Witch's Hat Decoration (Easy and Inexpensive; and it lights up too!)

With all the witches zooming about on their brooms this Halloween Season at least one is bound to loose their hat -- a great opportunity for a nice decoration. But if a witch's hat does not fall into your lap, you can make your own decoration, very inexpensively. This Lighted Witch's Had can be used as a decoration to add a bit of the Halloween Season sitting about wherever you want, as a table centerpiece or floating in the air (hanging from wire or fishing line). The cost of materials for this project is $2, a bit more if you don't have some AA batteries and incidentals lying about (AA batteries, $1 for 8 at Dollar Tree).

Step 1: Supplies

Supplies:

Adult or Children's Witches Hat ($1 at Dollar Tree; orange, purple and black available this year)

Battery powered 10 Orange LED Light Set ($1 at Dollar Tree; pick color of lights to match hat; orange, purple, white, etc.)

2 AA Batteries (8 for $1 at Dollar Tree)

Metal Coat Hanger or other stiff wire

Hot Glue Gun & stick

Wrapping Tape (Scotch Tape)

Duct Tape

Wire Cutters and Pliers

Clear Fishing Line*

Needle and Black Thread*

*Optional

Step 2: Form Wire Frame

We want the hat to stand up by itself so we are going to make an internal wire frame.

Unwrap the end of the coat hanger to get the wire into a single straight piece. Bend over one end into a small loop so that it won't poke through the top of the hat. Form the remainder of the wire into a round base with a rod running up the center. Size the wire so that the hat fits over it with the rod just holding the hat taut.

Step 3: Attach Light String to Witch's Hat

Attach the end LED light with duct tape to the top of the rod and hot glue in place. Let the remaining lights drap down to the bottom ring.

Invert the hat and hot glue the wire ring to the hat at a couple of places. Hot glue the remaining LED lights around the perimeter of the hat. Alternately, you can sew the lights to the hat fabric.

It would be wise to insert batteries into the battery pack at this point to make it easier, rather than when it is fastened in place.

Step 4: Attach the Battery Pack

The battery pack will be attached to the vertical rod of the wire frame. Tape the battery pack in place with duct tape at the ends of the pack and then apply hot glue between the center of the battery pack and the vertical rod to fix it in place.

If you plan on hanging the hat you can insert fine steel wire (or fishing line) through the tip of the hat being sure it passes through the loop in the wire frame inside. Tie off the line/wire.

Step 5: Alternate - FAST Assembly Method

For a faster, less permanent assembly you can use scotch tape to tape the lights and battery back all to the wire frame without even bothering with the hat. Attach the lights starting at the top of the wire frame and then tape them around the perimeter of the wire loop at the bottom. the battery pack can just be taped to the vertical wire frame wherever it is convenient. This is faster, less complicated but does not give you a permanent decoration, but that might be OK.

Drape the witches had over the lights and frame. Again, if you plan on hanging the hat you can insert a wire or fishing line through the peak of the hat at this point and tie it off.

Step 6: Switch on and Enjoy!

You can now find a prominent location of honor as your table's center piece, set it anywhere about, or hang it so that it floats in the air - Your Witches Hat is ready.

When it gets dark switch on the lights and watch it sparkle!

Enjoy!