Hi! This is my first instructable so I will do my best to make it as clear and easy to follow as I can. Also, the instructions are based on what I did personally, so read ahead a little bit if you feel like it could have been done in an easier fashion for future reference.

This instructable is for Spongebob's Krusty Krab hat I made for halloween last year. I know from experience that this prop is ESSENTIAL when it comes to Spongebob's outfit. The first night I went out I didn't have this hat and people just thought I was a school girl carrying around a spatula.......

Anyhoo, here's some EXTRA help for all you fellow Spongebob fans out there!! If anyone wants to be our lovable sponge for the upcoming Halloween or for any occasion, here is a list of things you will need:

- HAT!
- white short sleeved dress shirt
- red tie
- brown shorts
- black belt with silver buckle
- white tube socks
- black shoes (preferably shiny work shoes cuz you know, he's wearing his employee uniform...all the time... but I ended up wearing dark brown lace up shoes for easy walking and dancing :) anything dark colored should work fine as well.)
- carry around a black spatula
- optional: yellow shirt to wear inside

sexy version:
- make everything 10x smaller and wear some stripper heals. YOU'RE WELCOME! :D

on with the show....

Step 1: Ingredients Needed

Ingredients for one Krusty Krab employee hat:

- White cloth (for top part)
- Black cloth (for strip)
- Dark Blue cloth, preferably something thick (for bill of hat) I used the stretchy part of a Dark Blue sweater pant I bought at the Dollar Tree
- small strip of blue denim/cloth
- Stuffing (not the turkey kind. sorry.)
- Black rounded button (for the top) (or make one with fabric. see step 6)
- Cloth scissors (dull scissors (aka ones used for paper) make sewing so much harder)
- Needle and Thread (I myself always use black thread, but if you'd like, use the color of thread for the color of the fabric)
- Black and Blue Marker (red optional)
- Hairband in your hair color
- Pins (if you need them to keep things in place. I only use it in like one step)
- Scrap fabric for measurement (black if possible)

*When I just simply write "sew" in any step, it is always the running stich (an up/down/up/down motion with the needle and thread) unless specified.

I ALWAYS only use 2 (or 3) types of BASIC stitching for all of my sewing projects, so no need to fret :) To me, it's simpler and easy to work on small projects like plushies and fixing little things.

Step 2: Prepare the Top Portion

Like I said, this is my first, so I completely forgot to take pictures until a few steps later, so bear with me with these crudely drawn instructions.

Take the white cloth and cut it into a rectangle about 7 inches by 6.25 inches. For another option, if you feel more comfortable, cut the white cloth into 7" x 5" to be attached to the black strip (read ahead for more info).

Divide and mark the white cloth into 4 even rectangles as shown in the drawing. Now make a note of the halfway mark for each of those 4 parts. Eyeball a pointed arch over the 4 sections, with the point meeting at the halfway mark (as shown). This was my way of making the rounded top portion of the hat. Make sure the curve is a little wider than the curve you want on the hat, cuz once you sew them together, it will bend more as the flat cloth is sewn into a 3 dimensional form. Cut out the arches.

The black strip of cloth should be the same width as the white cloth (the circumference of the bottom) 7" by 1.25"
Now take the leftover black cloth and cut a circle with a 2.5" diameter out of it. The 0.5" is for safety during sewing, since the diameter should be a little under that. Same goes for the 0.25" in the white and black cloth.

Step 3: Connect White and Black Together

Now here is the two options I pointed out earlier about sewing the white and black together:

1.) a 5" white and a 1.25" black, sew along both their edges to combine.
2.) a 6.25" white and a 1.25" black, the black will overlap the white.

This is a tip for those who do not feel too comfortable with sewing just yet, but want a cleaner look; follow my drawing below: Set the two cloths with the side that will be outside facing you, and place them as directed above. Now without moving the white, flip the black strip up like you would a calendar, making sure to keep the touching edge in its place. Now sew the two parts together. When you flip it back over again, voila! the ragged cut edges are hidden from view!

Sew the bottom edge together.

Step 4: Sew the Tube

Turn the white and black piece into a tube by sewing the two flat sides together. Sew them with the inside out so the same clean look can be applied. Also sew the top 4 sectors together with its neighbor, joining them together at the top. Flip it inside out to see the clean outside look.

I hope the drawing shows what I mean by sewing the inside, then flipping it out for the "cleaner" look.

Step 5: Attach Bottom and Stuff

Again from the inside, sew the round bottom piece along the open edge of the tube hat. Remember to leave a space to flip it outwards again! and for the stuffing!

**TIP** To close the gap from the OUTSIDE, here is a clear youtube video I found that will teach you how. Watch the beginning. For a tighter, more even look, make the gaps between each stitch closer to each other.

