How to Make a Custom Drill Team Hat for Your Homecoming Bear!
- melzmumz
- Apr 24
- 4 min read
Updated: May 31
Hello!! 🎉 After so many requests asking how I make my hats for my custom drill team bears, I created a step-by-step tutorial to show you how I personally have made them for years! Let’s dive in and get crafty together! NEW! Melz Accessoriez has premade Drill Team Hats ready to be decorated! Available in our online shop here.
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When designing this hat, I tried many different methods. My main goals were to look authentic, be efficient in how long they take to make, and keep costs reasonable. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment! I will address them as soon as I can!
LET'S GET STARTED!!
Supplies Needed (click on each item for link):
1 Cowboy Hat size 2" for smaller bear size
4" for larger bear
1 2" square piece of craft foam (1mm or thicker)
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP 1
Hold the Cowboy Hat and use your Exacto knife to make an initial cut about halfway down the hat. If you are worried about an uneven cut, insert the knife a little above the halfway mark. You will be cutting this down to make it even.
STEP 2
Using detail scissors, cut around the hat starting from the initial cut you made with the knife. You can try to use any scissors, but detail scissors let you cut with more precision without compromising the structure of the hat. Regular scissors are not fine enough to fit in the initial cut without causing damage to the hat.
STEP 3
Hold the hat the proper way up and look at the edges. Compare the sides to make sure your cut is as even as possible. You may have a few snags from the first cut to smooth out. This doesn't have to be perfect, but you want all sides to be as even as you can because the top will be flat.
This shows the top right after the initial cut and how it is uneven.
This shows the top after it is evened out.
STEP 4
Get your piece of craft foam and turn the hat upside down (the part you just cut). Press firmly into the fun foam with enough pressure to indent the foam but not damage the hat.
Cut a piece of craft foam bigger than the top of the hat.
Turn the hat over and press into the craft foam to create an indention.
STEP 5
With detail scissors, cut your craft foam around the indented pattern. Do not go inside of that indented line. Try to stay to the outermost edge of that indention.
This photo shows the slight indention left after pressing the hat into the foam.
This photo shows the piece of foam cut out from the indention.
This will be the new top of the hat.
STEP 6
Now take that piece of foam and fit it into the top of the hat where you cut. This is the new top of your hat! Make the foam even with the edge of the top of the cut (the foam will be inside the top of the hat, not outside – it should be flush to the top of the cut). The indention you made in the foam was to ensure the pattern you cut out will match the shape of your hat and fit snugly.
STEP 7
Turn the hat over (looking at the inside) and use a low-watt glue gun (a higher watt gun can make the hat warp or melt) to glue a thin layer of glue around the foam to hat joint. Turn the hat back over to make any adjustments to the foam before the glue dries (for example, if you need to push edges flush to each other). Sometimes when I am being quick, I might push a little too hard with the glue gun and move the foam a tad.
STEP 8
Now get your paintbrush and your glitter glue! I have a link to Stickles by Ranger because it is my personal favorite! The glitter is super fine and dries to a nice finish that doesn't flake off. Put the glue on thick on top and use the paintbrush to spread it around and cover the hat. Make sure you put extra glitter glue where the foam meets the hat. This will help seal the edges and also fill it in, helping to hide that the top is a separate piece. Now paint on the sides, top, and bottom of the hat with the glitter glue to make it nice and sparkly!!
STEP 9
Once dried, cut your trim and glue it around the hat. TA DA! You now have a custom drill team hat for your bear!
TIP
These hats are made in a few different colors! I only use white and then decorate with the trim. However, if you decide to use a different color hat, make sure you use the same color glitter glue as the hat. The glitter will not show clumped anywhere and will blend better!
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I will be posting more tutorials soon and have a bunch already posted in the tutorial tab! My website is MelzMumz.com where you can purchase supplies, kits, and custom-made mums and garters OR just look at some mum inspiration!
As always, HAPPY MUMMING! – Melissa
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