How to Make a Pressman's Hat

A pressman's hat can be made with your local newspaper.

Pressman's hats date back to the mid-1700's and were worn by printing press operators to keep ink and dust out of their hair while operating the press machines. The traditional pressman's hat has now been replaced with a baseball cap, but folding a traditional pressman's hat out of yesterday's newspaper is a fun activity for all ages.

Things You'll Need

• Newspaper

Instructions

1. Lay a single two-page spread of a newspaper flat on a table. Close the page along its natural fold, and rotate it on the table with the crease at the top

2. Fold the top left and right corners of the paper down to the center and crease the folds. This will leave a strip along the bottom.

3. Take the top page of the strip along the bottom and fold it so it meets the base of the triangle. Make a crease.

4. Fold the same flap one more time to form the hat band. Turn the hat over, with the point facing away from you.

5. Fold the right edge of the paper to the center crease. Repeat with the left edge of the paper so that it overlaps slightly.

6. Fold the lower right and left corners of the bottom of the hat slightly into a small triangle.

7. Fold the entire lower flap above the hat band, and tuck it into the hat band.

8. Fold the top triangular flap down to the bottom of the hat band, similar to an envelope, and tuck it in. Make a crease along the top.

9. Pick up the paper hat, open it and flatten out the inner area to create a rectangular shape.

10. Fold the peaks toward the bottom of the hat, crease the top edge and tuck the ends into the hat band to secure.

Tips & Warnings

• Use this project to teach children folding techniques and about the printing industry.

References

• Fort Wayne Newspapers Press Project: How to Make a Pressman's Hat
• The Philadelphia Inquirer: How to fold a pressman's hat
• Poynter: Tales of the Incredible Shrinking Pressman's Hat