Make a Native American Cheif Hat (war Bonnet)

This is an Instructable on how to make a war bonnet. A war bonnet is a traditional headdress worn by chiefs and skilled warriors. I've always wanted to make one and I had to make one for a project at school, so YAY! I also didn't see an Instructable on one so I decided to make one. (double YAY)

Step 1: Stuff and Tools

This is a list of things you will need to make this.
MATERIALS
1. an old baseball hat
2.a cloth belt
3.small "fluffy feathers (2 bags at least)
4.eagle feathers(9 minimum, I used 12)
5.duck tape( you only need about a foot and a half)
6.cardboard.
7.1 foot of wire(you want some that will hold its shape)
8.a spool of thread.
9.animal hide( rabbit or squirrel look the best, you can get these at a craft store)
TOOLS
1.poket knife
2.hot glue gun
3.scissors
4.needle
5.hair drier(optional)

Step 2: Preparing the Hat

This Instructable is built in three major parts. The hat, the ear flaps, and the crown. First you want to make the hat. Take your baseball cap and cut the brim off of it. Don't just take scissors an cut it off, turn it upside down and cut the thread that holds the brim on. Rip the fabric off the brim, you'll use it later in the project. There should be a big gaping hole in the front. Take your thread and needle and sew it up.

Step 3: Headband

Now you are going to add a headband to your hat. Take your belt and cut off the buckle( make sure to save it for later projects). Wrap the belt around your hat and cut it off where the belt reaches your ear. Now find the middle of your belt and mark it with a sharpie marker. Line the middle of your belt with the middle of of your hat and sew it on. Then take your hot glue gun and hot glue the headband to make sure it doesn't fall off. Try it on and make sure it fits. you have now finished the hat part of this project.

Step 4: Ear Flaps

Now you are going to make the ear flaps. Take your cardboard and trace two circles( I used my easy button). Cut the circles out and cover them in duck tape. Now take six of your fluffy feathers and match them up by size and shape. Next take three of the six ( I chose two black and one blue) and tape or glue them to the back of the disks. Repeat. Now take your pelt(rabbit or squirrel fur) and cut off two equal strips. Take those strips and glue them to the backs of the disks. Now you have completed the ear flaps.

Step 5: Feathers

Now take your eagle feathers and divide them into two equal groups of left and right wing feathers. The way you can tell is by just picking them up and seeing witch way they point. Next take your eagle feathers and your hair drier and flatten the feathers by heating the feather up and squashing it between two books(this step is completely optional, I didn't do this step and mine turned out fine,it just makes the headdress look nicer). Now take three to seven small fluffy feathers and a small square of the cloth off the brim of the baseball cap. Take the square and wrap it around the base of the eagle feather with the small feathers inside of it, pull it tight, and sew it shut.(sorry for the third picture my camera dumped half of the pictures I took). Do this to every eagle feather.

Step 6: Putting It Together

Now take your earflaps and hot glue them on the headband so that they cover your ears. next take feathers and hot glue them on the front of your hat. THEY DO NOT HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY AROUND!!!!!!. they just have to go on they front and sides. make sure one side has one direction of feathers on it and the other side has the other direction.bend the wire into an arch and hot glue it on the inside of your hat to make the feathers stand up. And your done unless you want to make it look a little better, if so proceed onto the next step.

Step 7: Finishing Touches

If you want it to look better you can do some or all of these idea's
1.cut another strip of fur and cover the headband.
2.take your extra eagle feathers, put on a loop of string, and hang it off your earflaps.
3.hot glue small feathers on the tips of the eagle feathers.
4.cover the inside of the headdress with the rest of the animal fur.
5.make one and show me the pics!!!