At some point, almost every little girl wants to be a princess. And let’s face it, princesses need good headgear. While you may not be able to buy her princess Kate’s tiara, a pretty princess hat is definitely doable! We’re making a fabric covered version here; but a more low- effort option is just to color the poster board- your princess-to-be can help with that.
materials needed:
Poster board (pink or purple is best if you don’t plan on covering with fabric)
about 1/2 a yard of princess-y type fabric (brocade, princess fabric, crown fabric)
about 1/4 yard of tulle (remnants are great for this)
tacky glue
jewels and decorations (optional)
1. Start by cutting a semi-circle out of poster board. It’s doesn’t need to be a half circle, usually just about a third. Fit around your child’s head so it goes around their head but stays above their ears. Cut the poster board so that you have about 2 inches of extra paper after you make a circle. This is going to be your pattern.
2. Lay the poster board down on your princess fabric, and use it as a pattern to cut out your fabric. Leave about an inch of fabric extra on the curve of the hat where it fits over the head- this will get folded under later.
3. Roll the poster board up and staple the bottom to secure and glue the raw edge until it lays flat.
4. Once the glue is dry, Cover the hat with a thin layer of glue and cover with the princess fabric. Go slowly and carefully, smoothing out the bubbles as you go and leaving the inch of selvage at the bottom. Fold the raw edge going from top to bottom under and glue, and fold the bottom selvage into the hat and glue into place.
5. Once the hat is dry, cut a very small hole in the crown and feed about 2 inches of the tulle through. Glue from the inside. For very little girls you might want to add a chin strap- just staple two pieces of ribbon near where their ears are so you can tie the hat on.
You’re done! That’s the basic fabric princess hat, and the decoration can be up to you and your little girl. Jewels, sequins, rhinestones, etc. can all be glued on. Have fun and be creative!
-By Becky Kauffman
