Dog Party Hats: Basic Designs

Shar-Pei Wearing Party Hat Near Balloons

Having a party for dogs?

People of all ages can make dog party hats, giving a unique, personal touch not found in ready-made products.

These hats can be made out of recycled materials at little or no cost and decorated any which way you choose!

TOOLS YOU MAY NEED:

• Stapler
• Scissors
• Pencil

• Thin, flexible cardboard pieces from a cereal box or discarded poster
• Cardboard cores from commercial toilet paper rolls or regular paper towel or toilet paper rolls
• Masking, duct or cellophane tape
• Staples
• Glue

Below are instructions for four basic dog party hats - the Cone, Barrel, Grad Cap and Top Hat:

CONE HAT

• Cut a rectangular piece of cardboard as follows:
  For tiny dogs: 3 x 5 inches [75 x 125 mm]
  For medium to large sized dogs: 4 x 6 inches [100 x 150 mm]
  For giant dogs: 5.5 x 7.5 inches [14 x 19 mm]

• Along one longer edge, bend the corners in to meet in the middle
• Overlap one corner over the other
• Staple in two spots

• Draw a line to round off the pointy edges
• Cut along that line with scissors

BARREL HAT

• Use a commercial toilet paper core, 3.5 inches [90mm] in diameter, for medium dogs and larger
• For smaller dogs, try a toilet paper roll or paper towel roll, cut to the height you desire
• Or make a cylinder of any dimension you choose from a piece of cardboard. Staple or tape the ends together
• Glue a piece of cardboard on top and trim it to fit the rim

GRAD CAP

• Make a cylinder 2.5 inches [60mm] in diameter and about 2 inches (50mm) high for medium or larger dogs
• For smaller dogs, use a toilet paper roll or paper towel roll, between 1.5 [40mm] and 2 inches [50mm] high
• Using a serrated knife to cut the roll may help it keep its shape

• For the top, cut a square piece of cardboard about 3/4 inch [18mm] wider than your cylinder

• Run a bead of glue along the top rim of the cylinder
• Center the square over the cylinder and press down firmly
• That's all there is to the grad cap - you'll add the tassel when you're decorating

TOP HAT

• Make a cylinder 2.5 inches [60mm] in diameter and about 3 inches [75mm] high for medium or larger dogs
• For smaller dogs, use a toilet paper roll or paper towel roll, between 2 [50mm] and 2.5 inches [60mm] high

• For the hat brim, find a glass or other circular object at least 3/4 inch (18mm) wider than your cylinder
• On a piece of cardboard, draw a circle around the rim of the glass you chose
• Remove the glass

• Center your smaller cylinder inside the circle
• Draw a circle around the cylinder
• Set the cylinder aside
• Cut around both circles, removing the crosshatched area shown
• You may be able to use the inside crosshatched circle ("core") for the top
• The ring you have created will become the hat brim

• Glue the core (or another circular piece of cardboard if it didn't come out the right size) securely to the top of your cylinder
• Glue the brim firmly to the base of your cylinder, trim edges as needed, and your top hat is ready!