DIY handmade felt hats for birthdays (and other days, too)

Guest post by Princess Lasertron

Oh yes, it’s another post syndicated from everyone’s favorite crafty Nebraskan, Meg of Princess Lasertron. This time, she’s got instructions on how to make felt party hats so cute you’ll want to wear them to the grocery store. -Ariel

I’m working on a whole bunch of felt party hats for me and Alice’s birthday on May 9th. Do you want to know how we made them?

All photos by Princess Lasertron.

Materials Needed

  • Felt in your favorite colors (the 9×12 sheets from craft stores are actually perfect for this)
  • This printable party hat template printed at 200%
  • Your favorite fabric glue (I prefer Fabri-Tac)
  • Stiffen Stuff or other fabric stiffener
  • Ribbon to tie the hat on
  • Your favorite trims and embellishments


Use the template to cut out a piece of felt. Obviously you can resize it to be the size you want. Use your fabric glue or sew the sides together and create a cone.

Stiffen Stuff = great stuff. You can spray it for small projects, but for thicker fabric like felt I like to pour a little bit into a cup and use a brush to saturate the material.

Make some trim. You can fringe strips of felt or other fabric. You can sew long ruffled pieces. Stitch shapes together. Use pre-made trim like pom-pom trim or rick rack. Ain’t no rules!

Here is how I make pom poms for the top of each hat: first, fringe a strip of felt on both sides, leaving a solid space down the middle for a running stitch. Gather the strip into a fringey little clump and fluff it out.

Tack the trim around the bottom.

Finally: attach ribbons to the sides to tie it under your chin. I didn’t photograph this step, but you know what to do.

I’m planning to make a few dozen hats for everybody at the party. Alice is going to love them because she thinks hats are hilarious. It is one of my little presents to her. I can’t imagine her glee seeing a room full of everyone in a bright, pretty hat.

These don’t have to just be for parties though — what about making a few for a dress-up box, or as a little cheer-up gift for a friend? These hats are an awesome blank slate for almost anything you want to add.

Comments on DIY handmade felt hats for birthdays (and other days, too)

  1. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! My son’s birthday party is next month and I have been searching for a tutorial to make his hat. Now I just have to get my bum in gear.

  2. I just made at least forty of these and made them mandatory at my grandmother’s 75th birthday party. At first everyone was reluctant, but after awhile everyone was on board and we had tons of fun being goofy in our hats.

Join the Conversation