Frosty's Decorated Top Hat Project

(Image above shows un-decorated basic hat.)

These two images show the decorated basic hat

(including 3d corncob pipe, 3d buttons, evergreen sprigs,

leafy sprigs, snowflake swirl & stars etched glass vinyl,

and several "found" embellishments).

3D CORN COB PIPE & BUTTON OBJECTS:

A separate tutorial has been created to

explain or demonstrate how these embellishments

are prepared or built.

Find that tutorial by clicking HERE.

Frosty Snowman's top hat for winter decor 

or table centerpiece is built from six side panels, 

brim with quarter arc rim strips, 

top hexagon panel, two-section hat band. 

Decorate with found objects, replace hat band with ribbon. 

Or add corncob 3d pipe paper design, vinyl snowflake flourish, 

fir sprig, laurel sprig, buttons companion designs. 

Measures approx. ­­­­­5.5" tall x 8.5" wide x 10" long. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A brim main shape (cut 2 for sturdier build up)
B brim rim quarter arc strips 
C crown side front panels (4)
D crown side panels (wider) 2)
E crown top panel
F brim cosmetic cover ring (covers crown tabs
under brim)
G hat band half strips (2)

2. Prepare brim by attaching the two "build up"

shapes to form one sturdier brim shape,

taking care to align inner and outer edges.

Suggested: use flat weights to apply pressure

to the glued-up brims.

3. Position and attach the left and right,

top and bottom brim rim strips along the edge

of the brim. (Continue to employ weights.)

4. Prepare the crown panels by bending top
and side tab flanges back, bottom tab forward,
and bending forward on the two vertical perf lines.

5. Prepare to join two half crown assemblies
by arranging a wider center side panel between
two narrower panels.
Position lower segments side by side,
overlap the plain straight edge over the
corresponding tab, adjust to align upper & lower
perf lines that define the lower panel, 
and glue in place.
Repeat the lower seam joining for the third panel
in the sequence shown.

6. Flex and adjust positioning for the middle

strata seam to attach the straight plain edge

along the tab perforation edge, for the

first pair seam, and then repeat to complete

the second pair seam.

7. Flex and adjust to align edge and perf line
for the top strata, for both seams.

8. Complete second half brim assembly.

9. Join the center front seam to join the

two half brim assemblies, joining bottom,

then middle, then top seam segments.

10. Repeat step 9 above for the center back seam.

10. Bend crown top tab flanges inward, then 

position the top crown panel over the opening.

Adjust the crown shape to align and attach

each top panel edge along the tab perf edge,

corners aligned, etc.

NOTE: Once the initial grab is established,

it may help to invert the crown assembly top

panel down on a flat surface and apply

fingertip pressure along the tabs to

secure the seam all around.

11. Insert the crown lower tabs edge through

the brim opening, then bend tab flanges outward

to attach each to the brim underside.

12. To hide the tab construction on the

underside of the brim, position and attach

the (F) ring around the opening.

13. Prepare the hat band shapes by bending

back along all vertical perf lines.

14. Join the two strips by overlapping the

straight edge over the tab to perforation line,

taking care that upper and lower edges are 

in a continuous alignment.

15. Position and attach the band around the

crown over lower strata, with final seam

at center back, overlapping the straight end

over the tab opposite.

Here is the completed basic hat.

16. Prepare and arrange for the embellishments

that will adorn the Frosty Snowman's Top Hat.

The sample shown here includes the following:

"leafy sprigs", "evergreen sprigs",

"snowflake stars flourish" (cut from sparkle

window etch effect vinyl) . . .

. . . "corn cob 3d pipe", and

"buttons lrg 3d square round".

17. The model top hat includes the "snowflake stars

flourish" vinyl for which the separate snowflake

is cut and then vinyl snowflake transferred

onto the snowflake and swirl to make it "darker".

18. "Audition" the positioning of the swirl

vinyl shape on the side and back side crown

panel, then use the regular transfer "tape"

to remove vinyl from carrier and attach to hat.

19. Position an attach leafy sprigs (right side

front panel on model) . . .

. . . and "evergreen sprigs" (near right front) . . .

. . . then add other found objects, including
small blue large "berries" cluster, kraft paper shreds,
glitter feather (trimmed to size), artificial berrie clusters.
Finally, add paper 3d projects: corn cob pipe
and large round and square buttons with twine.
Here is the completed decorated hat
from side view.

Here is the completed hat viewed from front.

Mourner's Decorated Top Hat Assembly Guide

More fun to create or to display this large scale

Halloween Mourner's decorated Top Hat?

Decide for yourself.

Hat measures approx. 8" tall x 9" front to back,

with stylized wider crown at top.

Cut file includes embellishments of 3d bow,

skull, carnation-style spiral 3d flower,

two feathers..

Double layer brim and rim make the hat sturdy.

Add your own flair with jewels, studs,

fabric flowers and more.

