A Book Lover's High Holy Days

March 2nd is Read Across America Day, y'all! 

And in honor of the good Dr. Seuss' birthday,

I crafted a jaunty little striped hat.

But first of all, why didn't I just use the hat I already had?

BECAUSE THE FREAKIN' THING IS HUUUUUGE!

It bobbles around on my head and annoys me all day long.  It would be fine for a readers' theater or something, but not for a whole day in a third grade classroom.

So I started with two pieces of 9" x 12" felt, my reference book,

and my trusty old-school calculator.

(I have had that calculator for more than thirty years.  I'm ooooold!)

I cut the red felt into an 8" by 9" rectangle.

I cut two 9" by 1 1/2" strips of white.

I cut a red circle 3 1/4" across. 

(Ignore the red 3 3/4" on the circle!  My math failed me! It's wrong!)

With the remaining white, I cut two identical ovals as big I could, 

and cut a circle out of the middle of one about 2 1/2" across.

(Honestly?  If you have extra white felt, make your ovals bigger than mine.  They would be easier to sew, then.)

I sewed on the white strips.

Then made a tube, making sure the white stripes matched up.

I sewed the red circle on one end.

And then sewed the white oval with the circle cut out to the other end.

I stuffed that sucker with stuffing.

And then sewed the other oval to the bottom.

NOT SHOWN: 

I also hemmed on the white oval right next to the tube, through all the layers.

Otherwise, the bottom was too poofy.

I made two slits, and threaded a headband though them.

I hand-sewed around the opening, to keep the hat from slipping around.

Now THAT'S a hat I can rock all day long!