Emily Johnson
Mushroom hats are a fun and creative way to celebrate the unique shape and aesthetic of mushrooms. Whether it's for a costume, a festival, or just for fun, making a mushroom hat can be a simple and enjoyable project. Using materials like cardboard, felt, glue, and fabric, you can create a variety of mushroom hat styles, from simple no-sew designs to more intricate crocheted and sewn versions. With some creativity and imagination, you can bring the magic of mushrooms to life.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Materials | Cardboard, felt, batting, duct tape, hot glue, fabric, ribbon or cotton strips, beads |
| Tools | Scissors, glue gun |
| Colour | Red top, white spots, white underside |
| Shape | Wide conical, hemisphere, beret, beanie |
| Size | 21" circumference |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Materials: Cardboard, felt, batting, glue, and duct tape
To make a mushroom hat, you will need cardboard, felt, batting, glue, and duct tape. You can use recycled cardboard shipping boxes for the frame of the hat. For the mushroom cap, you will need a square of medium-weight wool felt, with a diameter of around 20 inches. You can use red felt for the top of the hat and white felt for the underside. You will also need a thick piece of ribbon or long strips of cotton fabric for the chin tie.
For the brim of the hat, cut a strip of cardboard that is about 1.5 to 2 inches wide and long enough to wrap around the desired head. Tape the ends of the strip together to form a ring, adding an extra inch or so to accommodate the fabric you will attach. Next, cut a circular piece of cardboard with a hole in the middle, the size of the base of the hat. Tape this to the hat base.
Now, wrap the batting around the base hat shape, stretching and smoothing it out as much as possible. Flip it over and glue it to the base. Then, wrap the red felt around the batting and glue it in place. Cut a circle out of the red felt that is roughly 4 inches larger than the diameter of the hat's brim. You can also cut a circle of batting out that is slightly smaller than the red felt and place it between the cardboard frame and the red felt for extra padding.
Finally, use duct tape to secure the fabric and other materials to the hat. You can also use hot glue or fabric glue to attach the pieces together and add any desired decorations, such as white cotton balls or spots.
Mushrooms Breathe: Air Exchange and Fungal Respiration
You may want to see also
Cut and assemble the hat structure
To cut and assemble the hat structure, start by measuring and cutting a strip of cardboard that is about 2 inches wide and long enough to fit around the desired head size. Tape this strip together to form a ring that will serve as the base of your hat.
Next, create the cross sections that will support the top structure of the hat. Cut out three strips of cardboard with a length that is slightly less than the diameter of your base ring. Tape these cross sections evenly spaced across the base ring.
Now, cut out a circular piece of cardboard with a hole in the middle that is the same size as the base of your hat. This will form the top of your hat structure. Tape this piece to the cross sections you previously attached.
At this point, you should have a basic hat structure with a flat top and an open bottom. To add some curvature to the top, cut out a circular piece of cardboard that is slightly smaller than the top of your hat. Tape or glue this piece to the centre of the flat top, giving it a slightly domed appearance.
Finally, wrap your chosen fabric or material around the hat structure to give it a smooth finish. Stretch and secure it in place with glue or tape, ensuring that it is taut and free of wrinkles. Flip the hat over and you should now have the basic structure of a mushroom hat ready for further decoration.
Chanterelle Mushrooms: Nature's Medicinal Superfood?
You may want to see also
Wrap the hat in batting
To build a mushroom hat, you will need to wrap the hat in batting. This will give the hat a smooth, rounded appearance, reminiscent of a mushroom cap. Here is a step-by-step guide to wrapping the hat in batting:
Start by placing the base hat structure on a flat surface. This base will be made from cardboard, formed into a wide conical shape. Ensure that the base is securely taped together and that any cross sections are firmly attached.
Take the batting and begin to gently stretch it around the cardboard base. Try to smooth out any bumps or creases in the batting as you go. You want to achieve a uniform layer that covers the entire surface of the hat base.
Once the batting is wrapped evenly around the base, it's time to secure it. Carefully flip over the hat and apply hot glue to the bottom of the base, attaching the batting to the cardboard. Be careful not to burn yourself with the hot glue.
At this point, you can trim any excess batting that may be hanging off the edges. Ensure that the batting layer is neatly adhered to the base and that there are no loose areas.
Now, you will add the outer fabric layer to the hat. For a classic mushroom look, use red or purple fabric and wrap it around the batting layer, securing it with glue or another suitable adhesive. Again, try to smooth out any creases or bumps as you work.
Finally, decorate the top of the hat with white spots, either by gluing or sewing them on. You can use various materials for the spots, such as fabric, paper mache, or even pearl beads for a fancier mushroom hat!
By following these steps, you will successfully wrap the hat in batting, creating a smooth and rounded surface that forms the distinctive cap of a mushroom hat.
White Mushrooms: What Are They?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Add the red felt and spots
Now for the fun part—adding the red felt and spots! Cut a circle out of your red felt that is roughly 4" larger than the diameter of your hat's brim. You can use a piece of red fabric if you don't have felt. Wrap the red felt around the batting, smoothing it out as you go. Secure the felt with hot glue or fabric glue.
Next, cut out your spots. You can use white felt, paper mache, or even pearl beads for this part. Get creative with the shape and size of your spots—they can be any shape or size you like! Attach the spots to the top of your hat with hot glue or fabric glue. If you're using beads, you can stitch them onto the hat.
For an extra touch of whimsy, add some gills to the underside of your hat. Cut a circle of white felt that is 12" larger than the diameter of your hat's brim. Create a larger oval template that is 8" larger than your original and use it to cut a hole in the centre of the fabric. This will be the underside of your hat. Attach the fabric to the inside and outside of the brim using hot glue, overlapping the fabric as you go.
Freezing Mushroom Pate: A Step-by-Step Guide
You may want to see also
Finish with white 'gills' underneath
To finish with white gills underneath, you can use white felt. Cut the felt into a circular shape with a hole in the middle, the size of the base of the hat. Bunch up the felt as you glue it to the underside of the hat to create the gills. You can be as precise or as free-flowing as you like with this step.
For a more detailed mushroom hat, create white bulges in various sizes and shapes and spread them out over the underside of the hat. This will recreate the look of mushroom gills. You can also use lace for the gills.
If you want to add spots to your mushroom hat, you can use white cotton balls, or stitch on pearl beads. You can also use paper mache or cardboard for the spots.
Eradicating Mushrooms: Effective Ways to Get Rid of Them
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
You will need cardboard, felt, batting, duct tape, glue, and scissors. You can also add beads to make the mushroom spots.
Cut out spots of any shape and size from white felt and attach them with hot glue or fabric glue. You can also use beads to make the spots.
First, measure and cut a strip of cardboard to fit around the desired head size. Tape this together to form a ring. Next, make cross sections for the top structure of the hat and tape them to the base. Cut a circle with a hole in the middle to fit the base of the hat and tape this on top. Wrap the batting around the base and glue it down. Finally, wrap the felt around the batting and glue it to the base.
Cut a circle of fabric that is larger than the diameter of the hat's brim. Scrunch the fabric inwards and glue it around the inside and outside of the brim.
