untaped 2-inch portions of each triangle up toward the inner part of the circle, then fold them back 1 1/2 inches. Retrieve the circle inner rim. Place this rim around the 1 1/2-inch triangle ends. All 16 of the triangle end pieces should fit inside of the circle. Staple each of these ends to the inside of the circle. Lastly, tape closed any open spaces that are visible.

6. Make one last stack of five sheets of paper. Cut in half horizontally along the paper's fold. Set aside one half. Fold the other half over twice horizontally so that you have a rectangle. Turn the rectangle so that the short sides are on the left and right. Fold the top two corners inward so that they touch the bottom of the rectangle. Fold the top two points inward again so that the top of the rectangle appears completely rounded. Staple this rounded top down so that it holds its shape. This is the brim of your cap.

7. Retrieve the main body of the cap. Turn the main body of the cap inside-out so that the tape and inner rim are not visible. Squeeze a thin line of glue around the outside of the inner rim and press the inner rim to the main body. Allow this to set for 15 minutes. Attach the brim to the cap using tape and staples (whichever side you attach the brim to will be the front.)

Tips & Warnings

• If desired, you can further decorate the hat with a ball of newspaper on top made from the scraps. Or, you can make long "braids" out of newspaper and attach them to the underside of the back of the cap.

• You can make as many caps as you want using these directions. Your friends are sure to request that you make one for them when they see this cap.

• If you are allergic to newsprint, then you can use brown crepe paper or some other kind of non-allergenic paper.

References

• University of Texas: Paper Hat
• Cut Out + Keep: Cherry Print Newsboy Cap