How to Make Designer Hat Pins

Hat pins were practical and decorative.

Hat pins bring to mind an era of elegance when attention was paid to little details and family heirlooms were valued. Many of us hold fond memories of mothers and grandmothers in their beautiful dressy hats, and the lovely hat pins that held them in place on windy rides to church in the days before air-conditioned cars. You can inexpensively design and create your own version of these symbols of a more graceful time.

Things You'll Need

• Glass beads, holes should be large enough for the pin shaft
• Spacer beads
• Hat pin shafts or 20-gauge wire
• Crimp beads
• 7800 all-purpose adhesive
• Wire cutter
• Needle nose pliers

Instructions

Using hat pin shafts

1. String the first bead onto your pin shaft. Use spacers beads above or around any beads with holes that are too large to prevent them from falling off the end of the shaft.

2. Add two or three more beads if you like, but do not cover the entire pin. Leave enough to use as a pin.

3. String crimp bead onto shaft after last bead and crimp tightly with pliers.

Using 20-gauge wire

1. Cut off desired length of 20-gauge wire with wire cutters.

2. Straighten wire with pliers.

3. String your first bead and wrap one end of wire around bead.

4. Add two or three more beads if you like, but do not cover the entire pin. Leave enough to use as a pin.

5. Remove last bead.

6. Add a drop of glue just after the next-to-last bead.

7. String last bead over glue. Let dry for about 15 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also cut your wire an inch or two longer than you want your pin to be and wrap the excess wire around the beads as additional decorations.

References

• Beading times; Beading Project: Hat pins. Hat pins , Hat pins
• You Tube: How to make hat pins