DiY Straw Pill Box Hat

Keeping in the theme of millinery, I decided to make a hat making tutorial using a straw hat in a modern way.

Inspiration Piece





Start with your basic straw hat. Mine does not have a very large crown. If yours does you will not need more than the top part of your crown.



Start cutting straight up the brim of your hat to the crown. Cut around the crown of your hat carefully to remove the crown from the brim.



This is what you should have after removing the crown.



Next wet both the outside and inside of your hat so that it is fully wet.




Begin to fold down the bottom of your crown.



Using clothes pins or office clips clip down your hat so that the part you folded down stays. You can blow dry your hat to speed the drying time but you really want to make sure it is bone dry so leaving it sit over night is usually best.





Using acrylic paint of your choice, begin to paint the area of your hat that you folded under as a test area. Slowly work your way around the entire outside of your hat.


You will probably need several coats of paint to achieve your desired color. I put on 4 coats of paint. Be sure to let each coat dry fully on its own before painting the next coat.

Coat 1


Coat 2



Coat 3



Coat 4



Attach elastic cord in key places so you can slip your hat on like a headband. I used a very large needle to do this.



Once you've finished your desired color you get to do the fun part of decorating! You can add a bird cage veil, feathers, rhinestones, whatever you want to decorate yours.

If you want to make a veil for your hat, cut a piece of netting slightly larger than your hat.



Sew a straight stich across the top only back stitiching on one end and pull on the bobbin thread to gather.



Round the edges and you have your veil.