Spane the Train Conductor – How to Make a Train Conductor Hat

Spane wearing his train conductor hat. You have to watch this video to the end, it’s so cute!

So, last night, after we had our wonderful Fried Green Tomatoes with Basil Garlic Mayonnaise, it was time to get started on Spane’s hat for the annual chorus performance at his school.

Spane came home with a rather large piece of dark blue construction paper, out of which we were to make a hat that expressed his personality. Spane loves trains – a conductor hat was the obvious choice.

So, I looked for vintage conductor hats for my reference – all the other hats were from costumes for engineers – not conductors. The train conductor hat is similar to an airline pilot hat, but not quite. Once I found one, it looked pretty simple.

1. Get a large sheet of construction paper, 24″ x 36″ would be the size to use. If you want a different color brim, you can use a small piece of paper. You are also going to need scissors, clear tape, and a pencil. Get whatever decorations you are going to want to use, glue gun, etc.
2. The first thing you want to do is get a piece of plain white paper and ask your child to stand in front of you. Using a pencil, gently mark a circle around the child’s head, about a little larger than it is. That will be your guide.
3. Draw another circle around the one that is already there, about two inches in width. That will become the sides of the hat.
4. Draw the brim of the cap like a U, from the outside of the larger circle, and making the sides of the U about a half inch wide.
5. Cut out the pieces. Using tape, tape the sides of the cap to the smaller circle, and put the brim on the front. Don’t use a lot of tape because you are going to be taking it apart right away.
6. Try this on your child. If it does not fit, make adjustments, or cut out another pattern using another piece of paper.
7. Hopefully, the pattern will have fit. So, now you want to remove the tape and have the separate pieces.
8. Using each piece as a template, carefully cut the construction paper. You could use a different color construction paper for the brim if you want to.
9. Make 6 cuts in the large piece of paper, about a 1/4 inch deep. These will help when you fold the top into the sides.
10. Using your child’s head, put the side of the hat on and secure with tape. Remove from the child. The child will probably be giggling by this time.
11. Take the large piece and fit it through the bottom, folding the sides in as you come to the top. Secure with tape.
12. Put the “hat” back on the child, get the brim piece and fit it also, using tape to secure it on both sides. Remove from the child.
13. Sit down and decorate your creation with your child. This is the best part! I imprinted a piece of foil by placing it over a stamp and rubbing hard to get the impression. I used silver pipe cleaners for trim and black 8 1/2″ x 11″ construction paper for the brim.