How to Make a Merry Red Bard's Hat

Well met, ye gents and fair ladies! Behold the merry red bard's hat! And lo! Verily here at your fingertips is the knowledge to craft your own like garb!

Here is what you'll need to make a medium-sized hat:

1. Basic sewing supplies
2. Fabric for the body of the hat- at least 65 cm square
3. Fabric for the band at the base of the hat in a contrasting colour
4. Decorations of your choice! Ideas include- brooches, feathers, beads, buttons, lace, rosettes, jingle bells, pom-poms, etc

Take your fabric and fold it in half twice, first by length, then by width. Make sure to line your corners up very evenly.

Now starting at the folded corner (the one with no rough edges!), measure 30 cm towards the opposite corner.

Use your measuring tape as a guide to mark a 30 cm radius as shown in the image.

Cut following the line you marked in the previous step.

Unfold the cut out fabric to reveal a 60 cm circle.

The final band must be 60 cm long.

To cut this out, fold your contrasting fabric in half, start on the folded egde, and measure and mark a rectangle 10 cm wide and 30 cm long.

Following the line you marked in the previous step, cut out the band.

With the right sides of the fabric together, fold the band in half by width and sew all the way along the length.

Trim the two corners on either ends of the seam.

Pull the fabric back over itself until you have the whole thing outside out.

(This can be tricky, so don't worry if it takes more time than you thought)

Iron the band smooth and flat.

Fold the raw edges on both ends over and under, then sew down to secure using a floss or thick thread.

Then sew the ends together with several large cross stitches to make a circle. Do not sew too tightly.

1. Turn the band inside out, and place it bottom edge down in the center of the body, with the right side of the body facing up.
2. Pin the top, bottom, right, and left edges of the body to the band.
3. Evenly pleat and pin the the fabric between these four pins all the way around.
4. Inspect and adjust if needed.

Work slowly, being careful that you don't accidentally sew over a pin, sew the body to the crown.

Turn the hat outside out.

Optional: If you prefer, you can serge the edge of the seam you just made at this point.

Gather the decorations you've chose to use, and attach them.

Ah, forsooth, is this not a fair thing which thou hast thus crafted? Methinks it is! Go forth now and make merry!