How to Make the Mad Hatter's Hats Out of Paper Bags

Paper makes a large "Mad Hatter" style hat.

You can be the Mad Hatter from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland with a wonderfully large hat made from paper bags. Carroll's original illustrator, Sir John Tenniel, gave the Mad Hatter a top-hat style hat with a crown getting larger at the top and a card reading "In This Style 10/6d." The image remains in use to this day. The hat has a brim that is rolled up on the sides. Use large paper bags to recreate this style.

Things You'll Need

• Flat paper bag, 24 x 24 inches Tissue paper Masking tape Grocery bag Stapler Double-sided tape 2-inch ribbon Index card

Instructions

1. Crumple up five sheets of tissue paper and stuff them into the flat bag. Gather the bottom of the bag together and place it on your head. Adjust the folds and gather in the edge of the bag, until it fits neatly around your head and the edge is evenly gathered.

2. Wrap masking tape around the edge of the bag to hold the folds in place. It helps to have a friend do the adjusting and taping, while you hold the bag around your head. Add another band of masking tape 2 inches up the sides of the hat.

3. Cut the bottom off the grocery bag. Turn the bag inside-out so any printing is on the inside. Flatten the bag. Place the crown of your hat in the center of the bag and trace around it.

4. Remove the crown and trace another circle 1/4 inch inside the first circle. Cut an "X" in the center of the smaller circle. The ends of the "X" should just reach the smaller circle. Cut from the center of the "X" to the small circle eight more times, making 12 evenly-spaced wedges.

5. Push the crown of your hat through the circle. Tape all the wedges in place, around the crown of your hat, with several circles of masking tape.

6. Mash the corners of the bag down into the top of the hat to give it a more rounded shape. Shape the crown of the hat into a cylindrical shape that gets larger at the top. You may need to add more tissue paper to help it hold its shape.

7. Roll up the brim of your hat on each side and staple the ends to hold the rolls together. Be sure the brim makes at least two complete circles so the hat will hold its shape. Stick pieces of double-sided tape under the rolls on top of the brim to hold them in place.

8. Wrap ribbon around the hat for a hatband. Use double-sided tape to hold it in place. Write the size and price on an index card and stick it in the hatband.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a styrofoam wig head if you do not have a friend available to help shape your hat. You may spray paint the hat before you add the hatband.

References

• Alice In Wonderland Clothing