Stylized
eight-sided top hat decoration includes
a shaped hat band overlay that suggests
pleating,
icicles crown topper that forms an eight-section “dome”,
slice-form
berries with holly leaves,
layered for thickness brim.
Pair with “Snowman Tea
Cup Form” separate design for
a fun and unique Christmas or wintertime
decoration
or container (when attaching the crown-opening
flange connectors).
Top hat measures approx. 6.375” diam. brim x
2.75” tall to top of crown dome
(with 3.5” diam. octagon crown bottom opening).
ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
(not shown: dome support strip ring; see Step 14)
A brim shapes (one to attach to crown assembly;
3-4 to stack and glue for brim thickness
B crown top interior octagon (with tiny notch for I.D.)
C crown top outer octagon
D crown sections (8)
E hat band strips front contour & back
F optional connector strips (for joining to tea cup)
G crown topper icicles dome
H slice form holly balls (12 circles ea. for 2 sets)
I holly leaf pairs (2 sets)
together all but 1 of the brim circles with octagonal
opening, taking care that ALL cut edges are aligned
as precisely as possible.
Immediately press the stack under a heavy flat weight
such as a thick book volume, with something else
heavy placed on top. Press until the stack is completely
dry, over night or at least several hours. This will help
minimize warping or curling that can occur when using
liquid adhesive.
top and side flange tabs, bending forward on
middle cross perforation and at bottom flange tab.
4. Select 2 sections, align lower portions so that
the straight plain edge can overlap across
the adjacent flange to the perforation line, adjust
for top to bottom alignment, then apply pressure until
secure. Then . . .
in the same manner, adjust as necessary, and glue
the seam. Apply pressure until secure.
4. Continue in this same manner to join the remaining
6 sections together.
Form the assembly into a tube to align and join
the final seam to complete the crown.
6. Identify the two crown top octagon shapes:
the minutely-smaller one with the tiny notch at
edge will fit inside the crown. The other will be
attached on top as the exterior shape.
7. Bend crown top flanges up or out of the way
so that the interior octagon . . .
. . .can fit inside and within the flange tabs.
and apply glue to the downward faces of all edge flanges.
Invert the assembly top down onto flat work surface,
push the octagon fully down to seam into the bends
of the crown flanges, then apply fingertip pressure
all around to each of the edges.
8. Position and attach the exterior octagon top,
taking care that outer edges are even with crown.
9. Bend flanges at bottom of crown straight so that
the single brim shape opening can be fit over them.
At the brim underside, re-bend each flange outward
and glue to the underside of brim.
NOTE it will be helpful to invert the assembly
brim underside down on work surface so that
fingertip pressure can be applied all around to
each facet edge until all are secure.
10. Position the brim stack on the bottom of assembly,
adjust so that interior octagon edges align and
outer curve edge aligns as precisely as possible.
Glue in place.
NOTE some kind of pressing scheme should be devised
using flat object on hand to help flatten each facet
of brim to help stack layers join without
warping or curling. Toy blocks with something else on
top, small books, cans or squarish pantry packages, etc.
may be available for the purpose.
11. Prepare front and back hat band strips by bending
back slightly on vertical perforations.
12. Position the tallest portion of front band at selected
front facet of crown, adjust so that the perforations will
bend around crown snugly, with lower edge at
crown-to-brim seam line, and glue in place.
Continue bending the hat band sections into place
on each side of center and attach in place.
carefully trim excess - but complete a test of back
band positioning before trimming.
13. Position and attach hat band back strip
following the same process.
14. Prepare the dome support ring by bending back
at each section vertical perf line of strip. Also
bend the attachment tabs to perpendicular.
Form the strip into a ring to join the ends by
overlapping the straight edge across end tab
and gluing seam.
15. Center the ring on top of the crown octagon,
and glue tabs in place.
16. Prepare the icicles dome by bending back slightly
on each of the radiating perforation lines. Also bend
the icicles edges down.
17. Form the shape into a slight dome to overlap
straight edge to wedge tab perforation line,
and join seam.
18. Place the icicles shape over the top of the crown,
adjust so that icicles bends align with edge facets of
the crown. Apply glue to the undersides of each section,
then bend down to attach to crown faces and hold in
place until secure.
HOLLY DECORATION
19. Prepare the slice-form circles for one berry ball
by bending forward at center perforation on each
of the 12 shape.
20. Position the first two circles so that one half of
each will align back to back. Apply glue to one of
the halves, then join . . .
. . . so that perforations align like a "spine", and
cut edges align precisely.
21. Continue in the same manner to stack, align and
glue remaining 10 shapes into the stack. Once all
are joined, place the stack under a heavy flat weight
to allow glue to completely dry.
22. Complete the second berry assembly, then place
both stacks under the weight.
(NOTE that the slice form will be "unfurled" once
the twine "stem" end can be attached at the spine
of each. See Step 16.)
23. Prepare the holly leaves by bending at the center
perf lines -- darker bottom larger leaves bend back
(shown here face down) and smaller top leaves
bend forward.
24. Cut an 18 inch length of natural thick twine,
cut in half, line up the two lengths and fold in half
to tie a simple knot near loop ends.
25. Each of the twine ends will attach to either
a leaf or a berry ball.
Position one bottom leaf as approx. 1/2" to 5/8"
below knot on first twine end; trim end so that
it doesn't extend beyond leaf end. Glue twine in place.
Position upper leaf over lower, centered, with twine
end enclosed between the two. Apply pressure to
fully join the two layers.
Repeat for the second leaf on the opposite outer
twine end, adjusting so that it is a bit further from
twine knot.
26. Flare open the first berry slice form so that
the twine can be enclosed in the center channel.
Position for length from knot, trim excess twine
so end is within channel. Add glue into channel
and also on only one of folded circles, then close
the ball form to join the final circle slices.
Apply pressure to the final slices until secure.
27. Attach the second ball in the same manner,
adjusting length positioning from know so that
it falls longer than the first. Refer to this picture
for creative guidance.
28. Determine positioning of the holly cluster decoration,
then artfully apply glue dabs "invisibly" to attach
twine loops to top of dome top, leaves and balls
to vertical sections.
Here is the sample hat completed.
OPTIONAL CONNECTOR TABS
(to help hat stay in place on Snowman Tea Cup)
29. If you are completing the Tea Cup with Hat ensemble,
prepare the 8 tabs by bending short top section back . . .
. . . and down and gluing in place.
30. Position one tab, centered, at each edge of
octagonal opening, with short tab touching the inside
face of the crown; adjust to ensure that shorter tab
cut edge is aligned at brim level; glue in place.
Repeat for remaining 7 tabs.
(The tab shown is being attached at front edge
toward top of opening.)
31. Position hat onto tea cup with flanges sliding . . .
. . .into place within tea cup rim.
Here is the completed Snowman Tea Cup ensemble.
Grabbing this one too <3
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