Burton's Mad Hatter Hat

This are instructions to make the Mad Hatter Hat from the new Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

Step 1: Cardboard box

The size of the cardboard will be the measurement of your head, remember to add half to one extra inch of size so that it can fit over the wig.
How tall you want it is up to you, I made it the size of my head and a half, after this cut strips about an inch or 2 apart. DO NOT go all the way through the cardboard except on the bottom and top tabs that will be used to glue the top and the visor.

Comments

[alex7315]

Thank you so much for this tutorial :) it helped me a great deal...I am very satisfied with the outcome, however I am a little bit nervous about its weight - it is quite heavy, so I probably won't be able to wear it for the whole evening :D I guess I used too much glue and heavy fabric. It does not matter really, because I am still so pleased that I made something I would never believe I could manage. Thank you :)

[andiclara]

A few years ago the hospital where my husband works had a competition for Melbourne Cup day where you had to make a hat using the sterile wrap that they use to wrap instruments for the operating theater. My husband gave me one days notice, and this is what I came up with. The instructions were so clear and easy to follow. I glued the strips of wrap on using a hot glue gun and quickly made up a few fabric roses to go along with the hat pins and price tag. My husband won first prize, and afterwards my nephews had a lot of fun playing with the hat. I was amazed at how long it kept its shape! The boys used it for performing magic tricks (making toy rabbits appear) they sat on it, used it as a table etc. The imagination of a 3 year old is endless! Anyway, my youngest nephew is I think 6 months old here and you could not ask for a cuter model. Thank you for such a comprehensive instructable, I had so much fun making it.

[Badia]

That is just amazing. I never thought when I made this hat that it would bring so much joy, and fun and well Im just dumbfounded at how many people comment and how much this instructable has been able to help people keep on feeding their imagination, so glad it helped you, and the hat looks great, cheers,

[andiclara]

Oh wow! You are a total inspiration! Look at all the amazing hats that people have made from your design! I don't think anyone had as much fun with the hat as my two little nephews did though. I seriously could not believe how long the hat lasted. The boys did their best, but they just could not destroy the hat! And all that comes down to your construction method.

Um... any hints on what hat I can make for this years Melbourne Cup Day Competition anyone?

[Mauigerbil]

"Costume"? Why not EVERY DAY!?!?!

[toberah]

Thank you for this! I just finished one for my daughter's "Mad Hatter Tea Party" for her birthday. I glued some quilt batting over the cardboard to smooth it out since my fabric was thin and stretchy. It came out great!

[henry209]

This is what my hat ended up looking like. I really like it. It's sitting on a shelf in my room.

[SeaDemon]

I made it, Took like 4 days.... _ _l|l Its cool though! but...... I made it for my Friend and I miss it. TT TT
I made it too small for him so hopefully....... He'll give it back to me because it'll keep falling off!!! =D I made it to my size too it fits nicely. =D

[YoshiB]

thank-you so much for the inspiration! I made this the night before Melbourne cup day at school(I won best hat by the way). Here are the results!
p.s. found the peacock feathers after the day but thought they looked great.
p.p.s.got my photo in the local paper for it ! (even though i never got my promised prize..) thanks a bunch!

[Izaboo]

I made the hat for Melbourne cup day as well! For my husband's work, and he won first prize too!

[Badia]

Conrats luv, looks amazing, keep those skills working always ok, maybe one day you'll show me how to make something

[Kerushii]

here me and my top hat >.<

[Kerushii]

I tried v.v

[kittikuti94]

alright i'm sort of a blond XD you say NOT to cut through the cardboard EXCEPT the bottom........but it says that you cut strips through the whole thing?!?! Please explain this step to me. As detailed as possible!

[Badia]

Cardboard is made is two layers of well, cardboard, and in between this layers there's a ruffled cardboard part, when I say dont cut all the way though, I mean that you should only cut through one layer and a bit of the middle part, this makes it able for the cardboard to "fold" but stay in one piece, hope it helps

[blundell]

Yayy took 3 nights (waiting for glue to dry inbetween). Built it too tall to start with, an it's slightly small for my head so added a strap! If I was doing it again the main point to remember is, put the cloth on so all the seems are around the middle (as this will be hidden by the scalf!)

[sammysaammmy]

Hahahah I'm glad I'm not the only one that took a picture wearing the cardboard. ;)

[Tanz27]

I made mine 13 inches tall, with 13 inch diameter top and visor; and it looks great. Oh, and tips up to everyone having trouble with the fabric. I had a nightmare, Plan c was strech crushed Velvet. make a sleeve the same diameter as the thinest bit then stretch over the lot. Chop the excess sleeve from the top, then add your top circle of fabric. This also eliminates the need for seperate fabric for top & bottom of the visor, as you can strech it all the way over. Make sure the thickness is reasonable & should be great. Picture to follow!.

