Any type of sturdy cardboard will work well for this, like a flattened cardboard box or a leftover cereal box. If you’re confident in your own sketching and tracing skills, you can draw the circle freehand as well. You can also trace a round object with a 15 in (38 cm) diameter, like a flower pot. The overall size of your hat may depend on who you’re making it for. For instance, a 13 or 14 in (33 or 36 cm) wide hat may work better for a child.
You can tweak this measurement depending on the circumference of your own head. For instance, if you’re making a hat for a child, a 7 in (18 cm) opening might fit better.
The smaller circle will serve as the top of your top hat, while the larger circle will serve as the brim.
Trace these rectangles on flexible cardboard, like a cereal box, as you’ll need to bend them as you make the hat. For instance, you can cut out 2 rectangles that are 12. 5 by 6 in (32 by 15 cm). If you want to save time, you can also make a large rectangle that’s 25 by 6 in (64 by 15 cm), then bend and curve it into a cylindrical shape later on. A 5 to 6 in (13 to 15 cm) tall hat may look good on an adult, while a child may look better in a 3 to 4 in (7. 6 to 10. 2 cm) top hat.
You only need 1 felt rectangle for the barrel of your top hat, as this will make your finished hat look more sleek and cohesive. To save time, you can trace around the outer and inner rim of your donut-shaped piece of cardboard. This will yield the 2 circular felt shapes that you need! You may want to cut out 2 donut-shaped pieces of felt to cover the top and bottom of the brim.
It may be easier to have a friend or family member hold the cardboard in place while you tape the pieces together. Any kind of durable tape works for this, though clear tape looks less obvious. The edges only need to overlap by a few millimeters, so the barrel of the hat fits snugly into the brim.
At this point, your cardboard will start to look like a top hat.
With this piece in place, the base of your top hat is now in place.
Try to use small amounts of glue so it doesn’t look obvious on your finished hat. If you cut out a section piece of donut-shaped felt to cover the bottom of your hat’s brim, glue it into place at this time.
For example, you can glue a red ribbon band around the base of your hat to serve as a classy accent. For a more exotic touch, glue several feathers in 1 spot along the front or side of your hat.
