Traditional Origami: Hat

There are many nice traditional paper folding models, known to many people, but too often forgotten when they grow older. While origami is traditionally from Japan, several of these older models may have sources that may be found outside Japan.

This model of a hat will be known to many people. I learned it as a child. Learning to fold a hat like this should be known to everybody. It is very easy. Use e.g. an old newspaper, but not one your parents still want to read.

First, we take a rectangular piece of paper

Here I take an A4-size paper. Other sizes with slightly different ratios between length and width will also be OK. It is very fine to use a newspaper!

Then, fold it in two, over the long side.

I'm just making a little crease halfway the fold I made in the previous step, such that I know in the next step where to fold.

Now, fold the corner to the middle. The crease in the previous step shows where.

Note: the open side is below at the bottom side, i.e., the side I do not fold.

And fold the other corner also to the middle.

Fold the flap below the corners up.

The crease is made at the place of the underside of the two corners we just folded.

Turn the backside up, and fold the flap at the backside also, similarly as the front side.

And my hat is ready!

This one is a little too small for me.

If you want to go on: this hat can be turned into a boat by a little more folding.

WWW page made by Hans Bodlaender.

WWW page created: June 11, 1998.

HB's origami page