Thanks for the fab instructable!

[sbeard4]

I am having a seriously difficult time with the top. how big should it be? its kinda pissin me off actually, heeeeeelp!!!!!

[Badia]

I made it the size of the visor, only the visor is oval the top would be round, in any case it can be any size you want , cheers

[fbaker]

Wonderful job, it just goes to show there is everything you ever need on the net.
Thanks so much for this "how to" - mine ended up a bit too tall but it still turned out great.

[jmarshall16]

I'm in a production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and for the Halloween show, we all dress up as characters from other stories. I play Riff Raff and decided to dress up as Mad Hatter. I was having trouble finding a hat for a reasonable price, and then stumbled upon this. I gave the hat my own spin, and I couldn't have done this without this page. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zombie1212]

That is probaly the best halloween idea ever. I AM TOTALLY USNG THAT

[jorange1]

Fantastic instructable! I'm looking forward to making this hat for my Mad Tea Partty in a couple of weeks.
Great solution to the riddle (big fan of Poe), however, I have to say that Lewis Carroll said, in 1896, that the solution to the riddle is "because it can produce a few notes, though they are very flat; and it is nevar put with the wrong end in front"
He also reminds us that it was an after thought and the riddle was not supposed to have a solution.

[Sawowie XD]

i loved this hat, and great instructable. i made one using this for my friends 18th birthday, i had great fun making it. i havent given it to her yet but i cant wait XD

[krobinson4]

Your idea is awesome!! My boyfriend and I got invited to a costume party, Im going as teeb alice and hes going as teen hatter. Im making my costume and his. Would you mind if I used you design to make his hat?

[Badia]

Why would I mind? Have at it, enjoy and good luck cheers

[rwilson10]

Love it!! Making a small one for my puppy :D Too Cute. Hope to get a pic uploaded.

Thanks for the instructions. It's simple, easy and looks great.

[amandagraves]

I made this hat in about 3 hours in total - not allowing for the drying time of the curved visor from your instructions. Very well thought out - It Won FIRST PRIZE at my son's Schools Mad Hatters Tea Party today, everyone thought it was Awesome - THANKS - sorry we can't share the wine with you that we won!

[Badia]

Cheers, and enjoy the wine, glad I could be of service

[McChibster]

Great instructable! It took me exactly 3 days to construct this beauty, and only spent 8 dollars!
I won most creative costume at our halloween dance. So thanks!
Although, I do wish you might've included a little instruction on exactly how to get the fabric on the cardboard frame... I had much difficutly trying to figure that out. :D

[LacieDee]

Okay, I'm preparing for my play in High School in drama, and I'm making this hat for part of my costume. Do I make two visors, like, a Top and Bottom?
Be very specific and detailed with your reply please? I don't want to mess up on this and get a bad grade for a sloppy mess of a hat. =[

[Badia]

HAHAHA oi, Ill try to be as precise and specific as I can, The visor y is just one part, you fit it thourh the botom and then fold the tabs from the body of the hat and glu them on on the bottom, there is a picture of the hat from underneath you can see the tabs glued there, what you WILL NEED 2 pieces of is the cloth that will cover the visor, so trace two of these, the one on the bottom will cover the tabs, glue this one on first, then glue the one on top, you can make a cut on it so that you can place it on top of the visor which should already be glued on the hat by the time you go on to covering it with the cloth

[badideasrus]

wouldn't it be easyer to just glue the top cloth on before you glue on the brim? then glue one the brim the to tabs and then glue one the bottom piece?

that way, all the cloth stays intact

[kelwawa]

Love the costume. Say, how did you make the eyebrows stay on? Also what does the bullet belt symbolize?

[Badia]

I painted my own eyebrows orange with facepaint, but you can use special facial glue they sell in costume stores and just cut a bit of hair off the wig, the bulet belt I think burton might have wanted to make the hatter look a bit like a warrior so he used thread to look like bullets, maybe I dunno

[badideasrus]

look for spirit gum. used by special fx people to attach all sorts of things from hair to fake skin to gems to whatever.

[kelwawa]

Thanks for the info!

[raindrop150]

the belt/bandoleer is made of spools of thread, not bullets :) and not to speak for the maker, but spirit gum works wonders for prosthetics like that.

[badideasrus]

oh.... someone already mentioned spirit gum.... darn


should have read alittle further.