Cat in the Hat Fascinator for Dr. Seuss Day

Dr. Seuss Day (aka Read Across America Day) is celebrated annually on March 2, the birthdate of the beloved children's author. Schools, libraries, and community centers plan fun events that celebrate reading and often include Seuss-themed crafts and treats. I've come up with a simple fascinator-style hat made of recycled materials that's inspired by The Cat in the Hat. I'll be sporting my new hat on March 2 for sure! Affiliate links below.

  

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Cat in the Hat Fascinator

Materials:

• cardboard tube
• frozen juice concentrate lid
• Folk Art or Delta Creamcoat gesso
• foam brush
• Folk Art paint - Wicker White and Calico Red
• 0.94" painter's tape 
• red cardstock or construction paper
• craft glue
• scissors
• Supertite glue (or hot glue gun)
• hair comb or large bobby pins

Steps:

Use the foam brush to put a coat of gesso on the cardboard tube and the juice lid. When it is dry, put gesso on the other side of the juice lid.

Paint the tube and the lid with Wicker White. You want full coverage of the tube and both sides of the lid. 

Next, tape off the sections of the cardboard tube that will remain white. A standard cardboard tube is 4.5" and the Cat in the Hat's hat has 5 bands of color (red, white, red, white, red), so each band will be 0.9". By happy coincidence, I had 0.94" painter's tape on hand, which is plenty close enough. I used an engineering scale and pencil to mark the tube before I realized my tape was the right size; if I was teaching this in the classroom, I'd have the kids do the measuring as a skill practice and introduction to a different type of measuring device than a standard ruler. 

Paint the top, middle, and bottom sections red and let the paint dry completely. Remove the tape, then glue a piece of cardstock to one end of the tube. 

When the glue is dry, use scissors to cut the cardstock into a circle. The tube provides a guide for the scissors to follow. Glue the tube to the juice lid and let it dry completely. 

Finally, glue a plastic hair comb or bobby pins to the bottom of the juice lid (hair combs are more secure, but bobby pins are cheaper - your call). Your fascinator is ready to wear!

As I was writing this post, I realized what I need to make my fascinator even better. There, I've fixed it! 

  

I wish I'd thought of this back in my teaching days. It would have made Read Across America day even more fun!