With Christmas and New Year’s just one week apart, it’s never too early to start planning out how to ring in the new year! A big sit-down dinner with your closest friends and family is a fantastic way to reflect on the year gone by before the clock strikes midnight. New Year’s Eve parties are also the perfect occasion for dramatic décor, sparkly accents and whimsical party favors, but pulling a fantastic party together doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive! In just an afternoon with some glitter cardstock and a glue gun in hand, you can whip up festive party hat place cards that will surely delight all your guests!
Here’s what you need:
- Template (found here and printed at 83% of original size onto white cardstock or heavy paper)
- 12” x 12” glitter cardstock in a variety of colors (each sheet will make two hats; used here: turquoise, hot pink, purple and black)
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Regular scissors
- Fringe scissors (not necessary, but they sure make this project go a lot faster!)
- Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks
- White cardstock
- Printer (or black marker to hand-write names)
- Scoring tool (not necessary; you can also use the end of a knitting needle or other blunt-ended object)
Start by tracing the paper cone template onto one corner of the back side of the glitter cardstock. Next, use a ruler to measure out 1 inch all the way around the perimeter of the cone, making dashes as you go (bottom left). Repeat on the opposite corner of the cardstock, making a second hat and band. With the cones and an extra 1-inch band traced onto each corner, use the ruler to draw a 1-inch wide strip from the cone down the rest of the page (bottom right).
This is what the back side of your glitter cardstock should look like once you’ve drawn and measured out the pieces for two hats:
Using scissors, cut out all the pieces you just drew. You should have a cone, a rounded band and a straight strip for each hat. Repeat drawing and cutting on all your cardstock.
To make the cones, bend it around itself and hot glue at the seam, keeping the bottom flat and the tip pointed. Glitter cardstock can be stiff; keep working with it to get a nice cone shape!
Next, cut both the straight strip and the rounded strip of paper into a fringe. Using a pair of fringe scissors is the best and quickest way to do this!
For the straight strip of cardstock, cut slits three-quarters of the way to the other edge. Be careful not to cut all the way through (bottom left). For the rounded strip, only cut about one-quarter of the way to the center, and then cut in one-quarter from the other side to make a two-sided fringe (bottom right). Repeat on all the strips.
With all the cones glued and the fringes cut, it’s time to assemble the little hats! You can keep all the same color pieces together on each hat or mix and match for a more festive feel!
Start with the fringe around the bottom of the hat. Place a solid strip of glue down the center of the fringe. Carefully wrap the fringe around the bottom of the hat, letting the fringe hang off the cone.
At the top, add a drop of hot glue and secure one end of the paper strip to the point of the cone, with the fringe facing up. Roll the fringe around the top and secure with another drop of hot glue.
“Fluff” the fringe by bending the paper slits backward, both on the top and around the bottom.
Continue mixing, matching and gluing until all the hats are assembled! While this tutorial continues to make these hats into place cards, you could instead add elastic straps and make these into super adorable wearable mini party hats for your guests!
To make the hats into place cards, write or print out all your guests’ names onto white cardstock. Make your font about three-quarter-inch high, then cut the names down into 1-inch strips.
Using a ruler and a scoring tool, make a vertical score on each name strip one-half-inch from the letters and then another half-inch again. Repeat on both sides of the name.
Fold the paper strips on the score lines to make three-dimensional name banners.
Use scissors to trim down the ends of each name banner into points.
Secure the name banners to the front of each hat with hot glue, and you’re done!
Set your table in coordinating colors of plates, utensils, linens, napkins, confetti and accessories! Add the hats at each place to help guests find their seat!
These are such fun crafts to make! Consider designing the name banners to be removable (using re-positional adhesive) and add a string so guests can wear them as the clock counts down! As place cards or wearable favors, these mini hats are sure to bring in your new year in style! For more party ideas, check out ForRent.com’s endless resources here!
