Check out this witch’s hat! Sue Astroth has the magic touch and she has lent it to this hat, making it scream with character.  Melted and embellished, this witch’s hat made from wire, Lutradur and a few embellishments is the must-have accessory for your Halloween décor.   It has such a presence you almost get the sensation you’ll soon be “sorted” into a Hogwarts house.

Read on for project instructions…

Witches Hat

By Sue Astroth

Materials

• Heavy-gauge wire – #18 or 20
• Lightweight wire  -#24 or 26
• Pliers to manipulate the wire
• 1 yd black double weight Lutradur (can use white to be painted to color of choice AFTER it’s molded to form) (option: if bulk Lutradur is unavailable you can order Lutradur® Mixed Media Sheets from www.ctpub.com
• 1/8^th yard black tulle
• Small plastic skeleton
• 5 – 10 small plastic spiders
• Green (or color of choice) fine glitter
• Glitter glue
• Embossing heat tool
• 5 – 8 yards of assorted Halloween ribbon. I like using several styles together.

Instructions

1.   Create a witches hat form out of wire.  First make the vertical bars (4-5 qty) out of the heavyweight wire, then use the lightweight wire to wrap around the heavier bars (in a spiral motion top to bottom) to create a cone-like shape.  Leave 2”–3” of the vertical bars plain at the top to be curled around itself creating an interesting detail.  This will also provide a place to tie the tulle and some spiders.

2.   Cut Lutradur into 1.5” – 2” strips.

3.   Starting just under the wire, curl at the top of the hat, tuck end of Lutradur strip between the wires. Start heating it with embossing tool, as it melts and becomes lacy, start wrapping the strip around the form, overlapping the long edges slightly as you heat them.  When you get to the end of one length of Lutradur, place the beginning of another strip just under the previous end and melt them together with the heat tool. Allow the hat to take on it’s own shape, overlapping and heating until the entire form is covered and you like the result.

4.   If gaps appear that you don’t like, fill in with a smaller piece of Lutradur using the heat tool to melt the patch into place.

5.   Paint spiders with glitter glue, pour glitter over them and let dry. Repeat if needed.

6.   Using lightweight wire attach the spiders (tuck in between Lutradur layers), tulle and skeleton onto hat.

7.   Create a large bow out of ribbons. Wire to bottom of hat form to maintain balance. Secure with thread where needed to hold in place.