Mad Hatter Tea Party Hat Tutorial

Hello and welcome! After posting photos from a Mad Hatter Alice in Wonderland Tea Party and these Mad Hatters hat online, I received an insane amount of emails requesting a DIY top hat article. (See below for all the details on where this tea party hat DIY was used, including the popular Big Tent Circus Party). These little top hats have become SUPER popular and are all over Pinterest, but the wait is finally over: today’s blog post is all about these Mad Hatter tea party hats to make for each of your invited guests!

The Perfect Mini Top Hat For Your Mad Hatter Tea Party

The Mad Hatter mini top hat is super easy to make but don’t let its size fool you. Get ready to create a big impact on your Mad Hatter Wonderland party ambiance with this DIY! Line them all as guest arrive to pick out their favorites or just use as photo props, use your imagination! Although Mad Hatter party hats aren’t your typical cardboard top hat, you shouldn’t be intimated by the instructions below. If I can make them, you absolutely can too!

Made with Disney inspiration and a bit of hot glue, our Mad Hatter Hat Tutorial will transport your guests to a whimsical, far-away land.

How to Make The Mad Hatter Hat

Isn’t it crazy what you can do when you know how to make a hat out of paper? Add a few embellishments to a top hat pattern and you’ve designed an adorable DIY! With nothing more than a coffee paper cup – the tapered shape lends itself perfectly to that of a small top hat – and the Mad Hatter’s Hat Template, you’re ready to get started…

A quick note: this mad hatter headband was created by deconstructing one that was already made. So, if the mad hatter fabric materials look a little “tore up”, it’s because they are!

Mad Hatter Disney Inspiration From Alice in Wonderland

Want to know the very first thing to do before making a Mad Hatter hat out of paper and cardboard? Inspiration! Before we start cutting, we need to pour over Disney inspiration and pictures of the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland. So much of his essence is in the details of his outfit, so learning what does the Mad Hatter look like is top of the agenda.

Debuting in 1951, the original Mad Hatter hat varies from the more modern Johnny Depp, live-action films but we can draw inspiration from both. I wonder if back in the 1950’s the Alice in Wonderland top hat was as memorable as it is nowadays!

Mad Hatters Tea Party Hat Ideas

Over the years, the hat for Mad Hatters tea party has become a symbol of silliness and absolute the opposite of unfun. The tea party scene in Alice and Wonderland is one of my all time favorites, so making this Mad Hatter craft is perfect for a tea party or even just a fun prop for a photo shoot! We all know someone who loves Disney cosplay, right?

When you get the chance, check out the blog post for the amazing Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Tea Party where these Mad Hatter tea party hats are featured. It is seriously the most amazing party you’ll ever see!

Ok so now that we’ve got some visual inspiration to go on, let’s get to on to how to make a Mad Hatter hat!

How to Make a Hat Out of Paper Cups

Begin by making a top hat template for the body of your tea party hats. Creating a template out of cardboard before you start cutting fabric will ensure you aren’t wasting material. To make the mini top hat pattern, deconstruct a paper cup and lay it flat on cardboard. Trace out the shape of the cup, allowing half an inch on either side. Cut the cardboard, and you have a Mad Hatter’s hat template for the side of your DIY tea party hats! This template also makes it assemble multiple Mad Hatter tea party hats for your party… and saving time is always a good idea.

Now it’s time to start assembling your small top hat. Use the pattern to cut the side of your mad hatter tea party hat. You will need one piece for each DIY mini top hat you make.

To construct your Mad Hatter Tea Party Hat, you’ll need:

• A paper coffee cup (any brand that suits the size tea party hat you want)
• The plastic top of the coffee cup, with brim removed as shown
• Mad Hatter Fabric
• Coordinating ribbon for decorative base
• Coordinating embellishments, such as: Mad Hatter numbers, feathers, Mad Hatter cards or pins.

To assemble the Alice in Wonderland Mini Top Hat, you’ll need:

• Sharp scissors
• Hot glue gun

Fabric Pieces that you will cut:

• Side of hat (using your “side” template)
• Top of hat/cup
• 2 pieces for the bottom of cup/hat brim

Mad Hatter Hat Tutorial

For the brim of these DIY tea hats, we’re going to use the plastic top of the paper coffee cup. At this point, you should have already removed the brim’s edges with sharp scissors, making it a flat disc shape. Trace the flat disc onto your fabric, allowing half of inch or so around. You will need two of these pieces. Fold fabric in half before cutting to save time.

Hot glue the first piece onto the flat disc by folding it over its edge. Hot glue the second piece flat on the brim, creating the look of a seam. The brim of the hat will be “seam” side down, and against your head when worn.

For the top of the party hat, simply trace and cut a fabric piece of the open end of the coffee cup. With hot glue, secure the fabric as taught as possible. With a line of hot glue on the top, secure the siding. Then create a seam on the side. You’re nearly done…

The time for Mad Hatter hats to decorate is all about your imagination! Use rich colors and contrasting patterns, attach the decorative ribbon at the base (bottom) of your hat to conceal the seams of the brim, etc. Choose tall embellishments – like feathers or Mad Hatter numbers – to conceal that seam.

For the Mad Hatter Tea Party (you HAVE TO see all the pictures from this amazing party) we used hair clips for our guests to wear them easily. At the Circus Big Top Party, we used the same party hat tutorial but attached the hats to headbands for the kids (aka Ring Masters!).

I want to thank everyone for visiting and checking out this Mad Hatter hat craft! This fun tutorial is sure to make a big impact at your party.

 Mini Top Hats to Decorate or Buy

Here is a list of adorable mini top hats to decorate or buy from Amazon that would be perfect for a Mad Hatter tea party favor or addition to your party. These are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Black and White Striped Mini Top Hat

Mini Top Hat with Mad Hatter Clock + Gears

Gorgeous Victorian Mini Top Hat Hair Accessory