Hat 3D Place Card with Rosette

Styled to imitate a festive folded newspaper hat, 

this dimensional place card is assembled in pieces 

for creative print pattern placement. 

Center point is folded first, with folded side panels 

and narrow points added along diagonal. 

Brim wraps at lower edge and sides. 

Insert rounded toothpick (trimmed at top)  

at top center hole and attach wrap-around 

double-point name strip. 

Double-layered pleated rosette with star can adorn 

the front, with scalloped and plain wrap bands at brim 

(or substitute 3/8” wide coordinated ribbon for 

plain centered band if desired). 

Measures approx. 5.125” wide at base x 3.5” tall 

without label flag. 
(For a slightly larger place card, consider enlarging
all the shapes with aspect ratio preserved.
For instance, enlarging all at 117% would result in
a hat that is approx. 6" wide x 4" tall.
Enlarging at 127" would produce a hat that is
approx. 6.5" x 4.5" tall.)

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A main hull/center point
B lower side overlays left & right
(shown here as non-wrapped shapes)
C angled point overlays left & right
D brim lower panels front and back (2)
E scalloped wrap band
(also provided as separate front, back bands)
F plain wrap band (shown here as substitute
3/8" wide ribbon)
G rosette pointed pleating bands (2)
H rosette scalloped pleating bands (2)
I rosette stabilizer circles (2)
J rosette front star accent
NOT SHOWN: front seam underlay 'liner' strip (see step 3)

2. Fold the main hull edge flanges (shown on lower edge

in the photo above) under, then fold forward on 

the diagonal perforation lines to bring the flange fold

edges together at the center front.

3. Lift away one side at the diagonal, then tuck the underlay . . .

. . .halfway under the center front fold edge,

with lower point even with bottom hull cut edges,

and glue in place (glue underside of flange to 

face of underlay). Then . . .

. . . re-fold the side back into position and glue that
side's flange in place to the underlay.
NOTE: gluing the underlay under the seam edges
will keep the front and back of the center point hull
from becoming glued to each other on the inside.

4. Prepare the lower overlay shapes for left and right

by bending back on the diagonal fold line.

5. Apply glue (here and for all the remaining overlays)

just along the edges to help the project continue to

imitate folded paper instead of a highly-glued project, then . . .

. . . position the overlay so that it "wraps" over
the diagonal fold edge of the center point with
outer side edges aligned, and bottom edges
more or less lined up (paper thickness may affect
the exact alignment of lower edges). Repeat for
the second side overlay.

OR, if preferred, use the non-folded shapes for left
and right to position and glue in place, without
the wrap-around at the diagonal edge.
(Cut and attach shapes on front of hat and on back.)

6. Prepare the angled side point shapes by folding
back at the center line.

7. Apply glue to the inward edge only, then position
to wrap over the assembly with the inward edge . . .

. . . aligned along the inward cut edge of the lower

wrap as indicated. NOTE that the bottom narrow point

should reach to or nearly to the center corner.

Check to ensure that edges on back are aligned

as desired as well, then glue in place.

8. Prepare the brim panels by bending back on all

perforation lines and panel sections, flange and side tabs.

9. Position and insert the bottom flange of brim under

the center point assembly FRONT, so that the flange

is going INTO the hat interior compartment . . . 

. . . until the center point assembly bottom straight edge
is at the flange's bend line. Adjust from side to side
so that brim is centered, then glue in place.

10. Bend the brim panel upward so that the upper
panel is tucked behind the brim face, and bend
the side tab inward . . . 

. . . so that it also wraps around the edge of the center

point assembly layers to the hat's interior,

and glue in place. Repeat for the other side tab.

11. Repeat for the second brim panel, positioning it
and attaching the bottom flange to wrap to the inside
of the hat in the same way, with side tabs wrapping
around the side edges of the layers.
12. Spread the brim side edges and apply adhesive
between the side tabs, then press the brim edges together
at sides to join. NOTE that hat interior should still open up
as can be seen in the image shown with step 16.

13. Prepare the scallop band by bending back at

the perforations, then position, centered side to side

and top to bottom of brim, and attach in place.

14. On backside, wrap scallop band and overlap ends,
glue in place.

15. Position and center the plain band, and wrap
side edges around to back, overlap and glue in place
in a similar manner.
OR, as a substitute, position and attach a length of 3/8"
wide coordinated ribbon in place of the plain band.

NOTE: as an alternative the second sample project

uses multiple prints for center, lower and side points,

plus uses the sectioned scallop strip that can be

put on front and back (the alt. uses it only on front),

as is shown here.

Place the scallop accent on brim panel, then check

the sides and trim any overlap beyond brim edges.

Here, the plain paper accent strip is centered

and attached, then ends folded around brim edges . . .

. . . (there are NOT any perforations to help fold it,

so that it can be customized to conform to the thickness

of the specific project's papers and card stock.)

16. At this point in assembly and later as needed,

flex the bottom of the paper hat open, taking care NOT

to flex too much to cause tearing or damage,

so that the hat will be self-standing.

17. Prepare the widest pleat strip by bending the pleats,

beginning at the non-tab end, to bend the first perf

line as "mountain", then alternate the fold direction all

across the strip. Complete the pleat folding for both strips.

18. Join the two strips by overlapping the straight end

(left) over the tab of the end of the other strip to fit snugly

into the bend at perf line, align bottom non-scallop edges, 

and join seam.

19. Form the strip into a ring with face side outward,

then align and join the ends to complete the second seam.

20. Complete the same process for the narrower

pleat strips, bending to form pleats in both strips,

then joining first seam, forming ring, an joining second seam.

21. Layer the narrow ring onto the outside of the wider ring . . .

. . . lightly gluing along straight (non-scallop) edges

all around, then fit the pleating shapes together

so the two layers fit snugly together.

22. Pre-heat hot melt glue applicator.

With scallop points downward, begin to "gather"

and work the pleats into narrow formation at the straight

high edge, until little by little . . . 

. . . the pleats come together and can be . . .

. . . forced into the flattened position shown here.
Push the rosette edges inward to close the circle
as tight as possible, then quickly work to apply a glue
bead around the edge of circle, then . . .

. . . position the stabilizer circle over the opening
to attach where the hot-melt glue was applied.
Continue to work to push the medallion outer edges
inward to tightest position, with uniform pleat distribution
as the glue solidifies.

23. Reverse the pleat medallion to be face down,
then repeat the application of hot-melt glue at edge
of center hole, and position and attach the backside disc.

24. Position and attach the accent star on front so that

the stabilizer circle is covered.

25. Position and attach the rosette onto the front

of the completed hat at center.

26. Prepare to attach the label flag by taking a round

toothpick such as this colored one, then . . .

. . . inserting it through hat's interior and out . . .

. . . the top point hole. Extend through slightly more
than half way, then quick-grab glue in place on the inside,
taking care that it is perpendicular to the brim bottom fold.

27. To prepare the label flag, use the Silhouette Cameo

"print and cut" feature, or cut the flag shape as

a template to position over a office-printed label,

then hand cut out. (NOTE sometimes it may be

easier to use the 'window' left by cutting the template

to position the lettering, then trace the cutting line.)

28. Add some curl to JUST the center of 

the flag shape, then . . .

. . . wrap the flag around the toothpick, bring ends
together and glue strip backsides together, including
the toothpick pole in the process.
Trim the toothpick excess with appropriate tool.

Here is the completed hat place card.