By ShowMeStepByStepPublished Updated
Based on a video by MR. CREATOR.
This one is a keeper for a quiet afternoon with the kids. MR. CREATOR folds a tiny cowboy-style hat out of two sheets of colored paper, and the whole thing comes together with simple folds you can do at the kitchen table.
You make two matching units, then slide them together so the crown pops up and the brim spreads out. No glue, no scissors, no fuss. Make it small for a doll or size the paper up and wear it yourself.
Follow along fold by fold and you will have a finished hat in a few minutes.
7 steps · about 5 minutes.Check off each step as you go and your progress saves automatically.
Grab a sheet of colored paper and fold it down into a smaller square. Line the edges up so the corners meet, then run your finger along the fold to set a sharp crease. A crisp crease here makes every fold after this one easier. Keep the paper flat on the table while you press.
Tip
Thicker craft paper holds its shape better than thin printer paper, especially for little hands.
Take one corner and fold it across on the diagonal. Bring the edge in to meet the center and crease it flat. This diagonal fold starts shaping the piece so it stops being a plain square. Go slow and keep the point neat, because the shape you build now carries all the way to the finished hat.
Fold the bottom point up toward the top. A flat band should appear across the middle of the piece. That band becomes the base of the hat's crown, so keep the fold even from side to side. Press the crease down firmly. You should now have a shape that looks a bit like a little house with a peak on top.
Tip
If the band comes out crooked, unfold it and try again. Even folds now mean a hat that sits flat later.
Open the little pocket in the center and tuck the side flaps into it. This locks the folds together so the piece holds its shape on its own. Work one flap at a time and push it in snug. When both flaps are tucked, the unit should feel firm and stay closed without you holding it.
Now fold a second sheet exactly the same way, right up to the same triangle shape. You need two identical units for this hat to come together. Take your time and match the first one fold for fold. When you are done you should have a matching pair sitting side by side, ready to join.
Tip
Use the same size paper for both pieces or the crown and brim will not line up.
Slide the two units together, fitting one into the other. As they lock, the crown pushes up and the brim starts to spread out around it. Gently ease the sides open so the box shape of the crown forms. Work all the way around until both pieces sit tight against each other and the hat starts to take its real shape.
Give the crown a light pinch to square it off and smooth the brim flat with your fingers. That is your paper cowboy hat, done. Pop it on a doll or a small toy, or fold a bigger version to wear yourself. Try it in a few different paper colors and line them up for a whole little hat collection.
E6000
E6000 Craft Adhesive, Clear (3.7 oz)
The industrial-strength craft glue that bonds glass, wood, ceramic, metal, fabric, and concrete. The one adhesive most craft projects reach for.
Gorilla
Gorilla Dual-Temp Full-Size Hot Glue Gun
Dual-temp so it handles delicate florals and heavy materials alike. A precise nozzle and built-in stand make it the everyday craft-table gun.
OLFA
OLFA 18" x 24" Self-Healing Cutting Mat
The pro-standard cutting surface. Gridlines for square cuts, self-healing so blades never leave grooves, and big enough for paper, fabric, and leather.
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Quick reference
5 questions, answers, and one-line explanations. Tap to expand.
1.How many sheets of paper does this cowboy hat use?
Answer: Two
You fold two matching units and join them, so it takes two sheets.
2.How are the two folded units joined into one hat?
Answer: Slid together and tucked, no glue
The two pieces slot into each other so the hat holds itself together without any glue.
3.Why press each fold sharply and crisp?
Answer: Crisp creases make the hat hold its shape
Sharp creases lock the folds so the crown and brim keep their form.
4.How would you make a hat big enough to actually wear?
Answer: Start with larger sheets of paper
The hat scales with the paper, so bigger sheets give a bigger hat you can wear.
5.What makes this project a good pick for crafting with kids?
Answer: It uses no scissors or glue, just simple folds
With nothing sharp and no glue, the folds are safe and easy for little hands to follow.
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