ASSEMBLY:

1. Identify and cut the shapes.

C crown wedge center sides 

A crown wedge angle side

T crown wedge top, bottom 

D crown top, crown wedge decor shape, and button circles

E brim and brim reinforcement shape

F brim rim

G spiral carnation flower

(not shown: carnation finishing circle)

H band, bow and bow knot
I feathers and skull embellishments

2. Identify the joining location is for the three crown wedge shapes. Widest shape marked with C in the top tab will be placed at the brim opening at the longest side edge. Top or bottom wedge shapes marked with T will be placed at lengthwise hat ends. Angle wedges will join to the angled edges marked with A.

It may be helpful to arrange your wedge shapes in the order you will be joining them, such as this (beginning at top/front): T, A, C, A, T, A, C, A

3. Prepare the wedge shapes by folding the top wider portion outward slightly. Fold the bottom tab upward. Fold all remaining tabs back.


4. Select the first two wedge shapes to be joined. Apply glue to the bottom tab. Line up the bottom portions to be joined first. Overlap the straight edge (on right shape as shown here) to the left shape's tab perforation line.  Adjust so the cross perf line and the bottom tab perf lines match up exactly, then join. Hold seam until secure.

5. Continue the same process to add the next wedge shape to the first pair assembly, lining up and joining the bottom portions only until all eight are joined.

Here you see the completely joined panel. Top portions are still NOT joined at this stage.

6. Return to the first pair joined. Bend the fop portions outward slightly until the straight edge of the one lines up at the tab perf line, as before. Add glue, and join.

7. Work across the entire crown panel until all the top portions are joined.

NOTE that as you work to join the top potions, it may be helpful to fold the non-tabbed edge top wedge out of the way to apply the adhesive to the tab underneath.

8. Form the crown panel into a tube shape, bringing the lower section edge to overlap the opposite tab perf line as in previous seams. Add glue, align, adjust and attach.

9. Line up and join the upper portion of this final crown panel seam in the same fashion.

10. Fold all tabs down into center opening at top of crown (top is the widest of the openings). The tabs will overlap at the ends.

11. Position the crown top modified hexagon shape over the opening and orient it so that the edge lengths correspond to the longer center side edge, top/back ends, etc.

Apply adhesive to the tabs, then position the crown top over the tabs so that the straight edges line up at the tab perf lines.

Hold the edge in position at the perf line until it is accurately positioned, then secure.

It will be helpful, once the seams are initially secured in place, to turn the assembly over, top-down, onto a flat surface, insert hand into the hat cavity, and apply pressure to the tabs and crown top from the backside.

12. Insert the brim-end tabs through the opening of the upper brim shape, (insert from the face side), taking care to orient the center sides, top/bottom, etc. to match the opening edge lengths.

Fold the tabs outward, apply glue, then adjust so that the crown perf lines fall exactly the the brim's straight edge opening.

It will be helpful to turn the assembly bottom-down on flat surface to apply pressure all around the bottom of the crown to fully and smoothly attach crown body tabs to brim.

13. Position the under-brim, face outward, exactly over the previously-attached brim shape, covering the assembly tabs. Apply adhesive evenly, then press and smooth for a complete join.

14. Slide the brim rim ring over the crown and down into place. Align edges of crown and rim exactly and glue in place.

(There may be small center front/back dash lines to assist with alignment.)

15. Position and attach the optional crown wedge decor shape to the right side panel, lining up the top, straight side and bottom edges.

(NOTE: the decor panel has been modified slightly in the final cut file download from the shape shown here.)

Add the contrast button circles over the cut circles, if desired.

16. Position and attach the two hat band sections, bending band inward at perforations that will line up with wedge seams. Overlap straight end over adjacent tab ends.

17. Prepare the bow shape by looping ends to overlap at the center straight portion. Avoid flattening the loops. Glue ends and center together, hold until secure. 

Overlap and fold the center knot to wrap around the bow's center. Glue ends at overlap.

If you DON'T plan to decorate your top hat further, you could simply attach the bow as shown.

If decoration is planned, reserve the bow until farther in the decorating process.

18. Prepare the 3d carnation-style spiral flower. Beginning at the outward end, curl and roll it around a rod or dowel of approx. 1/2" diameter. Glue the end where it touches the overlapped strip.

Continue rolling the spiral strip so that the base strip portions roughly stack, adding dots of glue at each new layer.

19. When the entire strip is rolled. glue the end in place. Remove from the rod tool.

20. Fold and curl the petals away from the center in an attractive way.

Position and glue the bottom end cover circle in place.

21. Prepare the feather embellishments by scoring down the center with a stylus, if desired, bending slides upward slightly. Separate and randomly tweak-fold the tines of the feather for "realism". (Cut file includes a center quill, but it was not used here.)

22. Position the feathers, carnation flower, skull emblem, bow and other embellishments as desired, and attach securely.

Here is the finished version of my hat.

Here is a view slightly from the bottom.