How to Make a Propeller Hat

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Things You'll Need

  • 2 wooden coffee stirrers

  • Craft glue suitable for wood

  • Acrylic paint

  • Small paint brushes

  • Scissors

  • Baseball hat or beanie

  • Craft wire

  • Wire cutter

Multi-colored propeller hats are classic.

Whether you're designing a nerdy Halloween costume or embracing your inner geek, a propeller hat is an essential accessory. Since Ray Faraday Nelson's invention of the propeller beanie in 1947, science fiction fans, computer experts and gamers have embraced the headgear. Over the years, styles have changed. Rimless beanies formed the basis of the original design, but propeller hats made from baseball caps also exist. Propeller hat designers have also included such novelties as glow-in-the-dark blades and customizable logos.

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Step 1

Paint the coffee stirrers with the acrylic paint. Use a paint color that complements the color of your hat. Allow the paint to dry.

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Step 2

Glue two coffee stirrers together so that they form an "X." You have now constructed the propellers for your hat.

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Step 3

Use your scissors to cut the brim off your baseball hat. If you have a beanie or if you want to keep the brim on your hat, omit this step. Although the traditional propeller hat had no brim, fashions have changed, and propeller hats with brims are acceptable geek wear.

Step 4

Thread the craft wire down through the top of your hat and back out again. Line up the center of the "X" on your propeller with the center of the hat.

Step 5

Twist the craft wire on top of the "X" to secure the propeller to the hat. Trim the excess craft wire with wire cutters.

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