How to Make a Hat Out of Paper Mache

With fake fur and a balloon paper mache hat, you're ready for play.

Kids and adults can share a fun family project by making hats for one another. Fancy a pink hat with lots of silk flowers around the brim? Or a black hat with a favorite team icon painted on the surface? In just a few days of drying time, create a hat using a balloon, some newspaper and paper mache glue. Add some paint, a few buttons, flowers or fake fur for a one-of-a-kind hat. Even tiny hands can help in this easy, safe craft project.

Things You'll Need

• 1 plastic sheet
• 1 balloon
• 2 newspapers
• 1 container paper mache glue
• 1 plastic or glass bowl
• 1 black permanent marker
• 1 Styrofoam ring
• 1 paintbrush 1-inch
• 1 pint
• 1 yard of fake fur
• 1 tube of glue
• 1 pair of scissors

Instructions

1. Set up a flat area to work with a plastic sheet to protect furniture or counters from starch and glue. Blow up a balloon while facing a mirror, to the approximate size of your head and tie it off. Mark the balloon with a permanent marker, where the brim of the hat should stop before it reaches the eyes. Pour the paper mache starchy glue into a bowl. Tear strips of newspaper about 1-inch by 4-inches and set them to the side. Do not use scissors, this weakens the fiber of the paper.

2. Place the balloon into the Styrofoam ring to keep the balloon stationary. Dip a strip of newspaper into the starchy glue and saturate the paper. Lightly squeeze off the excess between the fingers and place onto the balloon. Layer the wet strips above the marked line on top of one another and in different directions to add strength. Allow the first layer to dry overnight. Repeat this layering for a total of three layers and 24-hours of drying for each day. Add multiple thick layers to the end of the hat to create a brim. Curl out each layer with fingers to curl it out slightly.

3. Measure the circumference of the hat, then cut the fake fur into a 2-inch strip at that length. Apply a thin coat of glue, not the paper mache starch, all over the hat. Start at the bottom and wind the fake fur around the hat to the top. Use scissors to cut away any extra fabric.

Tips & Warnings

• Adding a bit of cinnamon to the starchy paper mache glue will take away the odor. Add buttons, ribbon, or silk flowers on hats to give them a one-of-a-kind quality. A thin layer of clear polyurethane paint will seal in the paper mache and help make every piece last for years.

References

• Things 2 Make: Paper Mache Hats
• Papier Mache: What Glue To Use?

Resources

• Amazon: Contemporary Papier Mache