The Martha Stewart Show

Animal Party Hats

The Martha Stewart Show

Martha, Kathie Lee Gifford, and Mike Maroni discuss their favorite children's books; Martha and Kathie Lee make adorable animal hats for kids.

Animal Party Hats

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Kids will love these adorable and fun-to-make felt hats, inspired by "Party Animals," a children's book by Kathie Lee Gifford.

Tools and Materials

Measuring tape
Honeydew melon
100 percent wool felt in a variety of colors
Shallow bowl
Petroleum jelly
White glue
Scissors
Bootlace or sturdy cord
Chalk
Owl or goose template
Fabric glue

Animal Party Hats How-To
1. Measure the child's head, and choose a honeydew melon that has the same circumference. Place melon in a shallow bowl to keep it steady, and lightly coat with petroleum jelly.

2. Mix 8 cups of hot tap water with 1 cup of white glue. Cut a 12-inch diameter circle from wool felt, and soak in glue mixture until fully saturated. Wring out liquid and stretch felt over melon.

3. Tie a bootlace or cord into a slipknot and slide over felt, halfway down melon. Tighten cord around melon. Pull felt evenly below the cord until the felt above is smooth and ripple-free. Let dry overnight.

4. Mark the approximate center top of the dried felt with a piece of chalk. Draw a chalk line, 5 inches from the center point, all the way around the felt.

5. Mark a point on the line that you'd like to be the center-front of the brim on the hat. For the owl: Draw an inverted, convex "V," about 1 inch high and 3 inches wide, centered above this point. For the goose: Draw a low, long arch on either side of the center point, with each arch about 1 inch high and 4 inches wide.

6. Remove slipknot and loosen felt from melon. Cut felt along chalk lines.

7. Print owl or goose template and use as a guide to make eyes, beak, and other details out of different colored pieces of felt. Attach felt pieces to hat with fabric glue.

Resources
100 percent wool felt is available from Magic Cabin.

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The Martha Stewart Show

Animal Party Hats

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