After flipping it to the outside, you can draw on the anchor with the blue marker/pen before OR after you stuff the hat, whichever would be easier for you.

Also, draw two black (or red) lines down the right and left sides of the hat, making the anchor in between them. (see picture!) In the cartoon, Spongebob's hat is always outlined in red, but that is an artistic way of drawing him. The lines down his hat are actually black, but it's up to you how you want it to look like.

If you need help drawing the anchor:

Start with a vertical line down the middle.
Add a circle on the top.
Draw a shorter, horizontal line about 2/3 of the way up the line. (think of a Christian cross or a lower case T)
End with a U placed at the bottom of the vertical line.
yay anchors!

**If you are comfortable adding the bill of the hat before you sew the bottom completely, you should add it on now (from the inside) for a neater look. I didn't add it on until after i stuffed and closed the gap.

If you want to do it this way, go forward to the making of the bill step, make it, and add it on to the bottom now. (like a sandwich, but from the inside. make sure the bill is facing the right way!!!!)

Step 6: Top It Off

Now if you don't have a small rounded black button to easily attach to the top, do what I did: Improvise!

Take a small scrap of black fabric and stuff it with whatever scraps of stuffing you have. Pinch it closed between your fingers to adjust to your preferred size.

Once you are pleased with the size and shape of the makeshift button, wrap some thread around the bottom to seal it shut. If you have to, pull the needle and thread through the wrapped bottom a few times to keep it closed and rounded. BE CAREFUL!! Don't poke yourself with the needle as this step may result in a thick piece of fabric you have to push it through. WORK SLOWLY!

Making sure it doesn't fly apart when you set it down, push it a bit down on the top of your tube hat so see how much you want sticking out the top. Now sew it onto the hat by SLOWLY pushing the needle through a tiny bit of the button from the bottom, then push the needle through a tiny bit of the hat going inwards. Pull and continue. Again, WORK SLOWLY! Work between the button to the hat, and back and forth. Don't force it!

Once you make it around the entire thing, tie a knot to finish it off. What my mom taught me about sewing from the outside is once you finish the knot, push the needle with the thread through the fabric once again, this time exiting somewhere a little farther. Pull the thread tight and push the fabric a little inwards. Cut the thread near the exit. Once you let go, the long piece of thread will retract back in, and there's no way the knot and the stitching will come undone! This is especially useful in a lot of plushie projects.

Step 7: Making the Bill

This is a tricky step. There's probably an easier way to do this than from what I did, but me being me, I like to do things spontaneously and craft the rest.

Here, take a scrap piece of fabric and place it under your stuffed tube hat. Mark out the size and shape you would like for your bill, and cut it accordingly.

Now take the thicker blue/black fabric and cut out 2 of the same shape and size as the scrap. Place them on top of another. If you don't feel like it's thick enough, add more layers between the two thick blue pieces.

Cut the blue denim piece thick enough to have BOTH edges sewn, but long enough to go around the bill. A little less than an inch should do fine. Make sure you have the adequate amount of blue showing between the two thick layers. (see finished photo) I chose denim because of the color as well as the strength of the fabric. You don't want something that will keep unwinding when working with something small.

Pin the layers together to keep them in place, or just sew a bit of the side that will be attached to the hat. <-- this is vital because you will be sewing the two thick layers to the denim piece SEPARATELY

Now looking at the 5th photo, start attaching ONE edge of the denim strip along ONE piece of thick fabric. Do it flipped backwards so the outcome will be clean.

For the other side of the denim/thick piece, sew it on the same way you closed the previous gap. Here is the video again if you need visual help: Make it look clean! Again, make sure you have the right thickness of denim showing along the outside edge of the bill.

Once finished, you have a clean bill for your hat!

Step 8: Attach the Bill to the Hat

Place your tube hat on the table and put the bill in the center where you would sew it on. Pin it in place from the bottom. You can also sew either corner of the bill in place for easier attachment.

Now attach it! I like to sew both top and bottom of the bill instead of sewing right through for a stronger and cleaner finish. (Also done with the previous sewing method.)

Step 9: Done!

With the bill sewn all the way around, you have finished your very own Krusty Krab hat!

Keep it as is for a plushie, or continue to the next step to wear atop your noggin!

Step 10: Attach to Headband and FINISH!

Another crudely draw instruction haha

Place the hat on top of a headband, place a piece of fabric across the headband, and sew down. Loop the thread around the headband through the hat a few times too to make it sturdier.

VOILA! Now place on top of your head and go jellyfishing!

***BONUS!***
Below, I have also drawn a few other props you can bring along on your undersea adventures!
- Spatula
- Jellyfishing net
- Jellyfishing glasses
- Bubbles
- Pink balloon wrapped with pink ribbons for a JELLYFISH!

I hope you enjoyed my instructable! and post some pics to show us your very own Krusty Krab hat! :)